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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
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Smithton has an estimated 3,897 residents, down from 3,934 at the 2021 Census. The population has thinned by an average 0.6% a year over five years, slower than 95% of areas nationally. Density is about 43 people per square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
Demographic assessments by AreaSearch indicate that Smithton had an estimated resident count of 3,897 by Aug 2026. This represents a contraction of 37 people (0.9%) compared to the 3,934 people documented during the 2021 Census. Such movement is calculated from the ABS figure of 3,886 residents recorded in June 2025 alongside 40 validated new addresses logged following the census count. With a population density of 42 persons per square kilometer, the locality offers considerable room for its inhabitants. Inward migration from overseas served as virtually the sole driver of local demographic gains across recent periods.
Projections prepared by Geoscience Australia and the ABS, published in 2024 using 2022 as the base year, serve as AreaSearch's primary modeling foundation for SA2 localities. Where coverage is absent or when examining age bracket trajectories beyond 2032, forecasts issued by the Tasmania State Government in 2022 using 2021 as the base year are incorporated via a weighted LGA-to-SA2 growth allocation method. Under this modeling framework, total headcount is forecast to decline, dropping by 225 persons by 2041. In contrast to this broader contraction, several specific cohorts will expand, most prominently the 75 to 84 age group, which is projected to increase by 123 people. Additional insights are available in the age section.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
86 new dwellings have been approved in Smithton over the past five years, an average of 17 a year. That is 4.3 approvals per 1,000 residents. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this SA2 boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Residential building approvals in Smithton have averaged roughly 17 new dwelling approvals per year, totaling 86 homes across the five most recent financial periods (from FY-22 through FY-26). Because local demographic totals have decreased, current residential building volume appears sufficient to satisfy buyer demand, with new properties carrying an average construction value of $323,000 in line with wider regional trends. Furthermore, commercial permits reached $5.7 million during the present financial year, emphasizing the predominantly residential focus of local construction. When evaluated against Rest of Tas., Smithton exhibits a comparatively elevated pace of residential building (40.0% above regional average per person across the five-year span), which helps maintain healthy options for purchasers while supporting local market demand, despite building intensity moderating lately.
Approved additions comprise 65.0% standalone homes and 35.0% attached dwellings, reflecting a growing presence of medium-density stock alongside traditional houses across varied price points. Because existing inventory is 92.0% houses, this transition points toward tightening land availability as well as evolving lifestyle requirements and affordability considerations. A high ratio of 1363 people per residential approval underscores the subdued, calm pace of local development. With demographic projections pointing toward steady or declining headcounts, reduced demand pressures could foster advantageous conditions for real estate purchasers in Smithton.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Smithton
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 43 current infrastructure and development projects close to Smithton, worth an estimated $8.77 billion. 12 are already under construction and 8 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, transport & logistics and energy. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Major planning frameworks and regional capital investments play a pivotal role in shaping community outcomes. While no major initiatives have been formally recorded by AreaSearch as directly impacting the immediate area, notable regional projects comprise the Bass Highway Wynyard to Marrawah Corridor Strategy, Robbins Island and Jim's Plain Wind, North West Transmission Developments, and Marinus Link, with primary developments outlined below.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
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Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Bass Highway Wynyard to Marrawah Corridor Strategy
A staged 100 million AUD Australian and Tasmanian Government highway upgrade program delivering road realignments, overtaking lanes, junction upgrades, shoulder widening and a heavy vehicle rest area between Wynyard and Marrawah. Eleven projects have been completed, with additional Stage 2 and Stage 3 projects entering construction during 2026 and further works continuing into 2027.
Robbins Island and Jim's Plain Wind
ACEN Australia's Robbins Island and Jim's Plain Wind project is a proposed $3 billion renewable energy development in the Circular Head region of north-west Tasmania. Jim's Plain Wind was approved in 2020 and Robbins Island Wind has secured Circular Head Council, EPA Tasmania and Commonwealth environmental approvals. The project includes up to 900 MW of wind generation, with Jim's Plain having optional solar and battery components, plus a bridge across Robbins Passage, a wharf on north-east Robbins Island and a proposed 120 km transmission line to connect to the Tasmanian high voltage network near Hampshire.The transmission line is still progressing through a separate environmental assessment, with approvals anticipated in 2026 and first generation targeted around 2030.
Woolnorth Wind Farm Repowering
Repowering of the Bluff Point and Studland Bay wind farms in far north-west Tasmania, owned by a joint venture between Shenhua Clean Energy Holdings (75%) and Hydro Tasmania (25%). The project would replace 62 existing turbines with 48 newer, higher-capacity models, increasing total generation capacity from 140MW to approximately 240MW while extending the operational life of both sites. Upgrades to the transmission line between Woolnorth and the TasNetworks Smithton substation are also proposed. The project has been declared a Controlled Action under the EPBC Act and is undergoing environmental impact assessment by the EPA Tasmania Board, with final EIS Guidelines issued to the proponent.The EIS is expected to take several years to prepare, with a commissioning target of around 2030.
