Austins Ferry
Almost 97% of dwellings in Austins Ferry are separate houses, making it one of the most detached-dominant suburbs in greater Hobart, yet the population of 2,395 sits in an area of just 2.13 square kilometres. Household income lands at the 54th percentile nationally, close to the middle of the distribution. The suburb carries a gentrification score of 23 with early signals, driven by a 14.8% population increase over the decade and rents that grew 29.6% over the same period. The median age of 39 is one year below the national figure, a slightly younger demographic than comparable outer-Hobart suburbs.
Population
2,395
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,625/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
With no current median house price recorded, buyers can reference the weekly mortgage repayment benchmark of $1,500 per month and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.3%, which is comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability is a genuine point of difference compared to Hobart's inner suburbs. The housing stock is almost entirely separate houses at 96.6%, with 3-bedroom dwellings accounting for 56.3% and 4-plus bedroom homes at 27.0%. Ownership levels are high: 33.4% own outright and 46.2% carry a mortgage, leaving only 20.4% renting. For buyers seeking a detached house without mortgage stress, the tenure and dwelling mix profile is supportive.
For Buyers
With no current median house price recorded, buyers can reference the weekly mortgage repayment benchmark of $1,500 per month and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.3%, which is comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. That affordability is a genuine point of difference compared to Hobart's inner suburbs. The housing stock is almost entirely separate houses at 96.6%, with 3-bedroom dwellings accounting for 56.3% and 4-plus bedroom homes at 27.0%. Ownership levels are high: 33.4% own outright and 46.2% carry a mortgage, leaving only 20.4% renting. For buyers seeking a detached house without mortgage stress, the tenure and dwelling mix profile is supportive.
For Investors
Rental demand is modest but stable, with 20.4% of dwellings tenanted and weekly rent at $364. Rent grew 29.6% over the decade, outpacing real income growth of 5.8%, which shows landlords have been able to push rents in a supply-constrained environment. The vacancy rate sits at 4.5%, slightly above the 3% benchmark, pointing to some softness in demand relative to available stock. Net overseas migration adds 30 residents a year and internal migration adds 20, a balanced driver that supports gradual demand growth. Annual population growth of 1.56% translates to around 73 new residents per year, which should underpin rental absorption over the medium term.
Schools in Austins Ferry iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Virgil's College
Prep-12 · 792 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 sits 1.0 year below the national figure, though the population trajectory is aging, with the senior share rising 3.1 points and the young share falling 3.1 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents account for 13.4% of the population, which is 8.2 percentage points below the national average, and the top languages beyond English are Punjabi and Malayalam, each with small speaker counts. University qualifications reach 24.2%, which is 5.9 points below the national figure. Ancestry is predominantly English (1,047 residents), followed by Irish and Scottish, consistent with the Anglo-leaning identity signal. The average household size of 2.6 is 0.1 above the national average.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
96.6%
Houses
3.4%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Austins Ferry's housing profile is strongly owner-occupier in character: 33.4% own outright, 46.2% hold a mortgage, and only 20.4% rent. The stock is 96.6% separate houses with 3.4% semi-detached, and no apartments, which is unusual even by Tasmanian suburban standards. Three-bedroom homes make up 56.3% of dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes account for 27.0%, giving the suburb a family-sized dwelling profile compared to higher-density areas. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,500, with a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.3%, below the 30% threshold that typically signals stress. Rent-to-income sits at 22.4%, also comfortable, meaning neither owners nor tenants face significant housing cost pressure relative to income.
Mortgage / mo
$1,500
Rent / wk
$364
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$762
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.5%
Unoccupied
43
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.0%
Couples, no children
1,983
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant employer at 20.8% of the workforce (159 workers), followed by Construction at 12.3% (94) and Public Administration at 10.5% (80). Education and Transport each add modest shares at 9.4% and 6.6% respectively. By occupation, Professionals lead at 199 workers, ahead of Clerical/Admin (169) and Community/Personal services (166). The unemployment rate of 6.1% sits above the national average, and full-time employment at 61.3% suggests a workforce with a significant part-time component. The SEIFA IEO decile of 3 places the suburb in the lower third nationally for education and occupational status, whereas the IER decile of 7 reflects relatively stronger economic resources, an anomaly explained by high home ownership rates.
Unemployment
2.7%
Labour Force
2,639
Unemployed
70
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.3%
Part-time
32.6%
Participation
62.4%
Employed
1,168
Occupations
Top Industries
University
24.2%
Postgraduate
6.5%
Born Overseas
13.4%
Dwellings
916
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 86.3% using a car to get to work, reflecting the limited public transport reach of this part of greater Hobart, where only 5.3% use public transport. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families use schools in nearby areas. The IRSAD decile of 4 places Austins Ferry in the lower-middle tier nationally for relative advantage and disadvantage. Volunteering is reasonably active at 14.9% of residents. Housing stress indicators are low: rent-to-income at 22.4% and mortgage-to-income at 21.3% are both below the 30% threshold. The suburb's resident stability is high, with 78.7% of residents having stayed in the same address in the prior year, well above typical inner-urban turnover rates.
Drive
86.3%
Public Transport
5.3%
Walk / Cycle
1.7%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.56%/yr
(+73 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 14.8% over the decade, reaching 2,395 by the last census period, and the medium forecast extends growth to around 5,121 by 2031 based on the broader SA2 trajectory. Annual growth runs at 1.56%, adding approximately 73 residents per year, which is above the Tasmanian average for established outer suburbs. The gentrification stage is classed as early signs, with a score of 23 and signals including population expansion of 24% since 2011 and an accelerating university-educated share from 6% to 17%. Affordability has been remarkably stable, moving only from 43.5% in 2011 to 43.4% in 2021. Rent growth of 29.6% over the period has outpaced real income growth of 5.8%, so yield compression for landlords is limited.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+30
Net Internal / yr
+20
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +24% since 2011, Accelerating: 6% → 17%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Austins Ferry compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Austins Ferry a good suburb to live in?
Austins Ferry suits families seeking detached housing with manageable costs. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.3% and rent-to-income of 22.4% are both below the 30% stress threshold. The IRSAD decile of 4 places it in the lower-middle tier nationally for advantage, though home ownership at 79.6% combined and low housing stress make it a stable community.
What is the median house price in Austins Ferry?
A current median house price is not available in the dataset for Austins Ferry. The benchmark monthly mortgage repayment is $1,500 and weekly rent averages $364. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.3% suggests purchase prices remain accessible relative to local incomes.
What schools are in Austins Ferry?
No schools are recorded within the Austins Ferry suburb boundary in this dataset. With a population of 2,395 residents and 24.2% holding university qualifications, families in this suburb travel to schools in neighbouring areas of greater Hobart.
Is Austins Ferry safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Austins Ferry at the suburb level. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 5 on IRSD and has a high residential stability rate of 78.7% of residents remaining at the same address, which is generally associated with lower transient-related crime in comparable areas.
Is Austins Ferry good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $364 and a vacancy rate of 4.5% indicate moderate rental demand. Rent grew 29.6% over the decade, well above real income growth of 5.8%, showing sustained landlord pricing power. Annual population growth of 1.56% adds around 73 residents per year, supporting gradual demand. The investment case is underpinned by growth rather than high current yield.
How is Austins Ferry's population changing?
The suburb grew 14.8% over the decade and is forecast to continue expanding at 1.56% annually, adding roughly 73 residents per year. Migration is balanced, with net overseas migration of 30 per year and internal migration of 20. The gentrification stage is early signs, with the university-educated share accelerating from 6% to 17% over the period.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
Explore Austins Ferry on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map