Waverley - St Leonards
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Waverley - St Leonards' population is around 4,289 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 357 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,932 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,114 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 114 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 77 persons per square kilometer. Waverley - St Leonards' 9.1% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's 3.9% and the state's growth, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 56.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and to estimate growth by age group post-2032, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Future population dynamics anticipate an increase just below Australia's regional areas' median, with the area expected to increase by 235 persons to 2041 based on latest population numbers, recording a gain of 1.4% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Waverley - St Leonards when compared nationally

Waverley - St Leonards averaged approximately 23 new dwelling approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, a total of 117 homes were approved. As of FY-26, 18 dwellings have been approved.

On average, each dwelling has resulted in 2.4 new residents over the past five financial years. The average construction cost value for new homes is $340,000. In FY-26, there have been commercial approvals totalling $3.7 million.

Compared to the Rest of Tas., Waverley - St Leonards shows moderately higher construction activity, with 32.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period. New development consists of 95.0% standalone homes and 5.0% medium and high-density housing. There are approximately 156 people per dwelling approval in Waverley - St Leonards. By 2041, it is expected that the area will grow by 60 residents. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, potentially facilitating further population growth.

Waverley - St Leonards has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 19thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 23 projects likely affecting this region. Notable projects include Cedar Grove Estate, Residential dwelling and vegetation removal at 38 Casuarina Dr, Summerhill, Dwelling and Shed at 18 Casuarina Dr, Summerhill 7250, and Peacehaven Aged Care Redevelopment. The following list details those 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.

Waverley - St Leonards shows employment indicators that trail behind approximately 70% of regions assessed across Australia

Waverley - St Leonards has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue collar jobs, with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate in June 2025 was 4.4%.

There were 2,029 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.4% higher than Rest of Tas.'s rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was 61.2%, compared to Rest of Tas.'s 55.7%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction has a particularly strong presence, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 2.8% versus the regional average of 8.4%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 1.4%, while employment declined by 1.3%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.2 percentage points. In Rest of Tas., employment fell by 0.5%, labour force contracted by 0.6%, and unemployment fell marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Waverley - St Leonards's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.5% 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 2022 shows Waverley - St Leonards' median income among taxpayers is $46,616. The average income in the area was $58,627 during this period. Both figures are below the national average. Rest of Tas., on the other hand, had a median income of $47,358 and an average of $57,384 for the same financial year. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates project Waverley - St Leonards' median income to be approximately $53,063 by September 2025. The average income is estimated to reach around $66,735 during the same period. According to the 2021 Census, household incomes in Waverley - St Leonards fall between the 21st and 23rd percentiles nationally. Family incomes also fall within this range, as do personal incomes. The earnings profile reveals that 31.3% of locals (1,342 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, which is reflective of metropolitan region patterns where 28.5% similarly occupy this income range. After accounting for housing costs, 86.1% of income remains in Waverley - St Leonards. This figure ranks at the 24th percentile nationally.

Waverley - St Leonards is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

In Waverley - St Leonards, as per the latest Census, 89.9% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 10.0% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This compares to Non-Metro Tas., which had 82.1% houses and 17.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Waverley - St Leonards stood at 30.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 40.6% and rented ones at 29.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,161, lower than Non-Metro Tas.'s average of $1,300. The median weekly rent in the area was $250, compared to Non-Metro Tas.'s $280. Nationally, Waverley - St Leonards' mortgage repayments averaged $1,161, significantly lower than Australia's average of $1,863. Rents were substantially below the national figure of $375 at $250 per week.

Waverley - St Leonards has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 70.8% of all households, including 26.1% couples with children, 25.4% couples without children, and 18.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 29.2%, with lone person households at 26.3% and group households comprising 2.5% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, larger than the Rest of Tas. average of 2.3.

Waverley - St Leonards 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 at 13.1%, significantly below the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 39.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (8.3%) and certificates (31.0%).

Educational participation is high at 28.4%, including primary education (11.8%), secondary education (8.3%), and tertiary education (3.0%). The area has 4 schools with a combined enrollment of 617 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 968) with balanced educational opportunities. These 4 schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. School places per 100 residents are at 14.4, below the regional average of 18.4, indicating some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Waverley - St Leonards has 35 active public transport stops. These are all bus stops. They are serviced by 72 different routes, which together provide 6,251 weekly passenger trips.

The transport accessibility is rated as good. Residents typically live 242 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 893 trips per day across all routes. This equates to approximately 178 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Waverley - St Leonards faces significant health challenges, as indicated by health data. Both younger and older age groups have high prevalence rates for common health conditions.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population (~2,105 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues affect 11.7% of residents, while asthma impacts 10.2%. Conversely, 62.3% report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of Tas. figure of 63.9%. The area has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 15.1%, with approximately 648 people falling into this category, compared to 19.9% in Rest of Tas.. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges broadly aligned with the general population's health profile.

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

Waverley-St.Leonards, surveyed in 2016, had low cultural diversity with 92.5% citizens, 92.7% born in Australia, and 96.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity dominated at 41.6%. Hinduism was overrepresented at 0.7%, compared to Rest of Tas.'s 2.5%.

Top ancestry groups were Australian (35.8%), English (35.0%), Scottish (7.1%). Notable divergences included Dutch (1.9% vs regional 2.0%), Australian Aboriginal (3.6% vs 2.7%), and Macedonian (0.1% vs 0.0%).

Waverley - St Leonards's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Waverley - St Leonards is 37 years, significantly below Rest of Tas.'s average of 45 years, but essentially aligned with Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Rest of Tas., Waverley - St Leonards has a higher percentage of residents aged 35-44 (15.3%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (8.6%). According to the 2021 Census, the 35-44 age group increased from 14.1% to 15.3%, while the 65-74 cohort decreased from 9.2% to 8.6%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Waverley - St Leonards's age structure. The 45-54 group is expected to grow by 28%, reaching 617 people from 480. Conversely, the 0-4 and 25-34 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.