Smithton
At a median house price of $360,000, Smithton sits well below Tasmanian and national medians, yet housing costs have climbed 437% since 2000, a compound annual rate of 6.7% that outpaces many larger centres. The suburb holds IRSAD decile 1, the lowest advantage tier nationally, and household income sits at the 24.8th percentile. Manufacturing (17.4% of jobs) and agriculture (13.3%) anchor the local economy in a town of 3,934 people spread across 91 square kilometres on Tasmania's northwest tip. The population is aging, with the senior share rising 6.3 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 0.8 points.
Population
3,934
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,189/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$360K
YTD 2026
The $360,000 median house price is the current YTD 2026 figure, pulled back 11.1% from the 2025 peak of $405,000, so buyers are entering below the recent high. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 21.0%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning purchase costs are proportionate relative to local incomes. Separate houses account for 92.2% of stock, so detached living is the norm rather than the exception. Three-bedroom homes make up 55.8% of dwellings and four-plus bedroom homes 21.9%, indicating family-sized stock dominates. Over 26 years the median climbed from $67,000 to $360,000, a 437% gain, compared to the national average where growth has been concentrated in capital cities.
For Buyers
The $360,000 median house price is the current YTD 2026 figure, pulled back 11.1% from the 2025 peak of $405,000, so buyers are entering below the recent high. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 21.0%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning purchase costs are proportionate relative to local incomes. Separate houses account for 92.2% of stock, so detached living is the norm rather than the exception. Three-bedroom homes make up 55.8% of dwellings and four-plus bedroom homes 21.9%, indicating family-sized stock dominates. Over 26 years the median climbed from $67,000 to $360,000, a 437% gain, compared to the national average where growth has been concentrated in capital cities.
For Investors
The rental market is modest: weekly rent is $222 against a $360,000 median, implying a gross yield near 3.2%, higher than capital city markets but still thin. The vacancy rate is elevated at 9.7%, which is above a healthy 3% threshold, signalling soft rental demand relative to supply. The renter share stands at 28.5%, providing a reasonable tenant pool for the size of the town. Population is declining at 0.21% per year, with net internal migration running at minus 47 per year and net overseas migration adding only 20. Rent grew 48% over the measurement period, faster than real income growth of 3.7%, which gradually tightened affordability. Low entry prices compared to state and national medians may attract yield-focused buyers, but the vacancy rate and slow population decline are key risk factors.
Schools in Smithton iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Circular Head Christian School
Prep-12 · 265 students
St Peter Chanel Catholic School
Prep-6 · 125 students
Smithton High School
7-12 · 283 students
Smithton Primary School
K-6 · 210 students
Demographics
The median age of 42 is 2.0 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 6.3 points while the young-adult share fell 4.1 points over the decade. University qualifications reach only 17.2% of residents, which is 12.9 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the trade and labour-intensive economy. Overseas-born residents account for 10.3% of the population, 11.3 points below national, making Smithton one of the more Anglo-Celtic communities in Australia. English ancestry is dominant at 1,553 residents, followed by Irish (344) and Scottish (252). Average household size is 2.3 persons, 0.2 below national, consistent with an older demographic where couples without children make up 33.6% of families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.2%
Houses
6.4%
Townhouse
0.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits into roughly thirds: 37.5% own outright, 34.0% carry a mortgage, and 28.5% rent. Outright owners nearly matching mortgage holders suggests an established ownership base rather than a wave of recent buyers. The stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 92.2%, with semi-detached at 6.4% and apartments just 0.8%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 55.8%, and four-plus bedroom properties account for 21.9%, giving the market a strong family-home character. The median has traded between $382,500 in 2024, rising to a peak of $405,000 in 2025, then falling to $360,000 in 2026 YTD, a correction of 11.1% from peak. Rent-to-income sits at 18.7%, comfortably below the 30% stress mark, meaning renters face less affordability pressure here than in most state capitals.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,083
Rent / wk
$222
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$652
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.7%
Unoccupied
163
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.6%
Couples, no children
2,804
Total families
Economy & Employment
Manufacturing leads local employment at 17.4% of workers (164 people), followed by agriculture at 13.3% (125), education at 12.6% (119) and healthcare at 10.7% (101). By occupation, labourers form the largest group at 413 workers, managers at 232 and machinery and drivers at 196, a pattern consistent with a processing and farming economy rather than a professional services base. Unemployment sits at 6.0%, above the national average, and the participation rate of 51.9% is low, partly because 1,176 residents are not in the labour force. Full-time employment makes up 62.1% of employed workers. On SEIFA, the suburb scores decile 1 on both IRSAD and IEO, the lowest advantage tier nationally, driven by below-average incomes and low educational attainment, while the IER score of decile 2 reflects limited economic resources.
