St Helens - Scamander

An assessment of population growth drivers in St Helens - Scamander reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, St Helens - Scamander's population is around 7,252 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 496 people (7.3%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,756 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,162 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 247 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2.2 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. St Helens - Scamander's 7.3% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the state (5.3%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed approximately 76.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth by age group in the years post-2032, the Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year, are adopted with adjustments made using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Regarding demographic trends, projections indicate a decline in overall population, with the area's population expected to shrink by 457 persons by 2041 according to this methodology. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 75 to 84 age group, which is projected to expand by 304 people. See the age section for more details.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions St Helens - Scamander among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

St Helens - Scamander has averaged around 50 new dwelling approvals annually, totalling 252 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 25 approvals have been recorded. With an average of 2.6 new residents per year gained for each dwelling built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), indicating healthy demand that should support property values, new homes are being built at an average value of $249,000. Additionally, $4.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, reflecting the area's residential character.

Compared to the Rest of Tas., St Helens - Scamander maintains similar construction rates (per person), supporting market stability in line with regional patterns. Meanwhile, recent development has been entirely comprised of detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. With around 160 people per dwelling approval, St Helens - Scamander shows characteristics of a growth area.

With the population expected to remain stable or decline, St Helens - Scamander should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

St Helens - Scamander has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 29thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 0 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Bass Offshore Wind Energy Project, Tasmanian Irrigation Schemes: Tranche 3, the Cethana Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Project, and Marinus Link Stage 1, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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

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.

Employment conditions in St Helens - Scamander face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

St Helens - Scamander possesses a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment, with diverse sector representation, and an unemployment rate of 6.5%. As of December 2025, 2,677 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 2.6% above Regional Tas.'s rate of 3.8%, and workforce participation lags significantly (45.2% compared to Regional Tas.'s 58.9%). Based on Census responses, a low 13.3% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in accommodation & food, with employment levels at 1.5 times the regional average. In contrast, health care & social assistance employs just 14.2% of local workers, below Regional Tas.'s 16.5%. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.0% while employment declined by 1.5%, causing unemployment to fall by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Regional Tas. experienced employment growth of 1.8% and labour force growth of 1.5%, with a 0.3 percentage point drop. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within St Helens - Scamander. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to St Helens - Scamander's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.6% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for FY-23 reveals that income in the St Helens - Scamander SA2 is lower than average on a national basis, with the median assessed at $37,708 while the average income stands at $48,769. This contrasts with Regional Tas.'s figures of a median income of $49,689 and an average income of $59,358. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.6% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $41,328 (median) and $53,451 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in St Helens - Scamander all fall between the 0th and 2nd percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate the largest segment comprises 36.5% earning $400 - 799 weekly (2,646 residents), diverging from the metropolitan region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 28.5%. The prevalence of lower-income residents (48.3% under $800/week) indicates constrained household budgets across much of the locality. While housing costs are modest with 87.2% of income retained, the total disposable income ranks at just the 3rd percentile nationally.

St Helens - Scamander is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within St Helens - Scamander, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 91.9% houses and 8.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional Tas.'s 89.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within St Helens - Scamander was well beyond that of Regional Tas., at 56.5%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (23.2%) or rented (20.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well below the Regional Tas. average at $1,083, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $240, compared to Regional Tas.'s $1,274 and $250. Nationally, St Helens - Scamander's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

St Helens - Scamander features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 62.1% of all households, comprising 16.7% couples with children, 36.2% couples without children, and 8.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 37.9%, with lone person households at 36.0% and group households comprising 2.0% of the total. The median household size of 2.0 people is smaller than the Regional Tas. average of 2.3.

St Helens - Scamander faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (16.7%) substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 11.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.8%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 40.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (9.7%) and certificates (30.6%).

A substantial 21.2% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 10.0% in primary education, 5.5% in secondary education, and 1.8% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

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

Health data reveals substantial challenges facing St Helens - Scamander, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~3,343 people). This compares to 49.1% across Regional Tas. The national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 14.2 and 9.8% of residents, respectively, while 57.3% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 62.0% across Regional Tas. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 34.5% of residents aged 65 and over (2,504 people), which is higher than the 24.9% in Regional Tas., with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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

St Helens - Scamander was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 89.4% of its population being citizens, 85.7% born in Australia, and 96.7% speaking English only at home. The main religion in St Helens - Scamander is Christianity, which makes up 43.0% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Other, which comprises 0.7% of the population, compared to 0.7% across Regional Tas..

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in St Helens - Scamander are English, comprising 36.6% of the population, Australian, comprising 30.0% of the population, and Scottish, comprising 8.7% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Welsh is notably overrepresented at 0.6% of St Helens - Scamander (vs 0.4% regionally), Australian Aboriginal at 3.0% (vs 4.1%) and French at 0.5% (vs 0.3%).

St Helens - Scamander ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

With a median age of 56, St Helens - Scamander is significantly above the Regional Tas. figure of 45 and substantially exceeds Australia's 38 years. The 65 - 74 age group shows strong representation at 20.2% compared to Regional Tas., whereas the 25 - 34 cohort is less prevalent at 6.0%. This 65 - 74 concentration is well above the national 9.5%. Since 2021, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 9.5% to 11.7% of the population, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 9.5% to 11.2%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 20.1% to 17.9% and the 25 to 34 group dropped from 7.2% to 6.0%. Demographic modeling suggests St Helens - Scamander's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. Leading the demographic shift, the 75 to 84 group will grow by 28% (236 people), reaching 1,084 from 847. Demographic aging continues as residents 65 and older represent 78% of anticipated growth. Conversely, both 0 to 4 and 15 to 24 age groups will see reduced numbers.