TAS 7277 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Legana

The median house price jumped 19.3% in a single year, from $700,000 in 2025 to $835,000 in 2026, an unusual move for a settled Tamar Valley township of 4,719 residents. The growth is structural: population has risen 29.5% over the decade, far above what an established suburb usually posts, and the trend forecast adds about 98 people a year at 1.91% annual growth. The housing stock is overwhelmingly detached at 96.1%, with apartments at just 1.4%, so demand concentrates on family-sized homes where 3-bedroom dwellings make up 44.7% and 4-plus bedroom homes 39.6%. Household income sits in the 56.8th percentile nationally and the median age of 41 runs 1.0 year above national, framing Legana as a maturing, mortgage-driven commuter belt rather than a static rural pocket.

Legana urban fabric map

Population

4,719

Median Age

41.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,643/wk

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

0

Median House

$835K

YTD 2026

32.5 km²· 145.2 people/km²· Family income $1,961/wk

At $835,000 the median house price has climbed 19.3% from $700,000 a year earlier, and over 30 years prices have risen 636.3% from $113,400, a 6.9% compound annual rate. Buyers are purchasing space rather than a unit: 96.1% of dwellings are separate houses, apartments only 1.4%, and 4-plus bedroom homes account for 39.6% of stock against 14.3% two-bedroom. The affordability picture is more forgiving than the headline price suggests, because average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,517 leave the mortgage-to-income ratio at 21.3%, well below the 30% stress threshold. That gap exists because household income reaches the 56.8th percentile while repayments stay modest, a sign many owners bought before the recent run-up. Outright owners (40.9%) and mortgage holders (43.1%) together hold 84% of homes, leaving renters a thin 16.0%.

For Buyers

At $835,000 the median house price has climbed 19.3% from $700,000 a year earlier, and over 30 years prices have risen 636.3% from $113,400, a 6.9% compound annual rate. Buyers are purchasing space rather than a unit: 96.1% of dwellings are separate houses, apartments only 1.4%, and 4-plus bedroom homes account for 39.6% of stock against 14.3% two-bedroom. The affordability picture is more forgiving than the headline price suggests, because average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,517 leave the mortgage-to-income ratio at 21.3%, well below the 30% stress threshold. That gap exists because household income reaches the 56.8th percentile while repayments stay modest, a sign many owners bought before the recent run-up. Outright owners (40.9%) and mortgage holders (43.1%) together hold 84% of homes, leaving renters a thin 16.0%.

For Investors

Renters make up only 16.0% of households, the inverse of the 40.9% who own outright and 43.1% on a mortgage, so the tenant pool is shallow. Weekly rent of $350 against the $835,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.2%, low and pressured further by the 19.3% one-year price rise that has outpaced rents. The demand case rests on growth rather than yield: rent has still climbed 32.1% over the measured period, population is up 29.5% over the decade, and the trend forecast adds 98 residents a year. Migration is balanced, with net internal inflow of 43 and net overseas inflow of 20 annually, supporting steady absorption. Vacancy at 5.0% is healthy but not tight. With no development applications recorded in the past 12 months, new rental supply is constrained, which favours holding existing detached stock for capital growth over rental income.

Schools in Legana iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Legana Primary School

ICSEA 1002 Primary Government

K-6 · 144 students

Demographics

The median age of 41 is 1.0 year above the national figure, and the profile is aging: the senior share rose 4.3 points over the decade while the young-resident share fell 3.5 points. Only 15.3% of residents were born overseas, which is 6.3 points below national, so the population is markedly more Australian-born than most suburbs. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,147), Irish (439) and Scottish (410), with Dutch (246) a notable fourth. University qualifications reach 27.1%, sitting 3.0 points below national, consistent with a trade and service workforce rather than a professional-knowledge hub. Average household size is 2.6, just 0.1 above national, and families skew toward couples with children (1,658) over couples without (1,196 at 31.0%), reinforcing the family-household character of the area.

Age Distribution

0-14
18.8%
15-24
10.8%
25-44
23.4%
45-64
25.6%
65+
21.3%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
1.4%
2 bed
14.3%
3 bed
44.7%
4+ bed
39.6%

Dwelling Structure

96.1%

Houses

1.6%

Townhouse

1.4%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 40.9% Mortgage 43.1% Rent 16.0%

Tenure is dominated by owner-occupiers: 40.9% own outright and 43.1% carry a mortgage, leaving only 16.0% renting, a far higher ownership share than most markets. The stock is 96.1% separate houses with apartments at just 1.4%, and bedroom counts skew large, with 44.7% three-bedroom and 39.6% four-plus, against only 14.3% two-bedroom. The median house price rose from $700,000 in 2025 to $835,000 in 2026, a 19.3% jump, and over 30 years has compounded at 6.9% a year from a 1996 base of $113,400. Despite that, mortgage-to-income holds at 21.3% and rent-to-income also at 21.3%, both comfortably below the 30% stress line, because incomes in the 56.8th percentile combine with locked-in repayments of $1,517 a month. The low 16.0% rental share keeps turnover modest at 22.5%.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General

