Shorewell Park
A suburb where 59.3% of residents rent, yet 86.7% of dwellings are freestanding houses, Shorewell Park sits in an unusual position in Burnie's housing market. Household income lands at the 6.3rd percentile nationally, placing it among Australia's lowest-income communities, which explains why so few households have crossed into ownership despite affordable dwelling types. The unemployment rate of 13.5% is well above the national average, and only 39.2% of residents participate in the labour force. Healthcare employs 30.6% of working residents, nearly 1 in 3, making the suburb strongly dependent on a single sector.
Population
2,150
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$856/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
No recorded median sale price is available for Shorewell Park, reflecting thin transaction volumes typical of lower-income suburban markets rather than missing infrastructure. Weekly rent of $220 and monthly mortgage repayments averaging $1,074 suggest purchase entry costs are modest compared to most Tasmanian capitals, though the 8.2% vacancy rate is higher than the state norm and signals softness in demand. Mortgage-to-income at 29.0% and rent-to-income at 25.7% sit below conventional stress thresholds, so housing costs are not the barrier to ownership. At 21.7% with a mortgage and 18.9% outright owners, fewer than 1 in 5 households has cleared their loan, below typical suburban ownership rates. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 60.6% of stock, with 4-plus bedroom properties making up 12.1%.
For Buyers
No recorded median sale price is available for Shorewell Park, reflecting thin transaction volumes typical of lower-income suburban markets rather than missing infrastructure. Weekly rent of $220 and monthly mortgage repayments averaging $1,074 suggest purchase entry costs are modest compared to most Tasmanian capitals, though the 8.2% vacancy rate is higher than the state norm and signals softness in demand. Mortgage-to-income at 29.0% and rent-to-income at 25.7% sit below conventional stress thresholds, so housing costs are not the barrier to ownership. At 21.7% with a mortgage and 18.9% outright owners, fewer than 1 in 5 households has cleared their loan, below typical suburban ownership rates. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 60.6% of stock, with 4-plus bedroom properties making up 12.1%.
For Investors
A 59.3% renter share is the headline figure for investors, meaning more than half of all occupied dwellings are rental properties, well above the national average. Weekly rent of $220 is low in absolute terms, which limits gross yield potential without knowing a reliable sale price. The 8.2% vacancy rate is elevated and points to supply exceeding local demand. Unemployment at 13.5% creates tenant vulnerability to income shocks, which increases arrears risk compared to more economically stable suburbs. Development activity recorded 0 applications in the past 12 months, so new supply is not a near-term threat. The economy depends heavily on healthcare (30.6% of workers), a sector with stable government-backed employment, which provides a partial buffer for rental demand.
Schools in Shorewell Park iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Hellyer College
11-12 · 656 students
Demographics
The median age of 40 matches the national figure exactly, so Shorewell Park does not skew notably older or younger than the national average. Overseas-born residents account for 7.2% of the population, which is 14.4 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting a predominantly Australian-born community. English, Irish and Scottish ancestries lead by a wide margin, consistent with the suburb's Anglo-leaning character. University qualifications reach just 11.2%, which is 18.9 percentage points below the national rate, the largest gap in the suburb's comparison profile. Average household size of 2.3 is 0.2 below national. About 17.2% of residents (343 people) need assistance with daily activities, a high rate that aligns with the suburb's low-income, low-workforce-participation profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
86.7%
Houses
12.0%
Townhouse
1.2%
Apartment
Tenure
The dwelling mix is straightforward: 86.7% separate houses, 12.0% semi-detached and just 1.2% apartments. Three-bedroom homes make up 60.6% of all dwellings and 4-plus bedroom homes 12.1%, so the stock is family-sized even though average household size of 2.3 is slightly below national. Tenure tells a different story: 59.3% rent, 21.7% carry a mortgage and only 18.9% own outright. Renter share this high is unusual for a suburb where freestanding houses dominate, and it reflects income constraints rather than lifestyle choice, given that household income sits at the 6.3rd percentile nationally. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,074 and rent averages $220 per week, both modest in absolute terms. The 8.2% vacancy rate indicates some pressure on the rental market with more supply than active demand.
