TAS 7170 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Cambridge

Airport-edge Cambridge reads less like inner Hobart and more like a low-density acreage and family-house market: 1,454 residents spread across 49.32 sq km, with density of just 29.5 people per sq km. Its clearest marker is detached housing, at 92.1% separate houses vs only 0.6% apartments. Household income sits in the 76.7th percentile nationally, while overseas-born residents are 11.7%, well below the national mix. Compared with denser Clarence suburbs such as Bellerive or Mornington, Cambridge is more car-based and house-dominant because larger lots, airport access and business land shape daily life.

Local council: Clarence

Cambridge urban fabric map

Population

1,454

Median Age

41.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$2,048/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

0

49.32 km²· 29.5 people/km²· Family income $2,314/wk

Homebuyers are mainly buying space and control rather than apartment convenience. Separate houses make up 92.1% of dwellings, while apartments and semi-detached homes are each just 0.6%, so choice is heavily tilted to freestanding stock. Larger homes are common, with 43.7% having 3 bedrooms and 40.2% having 4 or more. Mortgage pressure looks contained: the median monthly mortgage is $1,733 and mortgage payments take 19.5% of income, below common stress levels. That fits a higher-income owner-occupier market where 45.6% have a mortgage and 40.7% own outright.

For Buyers

Homebuyers are mainly buying space and control rather than apartment convenience. Separate houses make up 92.1% of dwellings, while apartments and semi-detached homes are each just 0.6%, so choice is heavily tilted to freestanding stock. Larger homes are common, with 43.7% having 3 bedrooms and 40.2% having 4 or more. Mortgage pressure looks contained: the median monthly mortgage is $1,733 and mortgage payments take 19.5% of income, below common stress levels. That fits a higher-income owner-occupier market where 45.6% have a mortgage and 40.7% own outright.

For Investors

Cambridge is a thin rental market rather than a high-churn investor suburb. Only 12.1% of homes are rented, well below the owner share of 86.3% across outright owners and mortgagors, so available rental stock can be limited. The median rent is $410 a week and vacancy is 3.9%, suggesting demand exists but is not as tight as lower-vacancy markets. With 0 recorded development applications over 12 months, new supply pressure is low. The investment case is therefore more about scarce detached homes and steady 1.26% annual growth than rapid turnover.

Demographics

Cambridge has an older, more locally rooted profile than the national average. The median age is 41, which is 1.0 year above national, and 81.3% of residents stayed at the same address, pointing to low turnover. University attainment is 31.2%, only 1.1 percentage points above national, while the overseas-born share is 11.7%, 9.9 points below national. English ancestry is the largest count at 694, followed by Irish at 194 and Scottish at 135. Christianity and no religion are almost even, at 668 and 647 people, which gives the suburb a settled Tasmanian character.

Age Distribution

0-14
18.8%
15-24
8.8%
25-44
26.1%
45-64
27.2%
65+
18.0%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
8.3%
2 bed
7.7%
3 bed
43.7%
4+ bed
40.2%

Dwelling Structure

92.1%

Houses

0.6%

Townhouse

0.6%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 40.7% Mortgage 45.6% Rent 12.1% Other 1.6%

Cambridge housing is defined by ownership, detached stock and relatively manageable repayment ratios. A current median sale price is not published, so tenure and cost burdens are the best guide: 40.7% of homes are owned outright, 45.6% are mortgaged and only 12.1% are rented. Separate houses account for 92.1% of dwellings, far higher than apartments at 0.6%, so downsizer or first-home unit options are scarce compared with Bellerive or Rosny Park. Rent takes 20.0% of income and mortgage payments take 19.5%, both below common stress markers, because household income is relatively high at $2,048 a week.

Mortgage / mo

$1,733

Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.