Unemployment
3.9%
Labour Force
1,984
Unemployed
77
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.1%
Part-time
31.9%
Participation
51.9%
Employed
1,568
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.2%
Postgraduate
4.9%
Born Overseas
10.3%
Dwellings
1,521
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high: 86.1% of residents drive to work, compared to a national figure typically closer to 60-65%, and public transport use is just 0.3%, reflecting the limited services available in a town of this size. Walking and cycling account for 6.4% of commutes, reasonable for a low-density regional centre. The suburb scores decile 2 on IRSD (relative disadvantage) and decile 1 on IRSAD (advantage and disadvantage combined), placing it among the most disadvantaged communities nationally. Housing stress is not a major issue at current prices: mortgage-to-income of 21.0% and rent-to-income of 18.7% are both below stress thresholds. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, though the education sector employs 12.6% of workers locally. Volunteering runs at 20.9%, above typical urban rates, which points to a community where residents contribute to local services.
Drive
86.1%
Public Transport
0.3%
Walk / Cycle
6.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.21%/yr
(-8 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation is declining at 0.21% per year, equivalent to a net loss of about 8 people annually. The historical series shows 3,952 residents in 2023 falling to 3,886 by 2025, and medium forecasts project further gradual decline to around 3,887 by 2031. Net internal migration is the main drag at minus 47 persons per year, partially offset by net overseas migration of plus 20. The 10-year population change is minus 0.1%, effectively flat, but the direction is consistently downward. The gentrification score is 0, classified as not gentrifying, which fits a SEIFA decile 1 suburb with no influx of higher-income residents. Affordability worsened between 2011 (29.4%) and 2021 (34.0%) as prices rose faster than local incomes, a trend unlikely to reverse quickly given the declining workforce base.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+20
Net Internal / yr
-47
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Smithton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Smithton a good suburb to live in?
Smithton offers affordable housing at a $360,000 median and manageable housing costs, with mortgage-to-income at 21.0% and rent-to-income at 18.7%, both below stress thresholds. The trade-off is a SEIFA IRSAD decile 1 ranking, the lowest advantage tier nationally, driven by incomes at the 24.8th percentile and university qualifications 12.9 points below national. It suits residents tied to local manufacturing, agriculture or public sector employment.
What is the median house price in Smithton?
The median house price is $360,000 as of YTD 2026, down 11.1% from the 2025 peak of $405,000. Weekly rent averages $222 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,083. Prices have grown 437% since 2000 from a base of $67,000, a compound annual rate of 6.7% over 26 years.
What schools are in Smithton?
No schools are recorded inside the Smithton suburb boundary in this dataset. The education sector is the third-largest employer in the local economy, accounting for 12.6% of workers (119 people), indicating education facilities are present in the broader area. University qualifications among residents are 17.2%, which is 12.9 points below the national average.
Is Smithton safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Smithton in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, the suburb scores IRSD decile 2 nationally, placing it in the higher-disadvantage tier, and unemployment sits at 6.0%, above the national average. These factors are associated with higher crime risk in comparable regional towns, though no suburb-level data is available to confirm.
Is Smithton good for property investment?
The $222 weekly rent against a $360,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.2%, higher than most capital city markets. However, the 9.7% vacancy rate signals soft rental demand, and population is declining at 0.21% per year with net internal migration at minus 47 annually. Rent grew 48% over the measurement period, but ongoing population loss is the key risk for long-term capital growth.
How is Smithton's population changing?
Population declined from 3,952 in 2023 to 3,886 in 2025, a loss of about 8 people per year (-0.21% annually). Medium forecasts project further gradual decline to around 3,887 by 2031. Net internal migration runs at minus 47 per year, partially offset by overseas migration of plus 20. The senior share has risen 6.3 points over the decade as younger adults leave.
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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