Waratah

Waratah is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Waratah's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 3,994, reflecting a growth of 151 people since the 2021 Census. This increase represents a 3.9% rise from the previous census figure of 3,843. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,969 in June 2024 and an additional 94 validated new addresses since the Census date. The current population density ratio is 1.1 persons per square kilometer. Waratah's growth rate of 3.9% since the 2021 census exceeds that of the SA3 area at 3.5%, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Natural growth contributed approximately 75.7% to 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 estimation 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. Future population dynamics indicate an overall decline, with the area's population expected to decrease by 409 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are projected to grow, notably the 75 to 84 age group, which is anticipated to expand by 97 people.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Waratah recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Waratah has received approximately 23 dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 116 homes were approved, with an additional 4 approved so far in FY-26. On average, each dwelling constructed over these years accommodated about 1.7 new residents per year. However, this number has decreased to approximately 1.1 people per dwelling over the past two financial years.

The average construction cost of new properties is around $274,000. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totaled $1.4 million. Compared to the Rest of Tas., Waratah shows 68.0% more building activity per person. New constructions have been exclusively detached dwellings, maintaining the area's low-density character with a focus on family homes.

This results in around 240 people per approval. Stable or declining population forecasts suggest less housing pressure in Waratah, potentially favoring buyers.

Waratah has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 13thth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified 16 projects that could impact the area significantly due to their influence on local infrastructure. Among these key projects are Boat Harbour Beach Master Plan, Wynyard Affordable Housing Development, Bass Highway Cooee to Wynyard Upgrades, and Cooee to Wynyard Coastal Pathway. The following list details those projects considered most relevant.

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 performance in Waratah has been broadly consistent with national averages

Waratah has a skilled workforce with prominent manufacturing and industrial sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.6% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 6.7%. As of September 2025, 1,953 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.4%, below Rest of Tas.'s rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation was 61.4%, compared to Rest of Tas.'s 58.7%. According to Census responses, 13.5% of residents worked from home. Dominant employment sectors were agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Waratah had a strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing (employment share of 1.8 times the regional level), but accommodation & food employed only 5.1% of local workers, below Rest of Tas.'s 7.7%.

Employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census data comparison. In the 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 6.7%, labour force grew by 6.0%, and unemployment fell by 0.7 percentage points. This compared to Rest of Tas., where employment grew by 0.7%, labour force expanded by 0.5%, and unemployment fell by 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May-25, projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Waratah's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 5.6% over five years and 12.3% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Waratah SA2 is below the national average. The median assessed income is $49,599 and the average income stands at $59,150. This contrasts with Rest of Tas., which has a median income of $49,689 and an average income of $59,358. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.6% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Waratah would be approximately $54,361 (median) and $64,828 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Waratah all fall between the 14th and 22nd percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 31.8% of locals (1,270 people) predominantly earn within the $1,500 - $2,999 category, similar to the surrounding region where 28.5% occupy this bracket. Housing costs are modest, with 89.2% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at just the 29th percentile nationally.

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

Waratah's housing as per the latest Census showed 99.6% houses and 0.4% other dwellings, compared to Non-Metro Tas.'s 89.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Waratah was 45.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 40.2% and rented ones at 13.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,170, below Non-Metro Tas.'s average of $1,274. Median weekly rent in Waratah was $250, matching Non-Metro Tas.'s figure but significantly lower than the national average of $375. Nationally, Waratah's mortgage repayments were much lower at $1,170 compared to Australia's average of $1,863.

Waratah has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 73.5% of all households, including 28.4% couples with children, 35.6% couples without children, and 9.0% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 26.5%, with lone person households at 24.4% and group households making up 2.3%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is larger than the Rest of Tas. average of 2.3.

Educational outcomes in Waratah fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 18.8%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (32.5%).

Educational participation is high, with 27.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 12.2% in primary, 8.2% in secondary, and 2.5% in tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Waratah's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics indicates robust performance across Waratah based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, showing very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover was found to be very low at approximately 48% of the total population (~1,933 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions were arthritis and asthma, affecting 9.7 and 8.7% of residents respectively, while 65.4% reported being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 62.0% in Rest of Tas.. The working-age population faces significant health challenges with increased chronic condition rates. Waratah has 22.1% of residents aged 65 and over (882 people), lower than the 24.3% in Rest of Tas.. Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Waratah's population showed low cultural diversity, with 89.7% being citizens, 87.5% born in Australia, and 97.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 37.4%. The 'Other' category comprised 0.8%, slightly higher than the regional average of 0.7%.

In terms of ancestry, Australian (33.4%), English (32.6%), and Scottish (8.4%) were the most represented groups. Notably, Australian Aboriginal (5.5% vs 4.1%), Dutch (1.7% vs 1.7%), and Hungarian (0.3% vs 0.1%) were overrepresented compared to regional averages.

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

Waratah's median age is 46 years, comparable to Rest of Tas.'s 45 years and significantly higher than the Australian median of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 55-64 are particularly prominent at 17.9%, while the 25-34 group is smaller at 8.3% compared to Rest of Tas.. This concentration of 55-64 year-olds is well above the national average of 11.2%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 5.2% to 6.9%, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 9.1% to 10.4%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 15.2% to 13.3%, and the 25 to 34 group dropped from 9.6% to 8.3%. Demographic modeling suggests that Waratah's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to grow steadily, expanding by 90 people (33%) from 275 to 366. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive all population growth, underscoring demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, both the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 age groups are projected to see reduced numbers.