North Hobart
At just 1.0 sq km, North Hobart packs 2,600 residents into 2,606 people per sq km and functions as an inner Hobart renter hub. The 53.8% renting share and 10.7% vacancy rate are higher signals than typical owner-led suburbs, while the median age of 35 sits 5.0 years below national. Compared with nearby New Town and West Hobart, its profile reads more urban because 37.1% of workers walk or cycle and only 46.5% of dwellings are separate houses.
Local council: Hobart
Population
2,600
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,823/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
18
Homebuyers should treat North Hobart as a compact, mixed-dwelling market rather than a detached-house default. Separate houses make up 46.5%, with apartments at 25.2% and semi-detached homes at 27.9%, so choice is broader than in lower-density family suburbs. Holding costs look moderate relative to income: the typical mortgage payment is $1,820 a month and mortgage-to-income is 23.1%, below common stress levels. Smaller households matter, with 2.1 people on average and 15.6% of homes having 0 or 1 bedrooms.
For Buyers
Homebuyers should treat North Hobart as a compact, mixed-dwelling market rather than a detached-house default. Separate houses make up 46.5%, with apartments at 25.2% and semi-detached homes at 27.9%, so choice is broader than in lower-density family suburbs. Holding costs look moderate relative to income: the typical mortgage payment is $1,820 a month and mortgage-to-income is 23.1%, below common stress levels. Smaller households matter, with 2.1 people on average and 15.6% of homes having 0 or 1 bedrooms.
For Investors
Investors see an unusually tenant-led base: 53.8% of dwellings rent, weekly rent is $400, and the vacancy rate is 10.7%, higher than a tight-market setting. Demand has a logical base because healthcare employs 22.5% of local workers, education 12.8% and hospitality 12.3%, matching renters who want access to central jobs. The caution is supply and churn: 18 development applications in 12 months and 38.6% residential turnover can lift choice, so pricing power may be lower than in scarce rental pockets.
Development Activity
Total DAs
18
Last 12 Months
18
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
North Hobart is younger and more educated than the national pattern. The median age is 35, which is 5.0 years below national, while 57.0% hold university qualifications, 26.9 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents are 29.5%, also 7.9 points above national, but not a migrant-majority setting. English, Irish, Scottish and Chinese ancestry sit alongside Mandarin with 53 speakers and Nepali with 41, fitting a small household profile of 2.1 people, 0.4 below national.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
46.5%
Houses
27.9%
Townhouse
25.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing tenure is the clearest divide: renting at 53.8% is higher than outright ownership at 21.5% and mortgage ownership at 22.5%. The dwelling stock explains that pattern because only 46.5% are separate houses, while 25.2% are apartments and 27.9% are semi-detached. A current sale median is not available, so price pressure is better read through weekly rent of $400, monthly mortgage payments of $1,820, and low stress settings, with rent-to-income at 21.9% and mortgage-to-income at 23.1%.
Mortgage / mo
$1,820
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$400
Census 2021
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$902
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.7%
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
23.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
27.2%
Couples with children
52.3%
Couples, no children
16.6%
Single parent
604
Total families
Economy & Employment
North Hobart's labour market leans knowledge and service based, with healthcare at 22.5% of workers, education 12.8%, hospitality 12.3%, public admin 9.8% and professional/tech 9.0%. Professionals number 543, well above managers at 193 and trades at 169. The SEIFA pattern is uneven: education and occupation ranks in decile 9, IRSAD in decile 8 and IRSD in decile 6, but economic resources sit in decile 1. That anomaly makes sense because 53.8% rent and unemployment is 7.2% despite 69.7% participation.
Unemployment
7.2%
Labour Force
1,649
Unemployed
118
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.0%
Part-time
37.7%
Participation
69.7%
Employed
1,531
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.0%
Postgraduate
18.3%
Born Overseas
29.5%
Dwellings
1,117
Transport to Work
North Hobart's main livability edge is proximity. In a 1.0 sq km suburb, 37.1% of workers walk or cycle, far higher than the 6.1% using public transport, while 41.5% drive and 9.0% work from home. That pattern suits central-city routines because daily trips can be short. IRSAD decile 8 is above the middle, indicating relative advantage, but a crime rate per 1,000 is not available, so safety should be checked at street level.
Drive
41.5%
Public Transport
6.1%
Walk / Cycle
37.1%
Work from Home
9.0%
Growth Outlook
Growth is steady rather than explosive. The established-area trend runs at 1.27% a year, above a flat baseline, and the 10-year population change is 21.3%. The shift trajectory is labelled Aging: senior share rose 4.1 points while young share fell 2.2 points, so demand should tilt toward smaller, walkable homes. Overseas migration is the primary driver, and gentrification is mixed, with a score of 32 at Early signs even as the shift score of 53 is Active.
Population trend: Hobart council area
North Hobart sits in the Hobart council area. These are the council area's residents, not North Hobart'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 North Hobart compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is North Hobart a good suburb to live in?
Yes for residents who value walkability and central access. North Hobart has 37.1% walking or cycling to work, 9.0% working from home and a median age of 35, but the 53.8% renting share means more turnover than owner-heavy suburbs.
What is the median house price in North Hobart?
A current median house price is not available for North Hobart. For affordability context, monthly mortgage payments are $1,820, weekly rent is $400, and mortgage-to-income is 23.1%, which is below stress territory in the local figures.
What schools are in North Hobart?
There are 0 schools listed inside North Hobart itself. Families should check nearby Hobart, New Town and West Hobart options, with travel practical because the suburb covers only 1.0 sq km and 37.1% of workers already walk or cycle.
Is North Hobart safe?
A suburb-level crime rate per 1,000 is not available for North Hobart, so safety needs a street-level check. The area has 2,600 residents in 1.0 sq km and strong pedestrian use, with 37.1% walking or cycling to work.
Is North Hobart good for property investment?
North Hobart can suit investors seeking tenant depth because 53.8% of homes are rented and weekly rent is $400. The caution is vacancy at 10.7% and 18 development applications in 12 months, which may give tenants more choice.
How is North Hobart's population changing?
North Hobart has 2,600 residents today, with the forecast trend running at 1.27% annual growth. The 10-year change is 21.3%, driven primarily by overseas migration, while the trajectory is Aging rather than youth-led.
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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