Westbury

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

As of November 2025, Westbury's population is approximately 4,852, marking an increase of 501 people since the 2021 Census. This growth represents a 11.5% rise from the previous population count of 4,351. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,677 in June 2024 and an additional 186 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 7.1 persons per square kilometer. Westbury's growth rate exceeded both the state average (4.8%) and its SA4 region during this period, indicating it as a growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 77.4% to overall population gains recently, with all factors including overseas migration and natural growth being positive influences.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024, using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2022 with a 2021 base year are adopted and adjusted using weighted aggregation methods. Future population trends suggest lower quartile growth for locations outside capital cities, with Westbury expected to expand by 97 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an overall reduction of 1.6% over these 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Westbury among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Westbury has seen approximately 48 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 240 homes were approved, with an additional 19 approved so far in FY-26. On average, about 2.1 people moved to the area each year for every new home constructed during this period, reflecting strong demand that supports property values.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $268,000. This financial year has seen $7.2 million in commercial approvals, indicating Westbury's primarily residential nature. Compared to the Rest of Tas., Westbury exhibits moderately higher construction activity, with 46.0% more approvals per person over the past five years, while maintaining good buyer choice and supporting existing property values. This level is notably higher than the national average, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location.

Recent building activity has consisted entirely of detached houses, preserving Westbury's traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes. Westbury has approximately 114 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. With population projections suggesting stability or decline, there may be reduced pressure on housing in the area, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Westbury has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 11thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified a single project likely to affect this region: West Tamar Highway Targeted Upgrades from Exeter to Launceston. Other key projects include Tasmanian Irrigation Schemes Tranche 3, Burnie To Hobart Freight Corridor Improvement, and Palmerston to George Town High Voltage Transmission Lines. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.0%, Westbury has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Westbury has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation and an unemployment rate of 3.0% as of September 2025. There are 2,243 residents in work, which is 0.8% below Rest of Tas.'s rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation is broadly similar to Rest of Tas.'s 55.7%. Employment among residents is concentrated in agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and construction. The area has particular employment specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share of 1.9 times the regional level. Conversely, retail trade shows lower representation at 8.0% versus the regional average of 10.1%.

Analysis of SALM and ABS data for the 12-month period ending September 2025 showed a decrease in labour force by 2.4% and employment by 2.6%, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of Tas. recorded employment growth of 0.7%. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 shows TAS employment contracted by 0.35% (losing 2,010 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.1%, compared to the national unemployment rate of 4.3% and national employment growth of 0.14%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Westbury's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.7% over five years and 12.4% over ten years.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

The Westbury SA2's median income among taxpayers was $45,866 and average income stood at $51,833 in financial year 2022. These figures compare to the Rest of Tas.'s median income of $47,358 and average income of $57,384. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $52,209 for median income and $59,002 for average income as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household incomes in Westbury fall between the 13th and 14th percentiles nationally. The largest income segment comprises 29.3% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (1,421 residents), aligning with the broader area where this cohort likewise represents 28.5%. Housing costs are modest with 87.7% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at just the 18th percentile nationally.

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

Westbury's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.4% houses and 3.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro Tas. had 95.5% houses and 4.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Westbury was at 45.9%, with the rest being mortgaged (35.2%) or rented (19.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,243, lower than Non-Metro Tas.'s average of $1,300. Weekly rent in Westbury was $250, aligning with Non-Metro Tas.'s figure but significantly below the national average of $375. Nationally, Westbury's mortgage repayments were considerably lower at $1,243 compared to Australia's average of $1,863.

Westbury has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 72.1% of all households, including 26.2% couples with children, 36.4% couples without children, and 8.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 27.9%, with lone person households at 25.3% and group households comprising 2.5%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which matches the average for the Rest of Tas.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 17.6%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 38.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (10.0%) and certificates (28.2%).

Educational participation is high, with 25.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.8% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 2.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Westbury has two active public transport stops operating, both serving buses. These stops are served by three different routes combined, offering 104 weekly passenger trips in total. The accessibility of these services is limited, with residents on average located 2983 meters away from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 14 trips per day, which amounts to approximately 52 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Westbury faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 46%, covering about 2,241 people, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most frequent medical issues are arthritis (affecting 11.5% of residents) and mental health problems (8.5%). About 62.9% claim to have no medical ailments, slightly higher than the Rest of Tas. figure of 61.2%. Westbury has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 25.7%, or 1,248 people, compared to Rest of Tas.'s 27.4%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are above average, outperforming the general population in health metrics.

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

Westbury's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 88.0% of its population born in Australia, 91.1% being citizens, and 97.8% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Westbury is Christianity, accounting for 47.9% of the population. Notably, the category 'Other' comprises 0.7% of Westbury's population, compared to 0.5% across the rest of Tasmania.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (37.4%), Australian (34.0%), and Irish (7.6%). However, there are notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Dutch is overrepresented at 1.7%, Welsh remains consistent at 0.6%, while Australian Aboriginal is slightly underrepresented at 2.1%.

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

Westbury has a median age of 47, which is slightly higher than the Rest of Tasmania's figure of 45 and significantly above Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of Tasmania's average, Westbury has a notably higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (14.7%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (10.6%). This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of Westbury's population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 6.9% to 8.8%, while the proportion of those aged 55 to 64 has declined from 15.7% to 14.2%. Additionally, the proportion of residents aged 5 to 14 has decreased from 12.6% to 11.3%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Westbury's age structure. The 45 to 54 age cohort is projected to grow by 192 people (33%), from 590 to 783 residents. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 57% of the population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 25 to 34 age group and the 0 to 4 age cohort.