Boat Harbour Beach Master Plan
Major foreshore renewal project delivering a new Surf Life Saving Club and community building with cafe, upgraded public amenities, new roads and parking, accessible pathways, landscaping, playgrounds, recreation spaces and improved beach access. Construction is well advanced with the new facility nearing completion and staged landscaping, demolition of the old building and official opening scheduled through 2026.
Boat Harbour Beach Master Plan
Foreshore renewal led by Waratah-Wynyard Council including a new surf life saving club community building, cafe, landscaped public spaces, nature-inspired playground, and upgraded parking. Main construction is nearing completion with an official opening expected in September 2026.
Wynyard Affordable Housing Development
Development of 47 energy-efficient affordable and social rental homes featuring single and double-storey units in Wynyard, Tasmania. Funded under Round 1 of the Housing Australia Future Fund and delivered by Housing Choices Tasmania in partnership with Homes Tasmania.
Cooee to Wynyard Coastal Pathway
A 13.2 km shared pedestrian and bicycle pathway along Tasmania's north-west coast between Cooee (Burnie) and Wynyard. Works included seven erosion-control rock revetments, penguin fencing upgrades, bridge safety works and integration of existing sections. Officially opened on 24 October 2024.
Bass Highway Cooee to Wynyard Upgrades
Priority works to realign and upgrade an approximate 3.2 kilometre stretch of the Bass Highway from Somerset to Wynyard, including the construction of two overtaking lanes, a central median safety barrier and enhanced lane markings along this section of the highway to improve road safety and traffic congestion.
1,886 residents of Smithton are employed, from a labour force of 1,968. Unemployment sits at 4.2%, with participation at 61.3%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 4.3% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Smithton maintains an even distribution of blue- and white-collar personnel, characterized by a prominent manufacturing and industrial footprint, an unemployment rate of 4.2%, and 2.8% annual job expansion. By March 2026, employed locals numbered 1,886, with unemployment tracking 0.2% above the 3.9% recorded across Regional Tas. and local labor force participation registering at 61.3% compared to 58.7% regionally. Census returns revealed that only 4.5% of workers operated from home, though historical pandemic restrictions may have influenced these figures. Primary employment sectors for local residents consist of manufacturing, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and retail trade.
The locality displays a heavy concentration in manufacturing, where employment concentration is 2.7 times the regional benchmark. Conversely, health care & social assistance accounts for only 8.0% of the workforce, lagging behind the 16.5% regional share. Given the disparity between resident workers and local job counts, a considerable proportion of community members appear to commute outside the area for employment. Analysis of data from the ABS and SALM indicates that over the 12-month period, local employment expanded by 2.8% while the labor pool grew by 3.2%, driving a 0.3 percentage points rise in unemployment. Across Regional Tas., employment advanced by 1.8% alongside a 1.7% increase in the labor supply, resulting in a minor reduction. National forecasts released by Jobs and Skills Australia in Mar-26 provide additional context regarding future employment trends. Applying their five- and ten-year nationwide industry growth rates—projected at 6.6% and 13.7% respectively—to the local industrial footprint suggests Smithton's employment could rise by 4.3% over five years and 10.5% over ten years (note that this serves as an illustrative industry-weighted estimate and excludes localized population dynamics).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Smithton is $1,189 a week (about $62,000 a year), with median personal income at $652 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $50,318 a year against an average of $57,302. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
ATO postcode statistics for financial year 2023 compiled by AreaSearch show that earnings across Smithton SA2 trail nationwide benchmarks, recording a median income of $50,318 and a mean figure of $57,302. By comparison, Regional Tas. registered a median of $49,689 and an average of $59,358. Accounting for a 10.95% rise in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023, updated estimates as of March 2026 reach roughly $55,828 for median earnings and $63,577 for the mean. The 2021 Census placed Smithton's household, family, and individual incomes between the 12th and 19th percentiles nationwide.