Mortgage / mo

$1,517

Rent / wk

$350

HH Size

2.6

Personal Income / wk

$773

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

5.0%

Unoccupied

92

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

21.3%

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

21.3%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Nepali
13

Ancestry

English
2,147
Irish
439
Scottish
410
Dutch
246
Other
241
Ancestry NS
199

Household Composition

31.0%

Couples, no children

3,862

Total families

Economy & Employment

The workforce leans heavily on Healthcare, which employs 23.5% of workers (371 people), followed by Education at 13.8% (218) and Construction at 10.8% (170), with Retail at 7.2% and Manufacturing at 6.6%. That mix reflects proximity to Launceston's hospitals and schools rather than a local commercial core. By occupation, Professionals (486) lead, ahead of Community and Personal Service workers (342) and Managers (292). Unemployment is low at 3.8% with a full-time employment rate of 62.8%, though participation reads 59.3%, held down by 1,265 residents not in the labour force, consistent with the aging profile. On SEIFA, Legana sits at decile 7 for relative disadvantage (IRSD) but only decile 5 for advantage-disadvantage (IRSAD), an anomaly that signals few deprived households yet a middle rather than affluent income base.

Unemployment

1.3%

Labour Force

2,685

Unemployed

34

Quarterly Trend

Mar-24 Dec-25

Source: SALM Dec-25

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

Overall advantage
5
Disadvantage
7
Economic resources
7
Education & occupation
5

Full-time

62.8%

Part-time

33.4%

Participation

59.3%

Employed

2,188

Occupations

Professionals 486
Community/Personal 342
Managers 292
Clerical/Admin 261
Sales 228
Labourers 171
Machinery/Drivers 152

Top Industries

Healthcare 23.5%
Education 13.8%
Construction 10.8%
Retail 7.2%
Manufacturing 6.6%

University

27.1%

Postgraduate

7.0%

Born Overseas

15.3%

Dwellings

1,732

Transport to Work

Legana is built around the car: 92.9% of workers drive, while public transport carries just 0.8% and only 1.4% walk or cycle, reflecting its low density of 145.2 residents per km2 across 32.5 km2 and its commuter relationship with Launceston. On the SEIFA disadvantage index it scores decile 7, above the national midpoint, and only 5.6% of residents (252 people) need daily assistance despite the median age of 41, both consistent with a settled, low-deprivation community. Volunteering runs at 17.9%, a marker of local engagement. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring areas, a practical trade-off for the semi-rural setting. Housing costs stay manageable, with rent-to-income at 21.3%, well below the 30% stress threshold.

Drive

92.9%

Public Transport

0.8%

Walk / Cycle

1.4%

Work from Home

N/A

Population Forecast

+1.91%/yr

(+98 people/yr)

Established

Annual population growth runs at 1.91%, adding roughly 98 residents a year, and the 10-year change of 29.5% is exceptional for a suburb classified as established. Medium forecasts lift the population from about 5,118 in 2025 to 5,765 by 2031, continued steady expansion. The growth is balanced across sources, with net internal migration of 43 a year exceeding net overseas migration of 20, meaning the gains come mainly from Australians relocating within the region rather than international arrivals. Gentrification reads as early signs, scoring 26, with the brief flagging acceleration from 8% to 23% and a 33% population rise since 2011. Rent has grown 32.1% and real incomes 12.0% over the period, so the area is climbing the value ladder while staying below top advantage deciles, sitting at IRSAD decile 5.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Balanced

Net Overseas / yr

+20

Net Internal / yr

+43

26

Gentrification Signal

Early signs

Population +33% since 2011, Accelerating: 8% → 23%

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

How Legana compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 12%
Household Income
Top 43%
Rent Level
Top 28%
Apartments
Bottom 28%
Renters
Bottom 37%
Uni Educated
Top 41%
Public Transport
Bottom 11%
Born Overseas
Top 45%
Density
Top 25%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Legana a good suburb to live in?

Legana scores decile 7 on the IRSD disadvantage index, above the national midpoint, and only 5.6% of residents need daily assistance. Ownership is high, with 84% of homes owned outright or mortgaged, and housing costs stay low at a 21.3% mortgage-to-income ratio. The main trade-off is heavy car reliance, with 92.9% of workers driving.

What is the median house price in Legana?

The median house price is $835,000 as of 2026, up 19.3% from $700,000 in 2025. Over 30 years prices have risen 636.3% from $113,400, a compound annual rate of 6.9%. Weekly rent averages $350 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,517.

What schools are in Legana?

No schools are recorded inside the Legana boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring areas near Launceston. The resident base is moderately educated, with university qualifications at 27.1%, which is 3.0 points below the national figure.

Is Legana safe?

Detailed crime statistics are not available for Legana in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 7 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, above the national midpoint, and just 5.6% of its 4,719 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage area.

Is Legana good for property investment?

Weekly rent of $350 against the $835,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.2%, low for the price point. The case favours capital growth: population is up 29.5% over the decade, rent has risen 32.1%, and vacancy is moderate at 5.0%. With 0 development applications in 12 months, new rental supply is constrained.

How is Legana's population changing?

Population grows about 1.91% a year, adding roughly 98 residents annually, and is up 29.5% over the decade. Forecasts lift it from about 5,118 in 2025 to 5,765 by 2031. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 4.3 points and the young-resident share down 3.5 points over ten years.

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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