Risdon Vale
Risdon Vale ranks in SEIFA decile 1 on all four indexes nationally, placing it in the most disadvantaged tier across education, economic resources and relative disadvantage simultaneously. With 3,171 residents spread across 13.21 square kilometres at a density of 240 per km2, the suburb is sparse even by Tasmanian standards. The household income percentile sits at 23.8, well below the national median, and the unemployment rate of 8.5% is roughly double the national average. Against this backdrop, rents have grown 60% over the past decade and the population has risen 20.5%, signalling that affordability pressure is building faster than incomes can absorb.
Population
3,171
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,187/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
No median house price is available from recent sales data for Risdon Vale, which reflects thin transaction volume rather than inactivity. The housing stock is almost entirely separate houses, at 94.1% of dwellings, with 3-bedroom homes making up 80.7% of all properties. That uniformity keeps buyer choices narrow. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083, and with mortgage-to-income at 21.1%, purchase costs remain below the 30% stress threshold, lower than many comparable Tasmanian suburbs. Outright owners account for 22.7% of households and mortgage holders 42.4%, a mortgage-belt profile consistent with first or second home buyers rather than established wealth. The rent-to-income ratio of 27.0% is approaching the 30% stress line, making renting only marginally more comfortable than owning.
For Buyers
No median house price is available from recent sales data for Risdon Vale, which reflects thin transaction volume rather than inactivity. The housing stock is almost entirely separate houses, at 94.1% of dwellings, with 3-bedroom homes making up 80.7% of all properties. That uniformity keeps buyer choices narrow. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083, and with mortgage-to-income at 21.1%, purchase costs remain below the 30% stress threshold, lower than many comparable Tasmanian suburbs. Outright owners account for 22.7% of households and mortgage holders 42.4%, a mortgage-belt profile consistent with first or second home buyers rather than established wealth. The rent-to-income ratio of 27.0% is approaching the 30% stress line, making renting only marginally more comfortable than owning.
For Investors
Risdon Vale's 35.0% renter share provides a consistent tenant base, and weekly rent of $320 reflects demand in a suburb where buying requires a mortgage rather than significant equity. Rent grew 60% over the decade, well above income growth of 17.1%, compressing affordability from 48.9% in 2011 to 54.3% in 2021. The vacancy rate is 5.5%, somewhat above the typical 3% equilibrium, suggesting mild oversupply rather than tight conditions. Net internal migration adds 38 residents per year and overseas migration adds 5, together sustaining modest population growth of 1.29% annually. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, so new supply is not a near-term headwind. The investment case is yield-driven rather than capital growth, though thin sales data means price discovery is slow.
Schools in Risdon Vale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Risdon Vale Primary School
K-6 · 172 students
Demographics
The median age of 34 is 6 years below the national figure, giving Risdon Vale a younger profile than most Australian suburbs. The working-age share grew 2.8 points over the decade and the young-adult share fell 1.9 points, consistent with a suburb attracting working families rather than recent graduates. Only 7.7% of residents were born overseas, which is 13.9 percentage points below the national rate, and ancestry is firmly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,233), Irish (206) and Scottish (134). University qualifications reach just 17.5%, which is 12.6 points below the national average, a gap that correlates with the suburb's decile 1 IEO score for education and occupation. Average household size is 2.5, equal to the national figure. The male-to-female split skews to 57.3% male, an unusual ratio that may reflect particular employment or housing patterns in the area.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.1%
Houses
5.9%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses account for 94.1% of the stock, making Risdon Vale one of the most detached-dominant suburbs in Tasmania. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 80.7% of all dwellings, with 4-plus bedroom homes at 9.6% and 2-bedroom at 8.8%, leaving almost no smaller-format options. The tenure split shows 22.7% owning outright, 42.4% on a mortgage and 35.0% renting. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.1%, below the national stress threshold. Rent at $320 per week represents 27.0% of income, close to the 30% threshold. No median house price data is available from recent transactions, which reflects thin turnover in this relatively small 3,171-person suburb. Resident stability is high, with 80.9% having lived at the same address for at least a year, suggesting low speculative churn.
