Hadspen
Detached housing sets the tone in Hadspen, with 84.0% separate houses and only 2.5% apartments around a population of 2,429. Compared with busier Launceston-side suburbs such as Prospect, it reads more like a low-density mortgage belt, with 46.0% of homes being paid off and renting at 19.6%. Household income sits at the 46.2 percentile, below the national middle, so affordability matters because most daily life is car-based rather than transit-led.
Local council: Meander Valley
Population
2,429
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,483/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Hadspen suits buyers wanting house space more than density: 84.0% of dwellings are separate houses, 51.8% have 3 bedrooms and 24.9% have 4 or more. Mortgage repayments of $1,356 a month absorb 21.1% of household income, below common stress thresholds, because purchase costs are moderated by local incomes. The trade-off is mobility: 86.5% drive to work, so buyers should compare the quieter setting with more connected parts of Launceston.
For Buyers
Hadspen suits buyers wanting house space more than density: 84.0% of dwellings are separate houses, 51.8% have 3 bedrooms and 24.9% have 4 or more. Mortgage repayments of $1,356 a month absorb 21.1% of household income, below common stress thresholds, because purchase costs are moderated by local incomes. The trade-off is mobility: 86.5% drive to work, so buyers should compare the quieter setting with more connected parts of Launceston.
For Investors
The investment profile is modest and owner-occupier led. Renting is 19.6%, below the 46.0% share of households with a mortgage, while median rent is $250 a week and rent-to-income is 16.9%. Vacancy is 5.9%, higher than a very tight rental setting, so income security matters more than scarcity. With 0 recorded development approvals in 12 months, competition from new supply looks limited, but demand is tied to local jobs and car access.
Demographics
Hadspen has a median age of 39, about 1.0 year below the national comparison, but its longer-term trajectory is ageing. Overseas-born residents are 6.8%, 14.8 percentage points below national, and university attainment is 19.7%, 10.4 points below national. English ancestry is the largest recorded group at 1,159 people, followed by Irish at 230 and Scottish at 226, so the suburb is less migrant-heavy than many metropolitan growth areas.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
84.0%
Houses
11.5%
Townhouse
2.5%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is dominated by established family stock rather than apartments. Separate houses account for 84.0%, semi-detached homes 11.5% and apartments 2.5%, which is lower-density compared with inner Launceston suburbs. Ownership is also strong: 33.7% are owned outright and 46.0% have a mortgage. Because only 19.6% rent, turnover can be slower, and the 18.8% mobility rate points to a settled market rather than a high-churn investor precinct.
Mortgage / mo
$1,356
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$250
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$771
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.9%
Unoccupied
59
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
43.5%
Couples with children
40.4%
Couples, no children
15.5%
Single parent
696
Total families
Economy & Employment
Hadspen's workforce leans practical and service-based. Healthcare is the largest industry at 20.0%, followed by construction at 12.5%, education at 10.7%, retail at 7.2% and public admin at 7.1%. Trades lead occupations with 215 workers, above professionals at 184 and clerical/admin at 176. SEIFA is mixed: IEO decile 2 is low, but IER decile 6 and IRSD decile 5 show resilience, because employment participation is 67.3% and unemployment is 4.6%.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
1,296
Unemployed
59
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.8%
Part-time
37.5%
Participation
67.3%
Employed
1,237
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
19.7%
Postgraduate
2.0%
Born Overseas
6.8%
Dwellings
954
Transport to Work
Daily convenience depends heavily on the car. Public transport commuting is only 0.9%, far below the 86.5% who drive, while walking or cycling is 1.0% and working from home is 6.7%. That makes Hadspen better for households with reliable vehicle access than for transit-dependent renters. IRSAD decile 4 and IRSD decile 5 place it around the lower-middle to middle range socially, while a 17.1% volunteering rate adds local social participation.
Drive
86.5%
Public Transport
0.9%
Walk / Cycle
1.0%
Work from Home
6.7%
Growth Outlook
Growth is steady rather than speculative. The forecast trend is 1.07% a year, with migration classed as Balanced, so change is not driven by a single boom source. The shift trajectory is Aging: senior share has risen 5.0 points while working-age share is down 3.3 points. Population change over 10 years is 13.5%, below fast fringe growth patterns, and gentrification is only at Early signs with a score of 20, so price pressure is likely gradual.
Population trend: Meander Valley council area
Hadspen sits in the Meander Valley council area. These are the council area's residents, not Hadspen's.
Residents 2025
21,739
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.1%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.8%
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 Hadspen compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hadspen a good suburb to live in?
Hadspen can suit households wanting space and a quieter setting, with 84.0% separate houses and an average household size of 2.5. It is less suited to car-free living because 86.5% of commuters drive and only 0.9% use public transport.
What is the median house price in Hadspen?
A reliable suburb-wide median house price cannot be quoted consistently. The clearest affordability signals are $1,356 median monthly mortgage repayments, 21.1% mortgage-to-income, and 46.0% of households paying off a mortgage.
What schools are in Hadspen?
School choice in Hadspen should be checked by address, with families commonly assessing nearby Launceston-area options alongside travel time. The suburb has 2,429 residents, and 43.5% of families are couples with children.
Is Hadspen safe?
There is no reliable suburb-wide crime rate to quote for Hadspen, so buyers should compare streets and recent police updates before committing. The suburb has 2,429 residents, 81.2% stayed at the same address, and 17.1% volunteer.
Is Hadspen good for property investment?
Hadspen is a steadier investment market than a high-turnover rental area. Renters are 19.6% of households, median rent is $250 a week, vacancy is 5.9%, and there were 0 recorded development approvals in the past 12 months.
How is Hadspen's population changing?
Hadspen is growing at a moderate 1.07% a year, with Balanced migration rather than one dominant driver. The 10-year population change is 13.5%, while the ageing trajectory shows senior share up 5.0 points.
What is the commute like in Hadspen?
Commuting is strongly car-based. Around 86.5% of workers drive, compared with 0.9% using public transport and 1.0% walking or cycling. Working from home is 6.7%, so location choice matters for daily travel.
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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