TAS 7301 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Longford

Longford's standout profile is older, low-density and owner-led: 4268 residents live across 176.27 sqkm, at just 24.2 people per sqkm, and the median age is 47, 7.0 years above national. Housing is overwhelmingly detached, with 85.7% separate houses, while overseas-born residents are 10.5%, 11.1 points below national. Compared with nearby Perth and Evandale, Longford's larger rural footprint makes it feel more like a service town with acreage edges than a compact commuter village.

Longford urban fabric map

Population

4,268

Median Age

47.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,212/wk

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

0

176.27 km²· 24.2 people/km²· Family income $1,518/wk

For buyers, Longford is a house-led market: 85.7% of dwellings are separate houses, while apartments are only 8.3% and semi-detached homes 4.7%. The typical home is practical rather than dense, with 48.3% having 3 bedrooms and 22.1% having 4 or more. The median monthly mortgage repayment is $1300, and mortgage costs sit at 24.8% of income, below common stress thresholds, because local incomes and loan sizes remain relatively modest.

For Buyers

For buyers, Longford is a house-led market: 85.7% of dwellings are separate houses, while apartments are only 8.3% and semi-detached homes 4.7%. The typical home is practical rather than dense, with 48.3% having 3 bedrooms and 22.1% having 4 or more. The median monthly mortgage repayment is $1300, and mortgage costs sit at 24.8% of income, below common stress thresholds, because local incomes and loan sizes remain relatively modest.

For Investors

Investors face a thin but measurable rental market. Renters make up 25.4% of households, below the owner base of 39.4% owned outright and 32.6% mortgaged, so demand is steadier than inner-city high-turnover markets. Median rent is $265 a week, vacancy is 7.2%, and development approvals were 0 over 12 months. That points to limited new supply, but the higher vacancy rate means yield and tenant depth need careful checking.

Demographics

Longford is older and more locally rooted than the national profile. The median age is 47, which is 7.0 years above national, while overseas-born residents are 10.5%, or 11.1 percentage points below national. University attainment is 21.5%, 8.6 points lower than national. English ancestry is the largest group at 2062 people, followed by Irish at 405 and Scottish at 381, and only 16 residents speak Mandarin at home.

Age Distribution

0-14
16.0%
15-24
10.3%
25-44
20.9%
45-64
25.9%
65+
26.7%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
4.4%
2 bed
25.2%
3 bed
48.3%
4+ bed
22.1%

Dwelling Structure

85.7%

Houses

4.7%

Townhouse

8.3%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 39.4% Mortgage 32.6% Rent 25.4% Other 2.7%

Longford's housing mix favours stability over churn. Outright owners account for 39.4%, higher than renters at 25.4%, with another 32.6% paying a mortgage. Separate houses dominate at 85.7%, compared with 8.3% apartments, and 3-bedroom homes are the main stock at 48.3%. Housing payments are comparatively contained: rent takes 21.9% of income and mortgages 24.8%, both below stress flags, because household costs remain aligned with local incomes.

Mortgage / mo

$1,300

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

$265

Census 2021

HH Size

2.3

Personal Income / wk

$667

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

7.2%

Unoccupied

134

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

21.9%

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

24.8%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
16

Ancestry

English
2,062
Irish
405
Scottish
381
Ancestry NS
264
German
130
Other
120

Household Composition

33.4%

Couples with children

47.8%

Couples, no children

17.8%

Single parent

1,190

Total families

Economy & Employment

Longford's work base is service and trade oriented rather than corporate. Healthcare leads at 20.9% of workers, followed by construction at 12.1%, manufacturing and education at 8.8% each, and retail at 8.0%. Trades are the largest occupation group at 307 people, above labourers at 255. SEIFA is low but not one-dimensional: IEO, IRSD and IRSAD are decile 2, while IER is decile 3, because modest income and education scores sit alongside some household resources. Unemployment is 5.4%.

Unemployment

5.4%

Labour Force

1,956

Unemployed

105

Source: ABS Census 2021

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

Overall advantage
2
Disadvantage
2
Economic resources
3
Education & occupation
2

Full-time

59.4%

Part-time

34.7%

Participation

54.7%

Employed

1,851

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

Occupations

Trades 307
Labourers 255
Community/Personal 252
Managers 234
Professionals 233
Clerical/Admin 209
Machinery/Drivers 173
Sales 155

Top Industries

Healthcare 20.9%
Construction 12.1%
Manufacturing 8.8%
Education 8.8%
Retail 8.0%

University

21.5%

Postgraduate

3.9%

Born Overseas

10.5%

Dwellings

1,732

Transport to Work

Daily life in Longford is car dependent, with 82.0% driving to work compared with just 0.6% using public transport. Walking or cycling accounts for 4.5%, and 7.8% work from home, so access works best for households comfortable with regional driving. Low density matters: 4268 residents are spread across 176.27 sqkm at 24.2 people per sqkm, making services less walkable than in compact centres. IRSAD sits in decile 2, so local advantage is lower than affluent urban areas.

Drive

82.0%

Public Transport

0.6%

Walk / Cycle

4.5%

Work from Home

7.8%

Population Forecast

+1.36%/yr

(+68 people/yr)

Established

Growth in Longford is steady rather than speculative. The annual trend is 1.36%, while the 10-year population change is 28.1%, and the primary migration driver is Balanced. The shift trajectory is Aging: senior share rose 8.2 points, while young share fell 3.4 and working-age share fell 4.2. That matters because demand is likely to tilt toward manageable houses and local services. The gentrification score is 9 and stage is Not gentrifying, below a strong reinvestment signal.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Balanced

Net Overseas / yr

+20

Net Internal / yr

+8

9

Gentrification Signal

Not gentrifying

Population +28% since 2011

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

How Longford compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 13%
Household Income
Bottom 26%
Rent Level
Top 49%
Apartments
Top 9%
Renters
Top 27%
Uni Educated
Bottom 42%
Public Transport
Bottom 9%
Born Overseas
Bottom 32%
Density
Top 35%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Longford a good suburb to live in?

Longford suits buyers who want space and a quieter regional setting. It has 4268 residents, a median age of 47 and 85.7% separate houses, so it is better matched to car-based households than commuters needing frequent public transport, which sits at 0.6%.

What is the median house price in Longford?

A current median house price for Longford is not available. For context, the affordability signals are a $1300 median monthly mortgage repayment, $265 weekly rent and mortgage costs at 24.8% of income, below stress levels.

What schools are in Longford?

There are 0 schools within Longford itself. Families comparing options usually need to check nearby towns or broader Northern Midlands catchments, then weigh travel by car, since 82.0% of workers drive and public transport use is 0.6%.

Is Longford safe?

Safety is best assessed by inspecting specific streets and checking current police updates, because no suburb-wide crime rate is shown for Longford. For context, it has 4268 residents across 176.27 sqkm, a much lower density than compact urban suburbs.

Is Longford good for property investment?

Longford can suit cautious investors, but it is not a high-churn rental market. Renters are 25.4% of households, weekly rent is $265 and vacancy is 7.2%, higher than many tight rental markets, so tenant demand and achievable rent need checking.

How is Longford's population changing?

Longford is growing steadily, not surging. The annual trend is 1.36%, and the 10-year population change is 28.1%. The trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 8.2 points and young share down 3.4, so growth is changing the age mix as well as the count.

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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.

Explore Longford on the Map

View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.

Open Interactive Map

More Suburbs in TAS