Mortgage / mo
$1,083
Rent / wk
$320
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$612
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.5%
Unoccupied
56
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
20.6%
Couples, no children
2,023
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry, employing 25.5% of working residents (147 workers), followed by Construction at 10.9% (63) and Education at 10.2% (59). Public Administration and Retail each account for roughly 8% of employment. By occupation, Labourers are the largest group at 188 workers, followed closely by Community and Personal Service workers at 180 and Clerical/Administrative at 126. This occupational profile matches the decile 1 SEIFA scores: wages in these categories are generally below the national median. Personal weekly income averages $612, below the national median, and real income grew 17.1% over the decade, a positive signal but from a low base. Unemployment sits at 8.5%, roughly double the national rate, and the participation rate of 40.5% is depressed partly because 1,360 residents are not in the labour force.
Unemployment
10.8%
Labour Force
1,365
Unemployed
148
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.5%
Part-time
31.0%
Participation
40.5%
Employed
954
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.5%
Postgraduate
3.5%
Born Overseas
7.7%
Dwellings
972
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total, with 86.4% of residents driving to work and only 4.9% using public transport, well below state and national averages. Cycling and walking account for just 0.6% of commutes, consistent with a low-density layout across 13.21 square kilometres. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families rely on neighbouring suburbs for education. The IRSAD decile 1 ranking means Risdon Vale sits in the nationally most disadvantaged tier for access to resources and services. About 9.3% of residents (228 people) need daily assistance, above the national average, and the volunteering rate is 10.6%. Rent-to-income at 27.0% is approaching stress levels. The suburb's low housing cost relative to Hobart's inner suburbs makes it accessible to working families, though the combination of limited public transport and distance from services adds a practical cost to that affordability.
Drive
86.4%
Public Transport
4.9%
Walk / Cycle
0.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.29%/yr
(+49 people/yr)
EstablishedRisdon Vale's population grew 20.5% over the past decade, reaching 3,171 residents from a lower base in 2011. Recent years show continued momentum: 3,681 in 2023, 3,759 in 2024 and 3,799 in 2025. The medium forecast projects around 4,038 by 2031, implying 1.29% annual growth adding roughly 49 persons per year. Net internal migration of 38 per year is the primary driver, with overseas migration contributing 5. The gentrification score is 24 with a stage of 'Early signs', supported by population growth of 28% since 2011 and an affordability trend that is worsening as rent growth (60%) outpaces income growth (17.1%). The gentrification trajectory is 'Mixed', meaning some indicators are improving while the area remains at the lowest SEIFA decile, and it is not yet attracting the professional demographic that would accelerate the transition.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+5
Net Internal / yr
+38
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +28% since 2011, Accelerating: 6% → 21%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Risdon Vale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Risdon Vale a good suburb to live in?
Risdon Vale offers affordable housing, with mortgage-to-income at 21.1% and rent at $320 per week, but ranks in SEIFA decile 1 nationally across all four indexes, the most disadvantaged tier. Car dependency is high at 86.4% and unemployment sits at 8.5%, roughly double the national average. It suits working families seeking low housing costs rather than amenity-rich living.
What is the median house price in Risdon Vale?
A median house price is not available from recent sales data, reflecting thin transaction volume in this 3,171-person suburb. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083 and weekly rent is $320. Rents grew 60% over the past decade, well above income growth of 17.1%, pointing to sustained upward price pressure.
What schools are in Risdon Vale?
No schools are recorded inside the Risdon Vale boundary in this dataset, so residents rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. University qualifications reach only 17.5% of the adult population, which is 12.6 percentage points below the national average, consistent with the suburb's decile 1 IEO score for education and occupation.
Is Risdon Vale safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Risdon Vale in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 1 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the lowest tier nationally, and 9.3% of residents (228 people) need daily assistance, both higher than the national average and consistent with a higher-disadvantage environment.
Is Risdon Vale good for property investment?
The 35.0% renter share and weekly rent of $320 provide a stable tenant base. Rent grew 60% over the decade while income grew 17.1%, narrowing the affordability gap. The vacancy rate of 5.5% is above the typical 3% equilibrium. Zero development applications in the past 12 months means no new supply pressure. Yields are more attractive than in inner Hobart but capital growth data is limited due to thin sales volume.
How is Risdon Vale's population changing?
Population grew 20.5% over the past decade and reached 3,799 in 2025, up from 3,681 in 2023. The medium forecast projects around 4,038 residents by 2031, driven mainly by net internal migration of 38 per year. Annual growth runs at 1.29%, adding roughly 49 persons per year, above the state average for established suburbs.
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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