Around 29.8% of residents (1,161 people) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, mirroring the 28.5% observed regionally. Although households retain 87.5% of their income after accommodation expenses, overall disposable income remains low, placing at the 17th percentile nationally.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Smithton had 1,521 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 92% detached houses and 1% apartments. 34% are owned with a mortgage, 29% rented and 37% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $222 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,083 a month. Rent absorbs 18.7% of household income here and mortgage repayments 21.0%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
At the time of the most recent Census, Smithton's residential stock was dominated by separate houses at 92.2%, with apartments, semi-detached properties, and other structures accounting for 7.8%, compared to 89.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings throughout Regional Tas.. Outright home ownership stood at 37.2%, trailing the broader regional level, while 34.2% of homes were mortgaged and 28.6% were tenanted. The median monthly mortgage payment of $1,083 and weekly rent of $222 were lower than the respective Regional Tas. benchmarks of $1,274 and $250. Across Australia, local housing costs remain notably lower than national medians of $1,863 for mortgages and $375 for rental accommodation.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Smithton counted 1,521 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.3 people each. 23% are couples with children, fewer than in 76% of areas nationally, against 31% couples without children. 31% of households are people living alone, and families average 2.1 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Family living arrangements represent 66.2% of local households, consisting of couples without children at 30.8%, couples with offspring at 23.3%, and single parent families at 10.8%. Non-family setups make up the remaining 33.8%, led by single-person residences at 30.8% and group households at 3.0%. The median household size of 2.3 people aligns exactly with the Regional Tas. benchmark.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
12.0% of adults in Smithton hold a university qualification, including 8.2% with a bachelor degree and 3.2% with postgraduate qualifications, lower than 96% of areas nationally. A further 30.4% hold a vocational qualification. 4 schools serve the area, with 874 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 874 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Higher education rates in the region remain low, with university qualification rates at 12.0%, well beneath the 30.4% national standard. Among tertiary qualifications, bachelor degrees represent 8.2%, postgraduate credentials comprise 3.2%, and graduate diplomas account for 0.6%. Conversely, vocational and technical training is widely held, with 37.9% of the population aged 15+ possessing trade qualifications, encompassing 30.4% with certificates and 7.5% holding advanced diplomas. Engagement in formal study is strong across the community, with 27.6% of the population enrolled in educational programs. Specifically, 12.1% attend primary school, 9.2% are in secondary institutions, and 2.0% are engaged in tertiary studies.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Smithton means driving: households keep an average of 1.4 vehicles, and no scheduled public transport appears in the current timetable feeds. Service data is built from operators' published GTFS timetables; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
64.6% of residents in Smithton report no long-term health condition, a less healthy profile than 81% of areas nationally. 6.5% need daily assistance with core activities, and 47.6% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 7.0 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
AreaSearch evaluations of mortality patterns and chronic illness rates highlight notable medical challenges in Smithton, with conditions widespread across younger and older demographics alike. Private health insurance participation is subdued, covering roughly 48% of residents (~1,854 people) compared to the Australian average of 55.7%. Arthritis and asthma constitute the most widespread chronic conditions locally, impacting 10.3 and 8.4% of the population respectively, while 64.6% of residents reported no chronic illnesses, exceeding the 62.0% recorded for Regional Tas.. Chronic health issues are elevated among working-age individuals. Seniors aged 65 and over comprise 24.4% of the community (952 people), displaying health metrics broadly comparable to wider national patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Smithton is largely Australian-born, at 89.7% of residents, with 5.0% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are Australian (34.1%) and English (30.0%). 12.8% of residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural diversity in Smithton is relatively modest, with 85.7% holding Australian citizenship, 89.7% born locally within Australia, and 95.0% speaking exclusively English in the home. Christianity represents the leading religious denomination, accounting for 48.9% of residents. Islam shows the most pronounced comparative concentration, making up 2.1% of the community against 0.6% across Regional Tas.. Regarding parental lineage, the leading reported backgrounds in Smithton are Australian at 34.1%, English at 30.0%, and Australian Aboriginal at 12.8%, the latter considerably surpassing the regional figure of 4.1%. Other cultural backgrounds also show varying representation, including Maori at 0.7% (compared to 0.2% regionally), Dutch at 1.2% (against 1.7%), and Samoan at 0.1% (compared to no recorded presence regionally).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Smithton is 42. 22.9% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
Smithton's age distribution closely mirrors the broader Regional Tas. profile, showing a maximum divergence of 2.8 percentage points across cohorts. AreaSearch calculates the median age at 42 as at August 2026, matching the level from the 2021 Census and sitting 3 years younger than the regional median of 45 recorded at that Census. Residents aged 65+ have increased from 22.8% at the census to an estimated 24.4%. Projections to 2041 indicate that older residents will drive local growth, increasing by 206 residents (22%) to a total of 1,159, whereas child, youth, and prime working-age cohorts are anticipated to contract.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Smithton
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Sep 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the SA2 boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Sep 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Sep 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, Local governments Daily | May 2026 4 months ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 6 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 2 months ago all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 40 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (3,934 at the 2021 Census → 3,897 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (604031095). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.