Glenorchy
Lower-income but strategically central to Hobart's northern suburbs, Glenorchy combines 12,013 residents, a median age of 35 and a household income percentile of 21.4. Compared with nearby Moonah and Claremont, its point of difference is scale: 78.2% separate houses sit beside a high 45.4% rental share. The suburb is not simply low-income, because university attainment is 37.1%, which is 7.0 points above the national level, and overseas-born residents are 29.4%, 7.8 points above national. That mix reflects a service-economy centre where affordability draws renters while larger blocks retain family appeal.
Population
12,013
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,143/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$650K
YTD 2026
Homebuyers are paying a 2026 median house price of $650,000, with the market back at its peak after 0.0% peak-to-latest decline. Detached stock dominates at 78.2%, while apartments are 15.4%, so buyers wanting space have more choice than in inner Hobart unit markets. The bedroom mix is practical rather than trophy-market: 45.3% are 3-bedroom homes and 34.4% are 2-bedroom homes. Monthly mortgage costs of $1,300 absorb 26.3% of income, lower than the 28.0% rent-to-income measure, which helps explain why ownership can still compete with renting.
For Buyers
Homebuyers are paying a 2026 median house price of $650,000, with the market back at its peak after 0.0% peak-to-latest decline. Detached stock dominates at 78.2%, while apartments are 15.4%, so buyers wanting space have more choice than in inner Hobart unit markets. The bedroom mix is practical rather than trophy-market: 45.3% are 3-bedroom homes and 34.4% are 2-bedroom homes. Monthly mortgage costs of $1,300 absorb 26.3% of income, lower than the 28.0% rent-to-income measure, which helps explain why ownership can still compete with renting.
For Investors
Investors should read Glenorchy as a tenant-heavy market, with 45.4% of dwellings rented compared with 26.8% owned outright and 27.8% under mortgage. Median rent is $320 a week, and the rent-to-income measure is 28.0%, so demand is affordability-led rather than premium-led. Vacancy at 5.6% is higher than many tight rental markets, and 0 new development approvals in the past 12 months means new supply is not the pressure point. The caution is population churn: average net internal migration is -177 a year, partly offset by 90 net overseas migrants.
Schools in Glenorchy iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Guilford Young College
11-12 · 839 students
Dominic College
Prep-10 · 1007 students
Glenorchy Primary School
K-6 · 261 students
Cosgrove High School
7-12 · 313 students
Demographics
Glenorchy's 12,013 residents are younger than Australia overall, with a median age of 35, or 5.0 years below the national benchmark. Education is stronger than the income profile suggests: 37.1% hold university qualifications, 7.0 points above national, yet household income sits at only the 21.4 percentile. Overseas-born residents make up 29.4%, 7.8 points above national, with Nepali 559, Punjabi 141 and Urdu 97 speakers giving the area a clear migrant imprint. Smaller households, at 2.3 people on average, support demand for 2 and 3-bedroom stock.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
78.2%
Houses
6.0%
Townhouse
15.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Long-run housing performance has been substantial: the median rose from $84,000 in 1996 to $650,000 in 2026 across 31 tracked quarters, a 673.8% gain and 7.1% CAGR. The latest price equals the peak, so the peak-to-latest movement is 0.0%, unlike markets still sitting below prior highs. Tenure is unusually renter-oriented for a detached suburb, with 45.4% renting versus 26.8% owned outright and 27.8% mortgaged. The dwelling base remains house-led at 78.2% separate houses, because families and downsizers can both use the 45.3% 3-bedroom and 34.4% 2-bedroom stock.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General (YTD 2026)
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$320
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$616
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.6%
Unoccupied
289
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
28.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.2%
Couples, no children
8,243
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the economic anchor, employing 870 people or 24.2%, well above any other listed industry. Hospitality adds 359 jobs, retail 345, public administration 320 and education 285, so local earnings depend on service rosters and public-sector-linked work. Occupations skew practical: community and personal services count 965 workers, labourers 769 and professionals 715. The tension is that university attainment is above national, but unemployment is 9.3% and participation 53.9%. SEIFA confirms disadvantage, with IRSAD decile 1, IRSD decile 1, IER decile 1 and IEO decile 2.
Unemployment
6.7%
Labour Force
6,353
Unemployed
426
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.0%
Part-time
35.7%
Participation
53.9%
Employed
4,979
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.1%
Postgraduate
15.4%
Born Overseas
29.4%
Dwellings
4,829
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented, with 77.8% driving to work compared with 8.3% using public transport and 4.2% walking or cycling. School choice is a practical strength: 4 local schools span ICSEA 867 to 1020, led by Catholic options Guilford Young College at 1020 with 839 enrolments and Dominic College at 1018 with 1,007 enrolments, alongside government primary and secondary options. The trade-off is socio-economic pressure, with IRSAD decile 1, so services matter because many households have lower resilience than higher-decile suburbs.
Drive
77.8%
Public Transport
8.3%
Walk / Cycle
4.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.91%/yr
(+111 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is forecast to be modest rather than explosive: the trend rate is 0.91% a year, or 111 people, with the medium path rising from 12,666 in 2026 to 13,219 in 2031. Migration explains the uneven shape because the primary driver is overseas migration, averaging +90 people a year, while net internal migration averages -177. The separate gentrification reading is score 5 and stage Not gentrifying, despite earlier shift signals of 60.0% rent growth and a 16.7% 10-year population lift. The young share has fallen -3.5 points, so demand may tilt more to established households than first-home renter churn.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+90
Net Internal / yr
-177
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +14% since 2011, Net internal outflow -177/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Glenorchy compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Glenorchy a good suburb to live in?
Glenorchy can suit buyers and renters who want established housing at Hobart's northern edge. It has 12,013 residents, a median age of 35, 4 local schools and 77.8% car commuting, but household income is only at the 21.4 percentile, so amenity and affordability sit alongside visible disadvantage.
What is the median house price in Glenorchy?
The median house price in Glenorchy is $650,000 in YTD 2026. That is up from $567,000 in 2025 and $550,000 in 2024, and it matches the recorded peak, with a 0.0% peak-to-latest decline.
What schools are in Glenorchy?
Glenorchy has 4 listed schools: Guilford Young College, Dominic College, Glenorchy Primary School and Cosgrove High School. The ICSEA range is 867 to 1020, with Catholic and government sectors both represented.
Is Glenorchy safe?
Safety is best assessed by street and time of day rather than assuming one suburb-wide pattern. Glenorchy has 12,013 residents across 10.37 sq km, and 77.8% of workers drive, so activity levels can differ markedly between residential pockets and main-road areas.
Is Glenorchy good for property investment?
Investment appeal comes from the 45.4% rental share and $320 weekly median rent, but the 5.6% vacancy rate is a caution compared with tighter markets. With 0 recent development approvals, supply pressure looks limited, while population growth is forecast at 0.91% a year.
How is Glenorchy's population changing?
Glenorchy is forecast to grow slowly, at 0.91% a year or about 111 people. The medium path reaches 13,219 residents by 2031, with overseas migration averaging +90 a year and internal migration averaging -177.
What languages are spoken in Glenorchy?
English is dominant, but sizable language groups include Nepali with 559 speakers, Punjabi 141, Urdu 97, Mandarin 74 and Hindi 54. Overseas-born residents are 29.4%, which is 7.8 points above national.
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.
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