Shearwater
A median age of 58 makes Shearwater one of Tasmania's most distinctly retirement-skewed coastal suburbs, sitting 18 years above the national figure. Yet the housing market tells a different story: the median house price reached $738,000 in 2026, well above typical Tasmanian benchmarks, supported by 53.5% of dwellings owned outright and only 22% renting. Household income sits in just the 17.7th percentile nationally, so the wealth here is stored in property rather than wages. The suburb's 14.5% vacancy rate is notably high, consistent with a significant holiday-home component alongside the permanent retired population.
Population
2,051
Median Age
58.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,104/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$738K
YTD 2026
At $738,000 the median house price represents a modest 1.5% fall from the 2025 peak of $749,000, signalling the market has cooled slightly but held most of its gains. The long-run picture is compelling: prices grew from $111,000 in 1996 to today's level, a compound annual growth rate of 6.5% over 30 years. Stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 91.4%, with semi-detached dwellings accounting for 8.2%, so buyers face relatively uniform dwelling types. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 59.3% of stock, with four-plus bedrooms at 19.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,500, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 31.4%, which crosses the standard 30% stress threshold and is worth factoring into affordability planning.
For Buyers
At $738,000 the median house price represents a modest 1.5% fall from the 2025 peak of $749,000, signalling the market has cooled slightly but held most of its gains. The long-run picture is compelling: prices grew from $111,000 in 1996 to today's level, a compound annual growth rate of 6.5% over 30 years. Stock is overwhelmingly detached houses at 91.4%, with semi-detached dwellings accounting for 8.2%, so buyers face relatively uniform dwelling types. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 59.3% of stock, with four-plus bedrooms at 19.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,500, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 31.4%, which crosses the standard 30% stress threshold and is worth factoring into affordability planning.
For Investors
Shearwater's investor case rests on long-run capital growth rather than yield. Weekly rent of $295 against a $738,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.1%, below what investors find in higher-yielding regional TAS markets. The 14.5% vacancy rate is elevated and likely tied to a holiday-home segment alongside the permanent population, rather than structural oversupply. Only 22% of dwellings are tenanted, limiting tenant pool depth. No development applications were filed in the past 12 months, so there is no near-term supply pressure. The 30-year CAGR of 6.5% from $111,000 in 1996 to $738,000 in 2026 demonstrates that patient holders have been rewarded, and the 91.4% detached house composition provides durability compared to apartment-heavy markets.
Demographics
The median age of 58 is 18 years above the national average, one of the more pronounced aging profiles you will find in coastal Tasmania. Overseas-born residents account for 14.4% of the population, which is 7.2 percentage points below the national figure, consistent with the Anglo-Celtic ancestry pattern: English (993 residents), Scottish (215) and Irish (193) are the three leading ancestries. University qualifications at 21.6% sit 8.5 points below national, which is common in retirement-coastal communities where working-age professional migration is limited. Average household size is 2.1, below the national average, because couples without children make up 48.8% of all families. Volunteering runs at 18.9%, a relatively high civic participation rate for a population of 2,051.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.4%
Houses
8.2%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership dominates Shearwater's housing profile to a degree that stands out even by Tasmanian coastal standards. Outright owners account for 53.5% of dwellings, more than double the proportion carrying a mortgage at 24.6%, which reflects the retired demographic who have paid off homes over decades. Renters at 22% are a minority. The stock is 91.4% separate houses with 8.2% semi-detached, making apartments essentially absent. Three-bedroom homes are the majority at 59.3%, followed by four-plus at 19.9% and two-bedroom at 20.5%. The median price has tracked from a trough of $105,000 in 1998 to $749,000 at the 2025 peak, a gain of more than 600%, with the 2026 reading of $738,000 sitting just 1.5% off that peak.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,500
Rent / wk
$295
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$581
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
14.5%
Unoccupied
145
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
31.4% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
48.8%
Couples, no children
1,454
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment participation at 40.7% is low compared to the national average because the majority-retired population places 908 residents outside the labour force. Among those who do work, Healthcare is the leading industry at 21.4% (103 workers), followed by Education at 14.5% and Construction at 10.8%, with Retail at 7.7% and Professional/Tech at 6%. By occupation, Professionals (131), Community/Personal (117) and Clerical/Admin (99) lead. Unemployment among the working-age cohort is 3.6%, modest in absolute terms. Weekly household income of $1,104 places the suburb in the 17.7th percentile nationally, reflecting that residents draw on superannuation and investment income rather than employment earnings. Rent-to-income runs at 26.7%, below the 30% stress line.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.7%
Part-time
36.7%
Participation
40.7%
Employed
698
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.6%
Postgraduate
4.5%
Born Overseas
14.4%
Dwellings
858
Transport to Work
Car dependence is the dominant commute mode at 93.7%, which is high even by national standards, and walking or cycling accounts for just 1.9%. No schools are recorded within the Shearwater boundary, so families with children rely on institutions in nearby towns. Need-for-assistance affects 10.3% of the population (203 residents), above what you would see in younger suburbs, consistent with the aged median of 58. The rent-to-income ratio of 26.7% keeps housing costs manageable for tenants below the 30% stress threshold. Despite household incomes sitting in the 17.7th percentile nationally, outright ownership at 53.5% means most permanent residents face no ongoing housing cost pressure, which underpins day-to-day livability for the settled community.
Drive
93.7%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
1.9%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Shearwater compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shearwater a good suburb to live in?
Shearwater suits retirees and sea-changers well. With 53.5% of dwellings owned outright and a rent-to-income ratio of 26.7%, ongoing housing costs are manageable. The median age is 58, which is 18 years above the national figure, so it is a quieter coastal community rather than a high-activity urban centre. Car access is essential as 93.7% commute by car and no schools are within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Shearwater?
The median house price is $738,000 as of YTD 2026, just 1.5% below the 2025 peak of $749,000. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,500. Since 1996 prices have grown at a compound rate of 6.5% per year, rising from $111,000 to today's level over 30 years.
What schools are in Shearwater?
No schools are recorded within the Shearwater boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in Port Sorell and other nearby townships. University-level qualifications among residents sit at 21.6%, which is 8.5 percentage points below the national average, consistent with the older, retired demographic.
Is Shearwater safe?
Crime statistics are not available at the suburb level for Shearwater in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, the suburb has a low unemployment rate of 3.6% among the working-age cohort, and only 22% of dwellings are rented, which typically correlates with lower transient-population crime risk. The 14.5% vacancy rate reflects holiday homes rather than social instability.
Is Shearwater good for property investment?
The 30-year compound annual growth rate of 6.5% from $111,000 in 1996 to $738,000 in 2026 shows strong long-run capital growth. However, the gross rental yield is low at roughly 2.1% against $295 weekly rent, and the 14.5% vacancy rate is elevated. No development applications in the past 12 months means no new supply pressure, which supports existing price levels.
How is Shearwater's population changing?
The population stands at 2,051 across 3.43 km2. The suburb has a stable, settled profile with 76.7% of residents having remained at their address throughout the census reference period and an annual turnover rate of just 23.3%. The median age of 58, which is 18 years above national, suggests the community is aging in place rather than attracting large numbers of new younger residents.
What is the housing tenure breakdown in Shearwater?
Outright owners account for 53.5% of dwellings, mortgage holders 24.6% and renters 22%. This ownership-heavy profile is well above national norms and reflects a retiree base that has cleared its mortgages. The 14.5% vacancy rate indicates a notable holiday-home component on top of the permanent residential population of 2,051.
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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