Waverley - St Leonards

Waverley - St Leonards has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Waverley - St Leonards's population is around 4,282 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 350 people (8.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,932 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,114 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 127 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 77 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Waverley - St Leonards's 8.9% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (4.2%) and the state, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 56.3% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including natural growth and interstate migration, were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Anticipating future population dynamics, lower quartile growth of regional areas across the nation is anticipated, with the area expected to increase by 235 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 1.6% in total over the 17 years.

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

Waverley - St Leonards has averaged around 23 new dwelling approvals annually, with 117 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 31 so far in FY-26. With an average of 2.4 new residents per year for each dwelling 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 construction value of $340,000—moderately above regional levels—indicating an emphasis on quality construction. There have also been $3.7 million in commercial approvals this financial year, demonstrating the area's primarily residential nature.

Relative to the Rest of Tas., Waverley - St Leonards shows moderately higher construction activity (32.0% above regional average per person over the 5 year period), balancing buyer choice with support for current property values. New development consists of 95.0% standalone homes and 5.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 156 people per dwelling approval, Waverley - St Leonards shows characteristics of a growth area.

Looking ahead, Waverley - St Leonards is expected to grow by 67 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Waverley - St Leonards has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 11thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 23 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Cedar Grove Estate, Residential dwelling and vegetation removal - 38 Casuarina Dr, Summerhill, Dwelling and Shed - 18 Casuarina Dr, Summerhill 7250, and Peacehaven Aged Care Redevelopment, 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.

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

Waverley - St Leonards possesses a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment, with essential services sectors well represented, and an unemployment rate of 4.2%. As of December 2025, 2,022 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.4% above Regional Tas.'s rate of 3.8%, and workforce participation is fairly standard (63.4% compared to Regional Tas.'s 58.9%). Based on Census responses, a low 4.5% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. The area shows particularly strong specialization in construction, with an employment share of 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 appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.0% while employment declined by 1.7%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.3 percentage points. This compares to Regional Tas., where employment grew by 1.8%, labour force expanded by 1.5%, and unemployment fell 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Waverley - St Leonards. 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 Waverley - St Leonards's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Waverley - St Leonards SA2's median income among taxpayers is $49,535, with an average of $61,693. This is below the national average, and compares to Regional Tas.'s median of $49,689 and average of $59,358. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.6% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $54,290 (median) and $67,616 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Waverley - St Leonards all fall between the 20th and 22nd percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows the predominant cohort spans 31.3% of locals (1,340 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, reflecting patterns seen in the metropolitan region where 28.5% similarly occupy this range. After housing, 86.1% of income remains, though this ranks at only the 23rd percentile nationally.

Waverley - St Leonards is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure within Waverley - St Leonards, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 89.9% houses and 10.0% 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 Waverley - St Leonards was lagging that of Regional Tas., at 30.3%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (40.6%) or rented (29.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Regional Tas. average at $1,161, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $250, compared to Regional Tas.'s $1,274 and $250. Nationally, Waverley - St Leonards's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 70.8% of all households, comprising 26.1% couples with children, 25.4% couples without children, and 18.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 29.2%, with lone person households at 26.3% and group households comprising 2.5% of the total. The median household size of 2.4 people is larger than the Regional 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 (13.1%) substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 9.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 39.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (8.3%) and certificates (31.0%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.8% in primary education, 8.3% in secondary education, and 3.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 35 active transport stops operating within Waverley - St Leonards, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 143 individual routes, collectively providing 11,272 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 242 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 96%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.6 per dwelling. A relatively low 4.5% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 1,610 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 322 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Waverley - St Leonards is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Critical health challenges are evident across Waverley - St Leonards, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. A range of health conditions have marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~2,132 people). The national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 11.7% and 10.2% of residents, respectively, while 62.3% 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 15.3% of residents aged 65 and over (657 people), which is lower than the 24.9% in Regional Tas.. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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 was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 92.5% of its population being citizens, 92.7% born in Australia, and 96.7% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Waverley - St Leonards is Christianity, which makes up 41.6% of the people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Hinduism, which comprises 0.7% of the population, compared to 1.1% across Regional Tas..

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Waverley - St Leonards are Australian, comprising 35.8% of the population, English, comprising 35.0% of the population, and Scottish, comprising 7.1% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Dutch is notably overrepresented at 1.9% of Waverley - St Leonards (vs 1.7% regionally), Australian Aboriginal at 3.6% (vs 4.1%) and Macedonian at 0.1% (vs 0.0%).

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

The 37-year median age in Waverley - St Leonards is significantly below Regional Tas.'s average of 45 and is essentially aligned with Australia's 38 years. Relative to Regional Tas., Waverley - St Leonards has a higher concentration of 35 - 44 residents (16.0%) but fewer 65 - 74 year-olds (8.7%). Following the 2021 Census, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 14.1% to 16.0% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 14.2% to 13.4%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Waverley - St Leonards's age structure. Leading the demographic shift, the 45 to 54 group will grow by 33% (152 people), reaching 617 from 464. Conversely, the 25 to 34 and 0 to 4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.