$410

Census 2021

HH Size

2.6

Personal Income / wk

$983

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

3.9%

Unoccupied

21

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

20.0%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

19.5%

Community Profile

Ancestry

English
694
Irish
194
Scottish
135
Other
86
Ancestry NS
78
German
54

Household Composition

43.3%

Couples with children

42.6%

Couples, no children

13.6%

Single parent

404

Total families

Economy & Employment

Cambridge has a broad commuter and service-worker economy rather than a single-industry base. Healthcare is the largest sector at 18.8% of workers, followed by construction at 12.1%, education at 11.6%, public administration at 11.1% and hospitality at 6.2%. Occupations are mixed, led by 155 professionals, 130 managers and 122 trades workers. Labour market indicators are strong, with unemployment at 3.0%, participation at 66.8% and full-time work at 60.6%. SEIFA confirms the advantage: IEO decile 7, IER decile 9, IRSD decile 9 and IRSAD decile 8. The higher resources decile fits high ownership and low stress, while education is solid but not elite.

Unemployment

3.0%

Labour Force

788

Unemployed

24

Source: ABS Census 2021

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
8
Disadvantage
9
Economic resources
9
Education & occupation
7

Full-time

60.6%

Part-time

34.2%

Participation

66.8%

Employed

764

Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021

Occupations

Professionals 155
Managers 130
Trades 122
Clerical/Admin 118
Community/Personal 97
Sales 51
Labourers 41
Machinery/Drivers 30

Top Industries

Healthcare 18.8%
Construction 12.1%
Education 11.6%
Public Admin 11.1%
Hospitality 6.2%

University

31.2%

Postgraduate

8.4%

Born Overseas

11.7%

Dwellings

520

Transport to Work

Daily life in Cambridge is highly car-reliant because jobs, services and errands are spread across a low-density 49.32 sq km area. Car drivers account for 80.1% of commutes, much higher than public transport at 1.9% and walking or cycling at 2.8%. Work from home is 10.0%, which helps some households offset travel. Socio-economic conditions are strong, with IRSAD decile 8 and IRSD decile 9, suggesting above-average advantage and low disadvantage. A suburb-level crime rate is not published, so buyers should check current police maps, but the low density and high ownership base support a quieter residential pattern.

Drive

80.1%

Public Transport

1.9%

Walk / Cycle

2.8%

Work from Home

10.0%

Growth Outlook

Growth in Cambridge looks steady rather than speculative. The forecast trend is 1.26% annual growth, compared with a 10-year population change of 18.8%, so the direction is positive but not a boom setting. The migration driver is overseas migration, while the shift trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 5.9 points and working share down 2.8 points. Gentrification is marked as Early signs, with a score of 22, and the wider shift score is 35. That means demand is likely to be supported by lifestyle and employment access, but household formation may skew older unless new family stock appears.

Population trend: Clarence council area

Cambridge sits in the Clarence council area. These are the council area's residents, not Cambridge's.

Residents 2025

64,119

Growth, 5 yr average

+1.1%/yr

2020 to 2025

Growth, last year

+0.4%

2024 to 2025

ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Cambridge compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 25%
Household Income
Top 23%
Rent Level
Top 14%
Apartments
Top 23%
Renters
Bottom 41%
Uni Educated
Top 32%
Public Transport
Bottom 39%
Born Overseas
Bottom 38%
Density
Top 34%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cambridge a good suburb to live in?

Cambridge suits buyers wanting space, detached housing and a quieter setting near Hobart. It has 92.1% separate houses, household income in the 76.7th percentile nationally and low density of 29.5 people per sq km.

What is the median house price in Cambridge?

A current median house price is not available for Cambridge. The nearest local cost markers are a $1,733 median monthly mortgage, $410 weekly rent and mortgage payments at 19.5% of income.

What schools are in Cambridge?

There are 0 schools recorded within Cambridge itself. Families usually need to look to surrounding Clarence and eastern shore suburbs, so school choice should be checked against commute times and catchments.

Is Cambridge safe?

A suburb-level crime rate is not published for Cambridge, so current police mapping is worth checking before buying. The area does show 86.3% owner occupation and SEIFA IRSD decile 9, both consistent with a stable resident base.

Is Cambridge good for property investment?

Cambridge is better suited to patient investors than high-yield traders. Only 12.1% of homes are rented, rent is $410 a week, vacancy is 3.9% and there were 0 development applications over 12 months.

How is Cambridge's population changing?

Cambridge is growing steadily, with a forecast trend of 1.26% a year and 18.8% population change over 10 years. The trajectory is Aging, and the primary migration driver is overseas migration.

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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).

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