Mortgage / mo
$1,074
Rent / wk
$220
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$493
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.2%
Unoccupied
73
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.4%
Couples, no children
1,440
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the defining employer, accounting for 30.6% of all working residents, more than 3 times the share of the next sector. Education follows at 10.5% and Retail at 9.3%, with Hospitality (5.8%) and Manufacturing (5.5%) rounding out the top five. Among occupations, Labourers lead at 131 workers, followed by Community and Personal Services at 107, and Sales at 79, a manual and service-heavy profile consistent with low university attainment of 11.2%. The unemployment rate of 13.5% is significantly higher than the national average, and the participation rate of 39.2% means well under half of working-age residents are actively in the labour market. Weekly personal income averages $493, compared to a national context where income sits at the 6.3rd percentile, underlining the structural economic disadvantage.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
53.0%
Part-time
33.5%
Participation
39.2%
Employed
592
Occupations
Top Industries
University
11.2%
Postgraduate
2.1%
Born Overseas
7.2%
Dwellings
807
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total: 84.6% of employed residents drive to work, and only 1.6% use public transport, which is below even the low baseline typical of Tasmanian regional suburbs. Walking or cycling accounts for 1.8%. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families depend on institutions in neighbouring Burnie suburbs for education. Crime statistics are not available for Shorewell Park in this dataset. Volunteering at 9.7% is modest, and 17.2% of residents need daily assistance, a high figure that places significant demand on healthcare and community services. Housing stress by cost metrics is contained, with rent-to-income at 25.7% and mortgage-to-income at 29.0%, both below the 30% stress threshold, though low incomes at the 6.3rd percentile nationally mean the dollar amounts leave little margin.
Drive
84.6%
Public Transport
1.6%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Shorewell Park compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shorewell Park a good suburb to live in?
Shorewell Park offers affordable housing, with weekly rent at $220 and monthly mortgage repayments averaging $1,074, keeping housing costs below stress thresholds. However, household income sits at just the 6.3rd percentile nationally and the unemployment rate is 13.5%, both significantly below national benchmarks. It suits residents who value low costs and stable, service-sector employment in the Burnie area.
What is the median house price in Shorewell Park?
A median house price is not available for Shorewell Park due to low transaction volumes. As a reference, weekly rent averages $220 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,074, suggesting purchase prices are modest. The 8.2% vacancy rate indicates softer demand compared to tighter Tasmanian markets.
What schools are in Shorewell Park?
No schools are recorded within the Shorewell Park suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Burnie suburbs. University qualification rates locally are 11.2%, which is 18.9 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting the broader educational profile of the community.
Is Shorewell Park safe?
Crime statistics specific to Shorewell Park are not available in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, 17.2% of residents (343 people) need daily assistance and the unemployment rate is 13.5%, both above typical suburban baselines, which can correlate with higher community stress levels. Prospective residents should consult Tasmania Police crime mapping for localised data.
Is Shorewell Park good for property investment?
The 59.3% renter share confirms a deep tenant pool, but weekly rent of $220 is low and the 8.2% vacancy rate signals excess supply. Household income at the 6.3rd percentile nationally limits rent growth potential. Zero development applications in the past 12 months means no new supply is imminent, but economic headwinds from 13.5% unemployment constrain capital growth prospects.
How is Shorewell Park's population changing?
Shorewell Park has a population of 2,150 across 3.72 square kilometres. Resident stability is high, with 75.8% of residents staying in place and a turnover rate of 24.2%. The overseas-born share of 7.2% is 14.4 percentage points below national, so international migration adds little to population growth. No development pipeline is active, pointing to a static near-term population.
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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