Smithton
Statistical Area - sa2

Smithton has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Smithton's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 3,974 people. This figure represents an increase of 40 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 3,934. The growth from June 2024 to August 2025 is estimated at 35 validated new addresses, with the ABS reporting an estimated resident population of 3,915 in June 2024. This results in a population density of 43 persons per square kilometer. Smithton's growth rate of 1.0% since the census is within 2.3 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 3.3%. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains during this period.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and post-2032 growth by age group, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021, adjusted using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Population projections indicate a decline of 215 persons by 2041, but growth is anticipated in specific age cohorts, notably the 75 to 84 age group, projected to increase by 130 people.

The level of residential development activity in Smithton is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Smithton has recorded approximately 18 residential properties granted approval each year. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, totalling 91 approvals across the past five financial years between FY21 and FY25, with no approvals so far in FY26. The population has been declining over recent years, making development activity adequate relative to other regions. New properties are constructed at an average value of $451,000.

In FY26, $5.7 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating limited focus on commercial development. Compared to the Rest of Tas., Smithton shows moderately higher new home approvals, with 28.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period. Recent construction comprises 62.0% standalone homes and 38.0% attached dwellings, showing an expanding range of medium-density options. This is a considerable change from the current housing mix, which is currently 92.0% houses.

The estimated count of 886 people per dwelling approval reflects Smithton's quiet development environment. With population expected to remain stable or decline, there should be reduced pressure on housing in Smithton, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Smithton has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 21stth percentile nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch has identified no projects impacting this area. Notable initiatives include Bass Highway Wynyard to Marrawah Corridor Strategy, Robbins Island and Jim's Plain Wind project, Marinus Link Stage 1, North West Transmission Developments.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

The employment landscape in Smithton shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Smithton has a balanced workforce encompassing white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent, with an unemployment rate of 3.8% and estimated employment growth of 2.1% in the past year as of June 2025.

There are 1,893 residents employed, with an unemployment rate 0.2% below Rest of Tas.'s 3.9%. Workforce participation is at 55.7%, matching Rest of Tas.'s figure. Dominant employment sectors include manufacturing, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and retail trade. Manufacturing shows strong specialization, with an employment share 2.7 times the regional level, while health care & social assistance has limited presence at 8.0% compared to the regional 16.5%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. In the past year, employment increased by 2.1%, labour force by 2.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. Meanwhile, Rest of Tas. experienced employment decline of 0.5% and labour force decline of 0.6%. State-level data to Sep-25 shows TAS employment grew by 0.77% year-on-year with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, outperforming the national average of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's May 2025 projections forecast national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, varying by industry sector. Applying these projections to Smithton's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 4.3% over five years and 10.5% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Smithton's median income among taxpayers was $48,028 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $55,132 during the same period. These figures compare to $47,358 and $57,384 respectively for Rest of Tas. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.94% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $53,763 (median) and $61,715 (average) as of March 2025. Census data shows household, family and personal incomes in Smithton fall between the 13th and 20th percentiles nationally. In income distribution, the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 29.8% of residents (1,184 people), consistent with broader trends across the region showing 28.5% in the same category. Housing costs are modest with 87.5% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at just the 17th percentile nationally.

Smithton is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Smithton's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.2% houses and 7.8% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and others. This compares to Non-Metro Tas.'s 95.9% houses and 4.1% other dwellings. Smithton's home ownership rate was 37.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.2% and rented ones at 28.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,083, higher than Non-Metro Tas.'s average of $1,053. The median weekly rent figure for Smithton was $222, compared to Non-Metro Tas.'s $200. Nationally, Smithton's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Smithton features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 66.2% of all households, including 23.3% couples with children, 30.8% couples without children, and 10.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 33.8%, comprising 30.8% lone person households and 3.0% group households. The median household size is 2.3 people, which matches the average for the Rest of Tas.

Smithton faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

In Smithton, university qualification rates stand at 12.0%, substantially lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 8.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.2%) and graduate diplomas (0.6%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 37.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (7.5%) and certificates (30.4%). Educational participation is high, with 27.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 12.1% in primary, 9.2% in secondary, and 2.0% in tertiary education.

Smithton's four schools have a combined enrollment of 874 students. The educational mix includes two primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school. As an education hub, Smithton offers 22.0 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 11.7, attracting students from surrounding communities.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Smithton is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Smithton faces significant health challenges, as indicated by data showing high prevalence of common conditions across different age groups. Private health cover is low, at approximately 48%, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (10.3%) and asthma (8.4%). A total of 64.6% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of Tas. figure of 65.0%. Smithton has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 23.3% compared to the Rest of Tas.'s 22.0%. Health outcomes among seniors are broadly similar to those of the general population.

Smithton is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Smithton's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 85.7% of its population being citizens born in Australia speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 48.9%. While Islam was overrepresented at 2.1%, compared to 1.1% across Rest of Tas., other religions were not specified.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.1%), English (30.0%), and Australian Aboriginal (12.8%), which was substantially higher than the regional average of 7.7%. Notably, Maori at 0.7%, Dutch at 1.2%, and Samoan at 0.1% were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.4%, 1.6%, and 0.0% respectively.

Smithton hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Smithton's median age is 42 years, slightly lower than Rest of Tas.'s 45 and higher than the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of Tas., Smithton has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (11.9%) but fewer residents aged 45-54 (9.7%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the age group 35-44 has increased from 10.2% to 12.0%. Meanwhile, the 45-54 age group has decreased from 11.3% to 9.7%, and the 25-34 group has fallen from 12.9% to 11.8%. By 2041, Smithton's population is expected to undergo significant changes. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 37%, from 316 to 434 people. This growth is part of a broader trend of demographic aging, with residents aged 65 and older accounting for 98% of the anticipated population increase. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 15-24 age groups are expected to decrease in number.