Smithton
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Smithton's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 3,982 people. This figure reflects a growth of 48 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,934 people. The increase is inferred from ABS estimates: 3,913 residents in June 2024 and an additional 39 validated new addresses post-census. This results in a population density of 43 persons per square kilometer. Smithton's growth rate of 1.2% since the census is within 2.2 percentage points of its SA3 area (3.4%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of this growth.

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 estimates, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods. Future projections indicate an overall population decline: the area's population is expected to decrease by 215 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are projected to grow, notably the 75-84 age group, which is anticipated 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 granted approximately 18 residential property approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 91 homes. As of FY26, 0 approvals have been recorded. The population decline during this period suggests that new supply has likely met demand, providing good options for buyers with an average dwelling construction cost of $296,000. This year, Smithton has seen $5.7 million in commercial development approvals, indicating its predominantly residential character.

Compared to the Rest of Tas., Smithton exhibits moderately higher building activity, 28.0% above the regional average per person over five years, maintaining buyer choices while sustaining property demand. However, building activity has slowed in recent years. The new building activity comprises 62.0% detached houses and 38.0% attached dwellings, marking a shift from the current 92.0% houses, suggesting decreasing developable land availability and responding to changing lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 886 people, reflecting its low development activity environment.

With stable or declining population expected, Smithton may experience reduced housing pressure, potentially benefiting buyers.

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

No factors influence a region's performance more than alterations to local infrastructure, significant projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has pinpointed 0 projects that could impact this area. Notable projects include Bass Highway Wynyard to Marrawah Corridor Strategy, Robbins Island and Jim's Plain Wind project, North West Transmission Developments, and Marinus Link. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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

Smithton has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue collar jobs, with manufacturing and industrial sectors well-represented. The unemployment rate is 3.8%, having grown by 2.1% in the past year.

As of June 2025, 1,893 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.6%, 0.2% lower than Rest of Tas.'s 3.9%. Workforce participation is at 55.7%, matching Rest of Tas.'s figure. Key employment sectors include manufacturing, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and retail trade. Manufacturing dominates with an employment share 2.7 times the regional level.

Health care & social assistance has a limited presence at 8.0% compared to the regional average of 16.5%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data analysis. In the year ending June 2025, employment increased by 2.1%, while labour force grew by 2.3%, leading to a slight unemployment rise of 0.2 percentage points. Rest of Tas., however, saw employment and labour force declines of 0.5% and 0.6% respectively. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May 2025, project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. 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 compared to Rest of Tas.'s median and average incomes of $47,358 and $57,384 respectively. By September 2025, current estimates project Smithton's median income to be approximately $54,670 and the average income around $62,757, based on a Wage Price Index growth of 13.83% since financial year 2022. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Smithton all fall within the 13th to 20th percentiles nationally. In terms of income distribution, 29.8% of residents (1,186 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, which aligns with broader trends across the region showing 28.5% in the same category. Despite modest housing costs allowing for 87.5% income retention, Smithton's 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

In Smithton, as per the latest Census evaluation, 92.2% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 7.8% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This compares to Non-Metro Tas., where 95.9% of dwellings are houses and 4.1% are other types. Home ownership in Smithton stood at 37.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.2% and rented ones at 28.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,083, higher than Non-Metro Tas.'s average of $1,053. The median weekly rent in 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 account for 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 constitute the remaining 33.8%, with lone person households at 30.8% and group households comprising 3.0%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of Tas.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 12.0%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This presents both challenges and opportunities for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 8.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.2%) and graduate diplomas (0.6%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 37.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 7.5% and certificates at 30.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 27.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 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 area has varied educational conditions and offers a mix of two primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school. Functioning as an education hub, the area provides 22.0 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than 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 its health data. Both younger and older age groups have notable prevalence of common health conditions.

Only approximately 48% of Smithton's total population (~1,895 people) has private health cover, which is lower than the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis (affecting 10.3% of residents) and asthma (8.4%). Conversely, 64.6% of Smithton's residents report being completely free from medical ailments, a figure similar to the 65.0% reported across the Rest of Tas.. The proportion of seniors aged 65 and over in Smithton is higher than the state average, standing at 23.3% (927 people) compared to 22.0% in the Rest of Tas.. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, generally aligning with the overall health profile of the population.

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

Smithton had a cultural diversity index below the average, with 85.7% of its population being citizens, 89.7% born in Australia, and 95.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 48.9% of Smithton's population. However, Islam was overrepresented compared to the rest of Tasmania, with 2.1% versus 1.1%.

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 (0.7% vs 0.4%) and Dutch (1.2% vs 1.6%) were also overrepresented in Smithton, while Samoan was underrepresented at 0.1% compared to the region's 0.0%.

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

Smithton's median age is 42 years, which is slightly lower than Rest of Tas.'s 45 but 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 population aged 35-44 has increased from 10.2% to 12.0%. Meanwhile, the proportion of residents aged 45-54 has decreased from 11.3% to 9.7%, and those aged 25-34 have dropped from 12.9% to 11.8%. By 2041, Smithton's age composition is expected to change significantly. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 37% (117 people), reaching 434 from 316. This growth will be led by demographic aging, with residents aged 65 and older accounting for 99% of the anticipated population increase. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 15-24 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.