Mount Nelson
Detached housing and high education define Mount Nelson more than scale: 2,749 residents sit at 514.4 people per sqkm, while 80.9% of dwellings are separate houses. Compared with busier Sandy Bay and South Hobart corridors, it reads as a quieter hillside pocket because ownership is deep, with 39.6% owned outright. The 58.0% university-qualified share is 27.9 percentage points above national, and household income sits at the 58.6th percentile.
Local council: Hobart
Population
2,749
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,687/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
8
Homebuyers get a house-led market rather than a unit-led one: 80.9% are separate houses, 13.9% semi-detached and only 5.2% apartments. Larger homes are common, with 34.7% having 4 or more bedrooms and 32.7% having 3, so families and downsizers compete for similar stock. Affordability looks manageable because median mortgage repayments are $1,586 a month and the mortgage load is 21.7%, above the 19.0% rent-to-income figure but not flagged as stress.
For Buyers
Homebuyers get a house-led market rather than a unit-led one: 80.9% are separate houses, 13.9% semi-detached and only 5.2% apartments. Larger homes are common, with 34.7% having 4 or more bedrooms and 32.7% having 3, so families and downsizers compete for similar stock. Affordability looks manageable because median mortgage repayments are $1,586 a month and the mortgage load is 21.7%, above the 19.0% rent-to-income figure but not flagged as stress.
For Investors
Investors face a mixed demand signal. Renters make up 28.2% of households and the median rent is $320 a week, but owners are a larger force, with 39.6% owned outright and 30.7% mortgaged compared with the renter share. Vacancy is 6.8%, so leasing assumptions need a buffer. Supply pressure appears modest because only 7 development applications were recorded recently, mostly single dwelling or alteration work, while 13.4% working from home supports demand for larger established homes.
Development Activity
Total DAs
8
Last 12 Months
8
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Mount Nelson's median age is 40, matching the national age benchmark, but education is the standout: 58.0% hold university qualifications, 27.9 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents are 26.6%, 5.0 points above national, led in language use by Mandarin at 91 speakers and ancestry by English at 1,098 people, then Scottish at 323 and Chinese at 230. Household size is 2.5, equal to national, so the suburb feels stable because 78.4% stayed at the same address.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
80.9%
Houses
13.9%
Townhouse
5.2%
Apartment
Tenure
The dwelling mix is heavily detached, with 80.9% separate houses compared with 13.9% semi-detached homes and 5.2% apartments. Tenure is owner-weighted: 39.6% owned outright, 30.7% with a mortgage and 28.2% renting. Bedrooms explain much of the appeal, because 34.7% have 4 or more bedrooms and 32.7% have 3. Cost pressure is moderate rather than acute, with $1,586 median monthly mortgage repayments and 21.7% mortgage-to-income, while rent-to-income is 19.0% on $320 weekly rent.
Mortgage / mo
$1,586
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$320
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$846
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.8%
Unoccupied
77
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.7%
Couples with children
43.5%
Couples, no children
15.4%
Single parent
741
Total families
Economy & Employment
Mount Nelson's workforce is tilted to knowledge and public-service sectors. Education employs 205 people or 19.3%, healthcare 181 or 17.1%, professional/tech 133 or 12.5%, public admin 126 or 11.9% and retail 63 or 5.9%. Professionals number 510, well above managers at 178, which fits the high IEO decile 9. The anomaly is resources: IER decile 5 trails IRSD decile 8 and IRSAD decile 8, likely because retirees and part-time workers sit beside high-skill households; unemployment is 7.2%.
Unemployment
7.2%
Labour Force
1,416
Unemployed
102
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
50.1%
Part-time
44.1%
Participation
62.2%
Employed
1,314
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
58.0%
Postgraduate
23.3%
Born Overseas
26.6%
Dwellings
1,062
Transport to Work
Livability is car-oriented but close to Hobart's employment base. Commuting is led by drivers at 68.2%, while public transport and walking or cycling are both 5.3%; the 13.4% work-from-home share helps because hillside access is less transit-heavy. The 28.3% volunteering rate adds local participation, and need for assistance is 4.1%. Crime-rate figures are not available at suburb level, while IRSAD decile 8 and IRSD decile 8 point to above-average advantage.
Drive
68.2%
Public Transport
5.3%
Walk / Cycle
5.3%
Work from Home
13.4%
Growth Outlook
Growth is steady rather than speculative. The trend runs at 1.01% a year and the 10-year population change is 14.8%, with overseas migration the primary driver. The shift trajectory is Aging: senior share rose 6.0 points while young share slipped 0.5 points, so demand should skew toward established homes and accessible layouts. Affordability worsened from 40.8 in 2011 to 44.7 in 2021. Current gentrification is scored 5 and labelled Not gentrifying, below the shift score of 41 that indicates early signs.
Population trend: Hobart council area
Mount Nelson sits in the Hobart council area. These are the council area's residents, not Mount Nelson's.
Residents 2025
55,859
Growth, 5 yr average
-0.1%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
-0.2%
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 Mount Nelson compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mount Nelson a good suburb to live in?
Yes for buyers seeking a low-density hillside setting. Mount Nelson has 2,749 residents, 80.9% separate houses and 28.3% volunteering, with university attainment 27.9 points above national. Car access matters because 68.2% drive to work.
What is the median house price in Mount Nelson?
A current median house price is not available for Mount Nelson. The clearest housing cost benchmarks are $1,586 median monthly mortgage repayments and $320 weekly rent, with 80.9% of dwellings being separate houses.
What schools are in Mount Nelson?
There are 0 schools recorded within Mount Nelson itself, so families should compare nearby options outside the suburb boundary. Commute planning matters, especially as 68.2% of workers drive and only 5.3% use public transport.
Is Mount Nelson safe?
No suburb-level crime rate is available for Mount Nelson, so buyers should check current local police information. Stability is a positive signal, with 78.4% staying at the same address and need for assistance at 4.1%.
Is Mount Nelson good for property investment?
Investor appeal is selective: 28.2% renters and $320 weekly rent show a tenant base, but 6.8% vacancy is higher than a tight market. Only 7 recent development applications suggest limited new supply pressure.
How is Mount Nelson's population changing?
Mount Nelson has 2,749 residents today and growth is modest, with a 1.01% annual trend and 14.8% change over 10 years. The driver is overseas migration, while the trajectory is Aging with senior share up 6.0 points.
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).
Explore Mount Nelson on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map