West Moonah

Population growth drivers in West Moonah are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

West Moonah's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, was approximately 4,240 by May 2026. This figure represents a decrease of 158 people, or 3.6%, from the 2021 Census total of 4,398. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,227 in June 2025 and an additional 43 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,368 persons per square kilometer, placing West Moonah in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 54.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth in the area.

AreaSearch adopts 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 to estimate growth by age group post-2032, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021, adjusted employing weighted aggregation methods from LGA to SA2 levels. Considering projected demographic shifts, West Moonah is expected to grow by 404 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers. This reflects an increase of 9.2% in total over the 16-year period.

The level of residential development activity in West Moonah is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

West Moonah has annually granted approval for approximately 7 residential properties. Between fiscal years FY-21 and FY-25, 39 homes were approved, with an additional 14 approved so far in FY-26. Despite population decline, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $305,000. This year, there have been $4.7 million in commercial approvals, indicating the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Hobart, West Moonah shows significantly reduced construction (60.0% below regional average per person), which typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. This activity is also below national averages, suggesting mature planning constraints. Recent building activity consists entirely of detached houses, preserving the area's suburban nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers.

Developers are constructing more detached housing than previously implied (80.0% at Census), reflecting strong demand for family homes. The location has approximately 788 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market. According to AreaSearch quarterly estimates, West Moonah is expected to grow by 391 residents through to 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

West Moonah has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 4thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified eight projects expected to impact the region. Notable initiatives include TasWater Infrastructure Upgrades, Greater Glenorchy Plan, Ashbourne Grove Road Renewal, and Salvation Army Hopkins Street Community Housing. The following list details those likely to have the 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.

West Moonah has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

West Moonah has a well-educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 4.3% as of December 2025. The area's unemployment rate is 0.3% higher than Greater Hobart's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation in West Moonah is high at 69.2%, compared to Greater Hobart's 63.7%. According to Census responses, a low 5.9% of residents work from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. Notably, employment levels in accommodation & food are at 1.3 times the regional average, while construction shows lower representation at 5.7% compared to the regional average of 8.7%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparing working population to resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in December 2025, West Moonah's labour force decreased by 0.2%, and employment decreased by 0.1%, leading to a fall in unemployment of 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Hobart saw employment grow by 0.1% over the same period. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May-25, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to West Moonah's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.8% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, West Moonah SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $53,205. The average income stood at $58,045. This was lower than the national average and compared to levels of $54,577 and $65,190 across Greater Hobart respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.95% from financial year 2023 to March 2026, current estimates would be approximately $59,031 for median income and $64,401 for average income as of that date. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in West Moonah ranked modestly, between the 33rd and 35th percentiles. Income analysis revealed that 34.3% of the population (1,454 individuals) fell within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, similar to the regional average of 32.2%. Housing affordability pressures were severe in West Moonah, with only 83.9% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 35th percentile.

West Moonah is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

West Moonah's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 80.0% houses and 20.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Hobart metro's 85.3% houses and 14.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in West Moonah was at 28.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.0% and rented ones at 41.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,430, lower than Hobart metro's $1,517. The median weekly rent was $340, compared to Hobart metro's $350. Nationally, West Moonah's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

West Moonah features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 65.9% of all households, including 27.8% couples with children, 24.2% couples without children, and 12.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for 34.1%, with lone person households at 27.6% and group households comprising 6.2%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Greater Hobart average of 2.4.

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

Educational attainment in West Moonah is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Specifically, 35.3% of residents aged 15 years and above hold university qualifications, compared to 23.3% in the SA3 area and 25.5% in Tasmania overall. This educational advantage may present opportunities for knowledge-based initiatives. University-level degrees are most common, with 20.8% of residents holding bachelor's degrees, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 11.8%, and graduate diplomas at 2.7%.

Vocational credentials are also prevalent among West Moonah residents aged 15 years and above, with 28.6% having such qualifications. This includes advanced diplomas held by 7.7% of residents and certificates held by 20.9%. Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 30.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (9.4%), secondary education (5.9%), and tertiary education (5.5%).

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

West Moonah has 24 active public transport stops serving a mix of bus routes. These stops are used by 57 different routes, providing a total of 3,582 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is excellent with residents typically located 182 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily, with cars being the dominant mode at 84%, while 11% use buses. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, only 5.9% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 511 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 149 weekly trips per individual stop.

West Moonah's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population and nearer the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout West Moonah. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were assessed by AreaSearch. Prevalence of common health conditions was low among the general population but closer to national averages among older, at-risk cohorts.

Private health cover rate was found to be very low at approximately 48% of the total population (~2,043 people), compared to 51.7% across Greater Hobart and a national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions were mental health issues (impacting 10.8% of residents) and arthritis (7.4%), while 70.5% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 65.5% across Greater Hobart. Working-age residents showed above average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area had 16.0% of residents aged 65 and over (679 people), lower than the 20.0% in Greater Hobart. Health outcomes among seniors were above average but ranked lower nationally than the broader population.

West Moonah was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

West Moonah's population shows higher cultural diversity compared to most local areas, with 32.1% born overseas and 31.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in West Moonah, comprising 37.3%. Hinduism is notably overrepresented, making up 10.5%, significantly higher than Hobart's average of 2.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (25.0%), Australian (23.4%), and Other (16.2%), with 'Other' being substantially higher than the regional average of 7.4%. Some ethnic groups show notable differences in representation: Polish at 1.8% (regional average is 0.8%), Croatian at 0.9% (regional average is 0.2%), and Indian at 3.3% (regional average is 1.2%).

West Moonah hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

West Moonah's median age is 34 years, which is lower than the Greater Hobart average of 39 years and significantly below the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Hobart, West Moonah has a higher proportion of residents aged 35-44 (19.5%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (8.7%). This concentration of 35-44 year-olds is notably higher than the national average of 14.3%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 35 to 44 has increased from 15.0% to 19.5%, while the proportion of those aged 75 to 84 has risen from 4.1% to 5.6%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 has decreased from 11.9% to 9.9%, and the proportion of those aged 5 to 14 has dropped from 10.6% to 8.8%. Demographic projections indicate significant changes in West Moonah's age profile by 2041. The 45 to 54 age group is expected to grow strongly, with a projected increase of 92%, adding 417 residents to reach 873. In contrast, both the 55 to 64 and 25 to 34 age groups are projected to decrease in number.