TASMANIA


State summary

Regional variations

Municipal growth

Population change in Tasmanian cities

Population change in west coast mining and north-western farming regions

Population density

Centre of population

Local government area populations


STATE SUMMARY

At 30 June 2010, Tasmania's estimated resident population was 507,600, an increase of 4,400 people in 2009-10. The annual growth rate for Tasmania in 2009-10 was 0.9%, the same as the average annual growth rate for the five years from 2005 to 2010. Tasmania continues to have the slowest annual growth rate of any state or territory, and at June 2010 represented 2.3% of the total Australian population.

REGIONAL VARIATIONS

In 2009-10, the population of all four Tasmanian SDs increased. The fastest growth was in Greater Hobart SD (1.3%), followed by Southern SD (1.0%), Northern SD (0.6%) and Mersey-Lyell SD (0.4%). The largest growth was in Greater Hobart (up 2,700 people), followed by Northern (880), Mersey-Lyell (410), and Southern (380). Greater Hobart accounted for 42% of Tasmania's population, followed by Northern (28%), Mersey-Lyell (22%) and Southern (7%). In the five years to June 2010, Greater Hobart's share of Tasmania's population increased while the shares in Northern and Mersey-Lyell declined slightly.

MUNICIPAL GROWTH

Most of Tasmania's 29 LGAs experienced population growth in the year to June 2010. The largest municipal population change occurred in the south of the state, with Kingborough (M) growing by 710 people and Brighton (M) by 550. Both of these LGAs are within commuting distance of the Hobart central business district. The next largest growth occurred in the north of the state in Latrobe (M) (up by 400).

Latrobe (M), was also the fastest-growing Tasmanian LGA in 2009-10, with a growth rate of 4.2%. This LGA has undergone increased growth recently, as indicated by the difference between its annual growth rate (4.2%) and its five year annual average (2.8%). The next fastest municipal growth occurred in the south of the state in Brighton (M) (3.5%), Sorell (M) and Kingborough (M) (both 2.1%).

POPULATION CHANGE IN TASMANIAN CITIES

All six Tasmanian cities experienced population growth in the year to June 2010. Clarence (C), on the eastern shore of Hobart's Derwent River had the largest increase (800 people), followed by Launceston (C) (280) in Tasmania's central north. Clarence (C) also had the fastest growth (1.5%) followed by Launceston (C) and Hobart (C) (both 0.4%).

LGAs WITH LARGEST AND FASTEST POPULATION GROWTH, Tasmania
	ERP at 30 June	Population Change
	2010p	2009r-2010p
LGA	no.	no.	%
LARGEST GROWTH
Clarence (C)	52 900	800	1.5
Kingborough (M)	34 200	710	2.1
Brighton (M)	16 400	550	3.5
Latrobe (M)	10 000	400	4.2
Sorell (M)	13 400	280	2.1
FASTEST GROWTH
Latrobe (M)	10 000	400	4.2
Brighton (M)	16 400	550	3.5
Sorell (M)	13 400	280	2.1
Kingborough (M)	34 200	710	2.1
Tasman (M)	2 400	40	1.6

POPULATION CHANGE IN WEST COAST MINING AND NORTH-WESTERN FARMING REGIONS

Mersey Lyell SD, which includes north-western farming regions, increased its population by 0.4% in 2009-10, which was markedly slower growth than it experienced in the previous year (1.1%). Latrobe (M) was the only LGA in this SD to have faster growth in 2009-10 (4.2%) than the previous year (3.0%).

The population of the West Coast (M) LGA, which contains many of Tasmania's mines, increased slightly by 0.2% in the year to June 2010.

POPULATION DENSITY

At June 2010, the population density of Tasmania was 7.5 people per square kilometre (sq km). The capital city SD of Greater Hobart had a population density of 160 people per sq km, much lower than Australian capital cities combined (370 people per sq km).

The most densely populated SLAs in Greater Hobart SD at June 2010 were Hobart (C) - Inner (790 people per sq km) and Hobart (C) - Remainder (640). Sorell (M) - Pt A, to the east of the city, was the least densely populated at 48 people per sq km.

Brighton (M), to the north of Hobart, had the largest increase in population density in the capital city SD from June 2009 to June 2010, increasing by 3.2 people per sq km. Kingborough (M) - Pt A and Hobart (C) - Remainder had the next largest increases (both up 2.6 people per sq km). The population density of all SLAs in Greater Hobart SD increased over this period, with the exception of Hobart (C) - Inner, which decreased by 7.3 people per sq km.

CENTRE OF POPULATION

Tasmania's centre of population at June 2010 was on the banks of Woods Lake in the LGA of Central Highlands (M). In the five years to June 2010, the centre moved roughly 1.1 kilometres south-east, reflecting continued population growth in Hobart.

For Greater Hobart SD, the centre of population at June 2010 was near the Hobart Royal Botanical Gardens, in the suburb of Queens Domain.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA POPULATIONS

For a full list of LGA populations, see the Downloads tab.