Taroona - Bonnet Hill
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Taroona - Bonnet Hill reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Taroona - Bonnet Hill's population is 3,606 as of August 2025. This shows a decrease of 31 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 3,637. The change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 3,601 in June 2024 and an additional 11 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 449 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration primarily drove recent population 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, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 and adjusted using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population growth is projected at an above median rate for statistical areas nationwide, with the area expected to grow by 520 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 14.2% over the 17-year period.

The level of residential development activity in Taroona - Bonnet Hill is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Taroona-Bonnet Hill has received approximately nine residential approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reports 46 approvals over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, and none so far in FY26. Despite population decline during this period, development activity has been adequate relative to population changes. New homes are constructed at an average cost of $754,000, indicating a focus on premium properties.

This year, commercial approvals totalled $4.8 million, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Hobart, Taroona-Bonnet Hill records about 59% of building activity per capita and ranks at the 31st percentile nationally in terms of development activity. This results in relatively limited buyer choice, driving interest in existing properties. The area's low-density character is maintained, with standalone homes comprising 83.0% of new developments and townhouses or apartments making up 17.0%.

There are approximately 525 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet development environment. Population forecasts project an increase of 514 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Taroona - Bonnet Hill has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 10thth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified two projects that could impact the area's performance significantly. These key projects are: Richardsons Road Residential Development in Sandford, Taroona Bike Lane Upgrades, Southern Outlet Transit Lane, Kingston Bypass Duplication and Algona Road Roundabout Upgrade. The following list details those most relevant.

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

The labour market in Taroona - Bonnet Hill shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Taroona - Bonnet Hill has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate is 2.0% as of June 2025.

The area has 1,835 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.2%, which is below Greater Hobart's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Hobart at 61.6%. Leading employment industries include education & training, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. The area specializes in education & training with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level.

Construction has limited presence with 4.9% employment compared to the regional 8.7%. Labour force decreased by 1.6% while employment declined by 1.8% during June 2025, causing unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Hobart saw employment fall by 1.5%, labour force contract by 1.6%, and unemployment fall by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Tasmania's employment grew by 0.77% year-on-year with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. National forecasts project employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local growth patterns may differ due to industry-specific projections.

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

Taroona-Bonnet Hill's median income among taxpayers was $55,827 and average income stood at $76,385 in financial year 2022. This compares to Greater Hobart's figures of $51,272 and $63,777 respectively. As of March 2025, estimated median income is approximately $62,493 and average income is $85,505 based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.94%. Household, family, and personal incomes in Taroona-Bonnet Hill cluster around the 61st percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that 32.0% of the population (1,153 individuals) fall within the $1,500-$2,999 income range, similar to broader trends across the broader area at 32.2%. After housing costs, residents retain 89.5% of their income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Taroona - Bonnet Hill is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Taroona - Bonnet Hill, as per the latest Census, consisted of 97.2% houses and 2.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is compared to Hobart metro's 92.5% houses and 7.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Taroona - Bonnet Hill stood at 51.6%, with the rest either mortgaged (34.1%) or rented (14.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,785, higher than Hobart metro's average of $1,647. Median weekly rent in Taroona - Bonnet Hill was recorded at $425, compared to Hobart metro's $385. Nationally, Taroona - Bonnet Hill's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially higher than the national figure of $375.

Taroona - Bonnet Hill has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 73.2% of all households, including 32.8% couples with children, 29.8% couples without children, and 9.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 26.8%, with lone person households at 24.7% and group households comprising 2.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Hobart average of 2.6.

Taroona - Bonnet Hill shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in Taroona - Bonnet Hill exceeds broader benchmarks with 55.0% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 25.5% in Tasmania and 30.4% in Australia as of the latest data. Bachelor degrees are most common at 32.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.3%) and graduate diplomas (6.7%). Vocational pathways account for 19.5% with advanced diplomas at 9.1% and certificates at 10.4%. Educational participation is high, with 31.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education including 10.5% in secondary, 9.2% in primary, and 6.9% pursuing tertiary education as of the latest figures.

Taroona Primary School and Taroona High School serve a total of 1,455 students. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages with an ICSEA score of 1130. Educational provision is conventional with one primary and one secondary institution. As of recent data, the area has 40.4 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 16.5, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

The analysis of public transport in Taroona - Bonnet Hill shows that there are currently 31 active transport stops serving the area. These stops offer a variety of bus services, with a total of 50 different routes operating weekly. The combined passenger trips from these routes amount to 4,441 per week.

The accessibility of public transport in this region is considered good, with residents on average being located approximately 204 meters away from the nearest transport stop. On a daily basis, there are an average of 634 trips made across all routes, which translates to roughly 143 weekly trips per individual stop.

Taroona - Bonnet Hill'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

Taroona-Bonnet Hill's health metrics align closely with national benchmarks. Common health conditions are seen across both young and old age groups at a standard level.

Private health cover is exceptionally high, with approximately 58% of the total population (2,084 people) having it, compared to 53.9% in Greater Hobart. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 10.5% and 9.6% of residents respectively. 66.1% of residents report being completely free of medical ailments, slightly lower than the 66.9% across Greater Hobart. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, with 23.0% (829 people) compared to 20.8% in Greater Hobart. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, outperforming those of the general population in health metrics.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Taroona - Bonnet Hill was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Taroona-Bonnet Hill, surveyed in 2016, had above-average cultural diversity with 10.7% of residents speaking a language other than English at home and 24.5% born overseas. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 30.0%. Buddhism was slightly overrepresented at 1.5%, compared to Greater Hobart's 1.2%.

Top ancestry groups were English (32.7%), Australian (23.4%), and Scottish (10.2%). Notable differences included Welsh (1.1% vs regional 0.6%), Dutch (1.9% vs 3.2%), and Irish (10.0% vs 8.4%) groups.

Taroona - Bonnet Hill hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Taroona - Bonnet Hill has a median age of 47, which is higher than Greater Hobart's figure of 39 and also above the national average of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 45-54 are particularly prominent, making up 14.9% of the population, while those aged 25-34 make up a smaller proportion at 7.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 6.4% to 8.3%, and the 15 to 24 cohort has increased from 12.6% to 13.7%. Conversely, the 65 to 74 cohort has declined from 13.6% to 11.9%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Taroona - Bonnet Hill's age structure. The 45 to 54 group is expected to grow by 49%, reaching 797 people from the current 536. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 65 to 74 and 35 to 44 cohorts.