South Arm
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in South Arm are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

South Arm's population was around 4,683 as of Aug 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 67 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,616. The change is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 4,657 in June 2024 and 40 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 63 persons per square kilometer. South Arm's 1.5% growth since census compares to the SA4 region's 4.2%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 61.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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. Based on these projections, South Arm is expected to grow by 363 persons to 2041, an increase of 7.2% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in South Arm according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

South Arm has averaged approximately 20 new dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, totalling 103 approvals across the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, with 2 approvals so far in FY-26. On average, over these years, only 0.9 people have moved to the area per dwelling built, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand and providing greater buyer choice while supporting potential population growth above projections. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $909,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

In FY-26, $672,000 in commercial development approvals have been recorded, predominantly focusing on residential development compared to Greater Hobart. South Arm records about three-quarters the building activity per person and ranks among the 61st percentile of areas assessed nationally. Recent building activity consists entirely of detached houses, preserving the area's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers.

With around 246 people per dwelling approval, South Arm shows characteristics of a low-density area. Population forecasts indicate South Arm will gain 337 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

South Arm has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 16thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects likely to impact the region: Droughty Peninsula Structure Plan, Lauderdale Primary School, Hobart City Deal, and Greater Hobart Urban Growth Boundary Extension.

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

The labour market in South Arm shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

South Arm has an educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented, and an unemployment rate of 2.3% as of June 2025. In this period, 2,537 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.8% lower than Greater Hobart's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation stands at 64.9%, slightly higher than Greater Hobart's 61.6%. Dominant employment sectors include construction, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Construction particularly shows high concentration, with levels 1.7 times the regional average. Conversely, accommodation & food services are under-represented, comprising only 4.3% of South Arm's workforce compared to Greater Hobart's 8.0%.

Local employment opportunities appear limited based on Census data comparisons between working population and resident population. Over the year to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.6%, while employment fell by 1.7%, leaving unemployment broadly stable. Meanwhile, Greater Hobart saw employment decline of 1.5% and labour force decline of 1.6%, with unemployment falling by 0.2 percentage points. Statewide in Tasmania (TAS) as of Sep-25, employment grew by 0.77% year-on-year, adding 1,170 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate stands at 4.5%, with TAS's employment growth outpacing the national average of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to South Arm's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5%% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

South Arm had a median taxpayer income of $55,358 and an average income of $65,983 based on AreaSearch's postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2022. This was slightly above the national average, contrasting with Greater Hobart's median income of $51,272 and average income of $63,777. As of March 2025, estimated incomes are approximately $61,968 (median) and $73,861 (average), accounting for an 11.94% growth in wages since the financial year 2022. According to 2021 Census figures, South Arm's household, family, and personal incomes are around the 66th percentile nationally. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 36.0% of South Arm residents (1,685 individuals), which is consistent with regional levels showing 32.2% in the same category. After housing costs, residents retain 89.2% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power and placing the area's SEIFA income ranking in the 6th decile.

South Arm is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The latest Census evaluated South Arm's dwelling structures as 99.4% houses and 0.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Hobart metro's 93.4% houses and 6.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Arm was 43.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 47.2% and rented ones at 9.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,600, while the median weekly rent figure was $370. Nationally, South Arm's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

South Arm features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 79.4% of all households, including 35.4% couples with children, 34.0% couples without children, and 9.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 20.6%, with lone person households at 18.7% and group households comprising 1.7%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Greater Hobart average of 2.4.

The educational profile of South Arm exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

In South Arm, 29.7% of residents aged 15+ hold university qualifications, slightly above the Tasmania average of 25.5%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 19.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.8%) and graduate diplomas (3.9%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent with 39.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (11.6%) and certificates (27.6%).

Educational participation is high, with 27.0% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.7% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 3.7% pursuing tertiary education. South Arm Primary School serves the local community with an enrollment of 67 students as of a specific date. The school has an ICSEA score of 1032, indicating typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities. It focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. Local school capacity is limited at 1.4 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.3, leading many families to travel for schooling.

Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

South Arm has 66 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 105 different routes, carrying a total of 14,508 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility in the area is moderate, with residents on average living 574 meters from their nearest stop.

On average, there are 2,072 trips per day across all routes, which amounts to approximately 219 weekly trips per individual stop.

South Arm's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

South Arm's health metrics closely match national benchmarks, with common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts.

Private health cover rate is approximately 52%, slightly higher than the average SA2 area (~2,453 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (10.2%) and mental health issues (8.1%). Around 68.2% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 64.2% in Greater Hobart. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 23.0% (1,078 people) than Greater Hobart's 21.8%. Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

The latest Census data sees South Arm placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

South Arm's population showed lower cultural diversity, with 89.3% born in Australia, 93.7% being citizens, and 97.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 35.9%. Buddhism, however, was slightly overrepresented at 0.8%, compared to Greater Hobart's 1.0%.

The top ancestry groups were English (36.0%), Australian (30.0%), and Irish (9.1%). Notably, Dutch ancestry was higher in South Arm at 1.7% versus the regional average of 1.3%. Scottish ancestry also showed a slight increase at 8.4%, compared to 7.3% regionally. There was no significant difference in Australian Aboriginal representation, which stood at 2.8% in both areas.

South Arm hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

South Arm's median age is 45 years, which is higher than Greater Hobart's average of 39 years and the national average of 38 years. The 65-74 age group makes up 15.0% of South Arm's population, compared to Greater Hobart's percentage and the national average of 9.4%. The 25-34 age group, however, is less prevalent at 7.2%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has grown from 9.0% to 11.4%, while the 75-84 cohort increased from 4.1% to 6.5%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 17.6% to 14.7%, and the 5-14 age group dropped from 13.3% to 11.1%. Demographic modeling suggests that South Arm's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 80%, adding 244 residents to reach 548. Residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 52% of population growth, indicating demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 65-74 and 25-34 age groups.