TASMANIA

TOTAL POPULATION

The estimated resident population of Tasmania at 30 June 2006 was 489,900 people - an increase of 18,100 people since June 2001 when the population was 471,800 people. The average annual growth rate was 0.8% per year for the five years from 2001 to 2006.

Regionally, over the five years to June 2006 Southern Statistical Division (SD) had the fastest average annual growth rate of 0.9%, followed by Greater Hobart SD and Northern SD (both 0.8%), and Mersey-Lyell SD (0.5%).

Of the Local Governments Areas (LGAs) with a population greater than 2,000 people, the fastest growing over the five years to June 2006 were Brighton (M) with an average annual growth rate of 2.1% and Sorell (M) (2.0%). The only declining LGAs over this period were West Coast (M) with an average annual decline of 1.3%, and Dorset (M) with an average annual decline of 0.2%.


AGE DISTRIBUTION

Over the five-years from June 2001 to June 2006, the proportion of Tasmania's population aged 0 to 44 years decreased, while the proportion aged 45 years and over increased.



MEDIAN AGE

The median age of the population of Tasmania at 30 June 2006 was 38.8 years, 2.2 years higher than the Australian median age of 36.6 and 1.6 years higher than the Tasmanian median age of 37.2 in 2001. At June 2006 the median age of Tasmanian males was 37.9 years, while the median age of Tasmanian females was 39.7 years.

Southern SD had the highest median age of the SDs (41.8 years), followed by Mersey-Lyell SD (39.6), Northern SD (38.8) and Greater Hobart SD (37.9).

Of the LGAs with more than 2,000 people, the highest median ages were found in Glamorgan/Spring Bay (M) (48.7 years), Tasman (M) (47.3) and Break O'Day (M) (45.9). The lowest median ages were to be found in Brighton (M) (31.1 years) and Circular Head (M) and Launceston (C) (both 36.6).


CHILDREN (UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE)

Children aged 0-14 years decreased in number and as a proportion of the population over the five years to June 2006, from 99,100 (21.0% of the population) to 96,500 (19.7% of the population) - a loss of 2,600 children. At June 2006, there were 106.0 males for every 100 females in this age group.

The largest change in proportion of children occurred in the Southern SD, with children aged 0-14 years declining from 22.6% of the population in June 2001 to 20.2% in June 2006. For Mersey-Lyell SD, the proportion fell from 21.9% to 20.4%, for the Greater Hobart SD from 20.2% to 19.0% and for Northern SD from 21.0% to 20.0%.

LGAs (excluding those with less than 2,000 people) with the highest proportions of children aged 0-14 years were Brighton (M) (27.6%), Circular Head (M) (23.1%) and George Town (M) and Southern Midlands (M) (both 22.3%). LGAs with the lowest proportion of children aged 0-14 years were Hobart (C) (14.7%), Glamorgan/Spring Bay (M) (16.2%) and Tasman (M) (16.5%).


WORKING AGE POPULATION (AGED 15-64 YEARS)

The working age population, those aged 15-64 years, increased as a proportion of the Tasmanian population from June 2001 to June 2006, from 65.2% to 65.7%. There were 14,200 more people in this age group in June 2006 compared with June 2001, bringing the total to 322,100 people in 2006 (from 307,800 people in 2001). At June 2006, there were 98.7 males for every 100 females in this age group.

The working age population increased as a proportion of the total population over the five years to June 2006 for all SDs except Mersey-Lyell SD, where the working age population remained steady at 64.3%. The proportion of working age population increased in the SDs of Southern (from 65.2% to 66.4%), Greater Hobart (66.0% to 66.7%) and Northern (64.9% to 65.3%).

Excluding LGAs with less than 2,000 people, the LGAs with the highest proportions of their population aged 15-64 years were Hobart (C) (71.8%), Central Highlands (M) (67.3%) and Tasman (M) (67.1%). LGAs with the lowest proportion of population aged 15-64 years were Dorset (M) (62.6%), Devonport (C) (63.1%) and Waratah/Wynyard (M) (63.6%).

Compared with the rest of the State, the Greater Hobart SD had a higher percentage of people in the working age population (15-64 year olds), due to the higher proportion of working age females.


While both Tasmania and Australia have fewer people between the ages 25 to 34 years compared with the surrounding age groups, this "apple core" effect is more pronounced in Tasmania.



OLDER PEOPLE

AGED 65 YEARS AND OVER

People aged 65 years and over comprised 71,300 people or 14.6% of the Tasmanian population at June 2006. Since June 2001, the population of this age group grew by 6,500 people (at an average annual growth rate of 1.9%). At June 2006, there were 81.2 males for every 100 females in this age group.

The SD with the highest proportion of its population aged 65 years and over was Mersey-Lyell SD (15.4%), followed by Northern SD (14.7%), Greater Hobart SD (14.2%) and Southern SD (13.4%). People aged 65 years and over increased as a proportion of the population for all SDs over the five years to June 2006, with the largest increase occurring in Mersey-Lyell SD (from 13.8% in June 2001 to 15.4% in June 2006), followed by Southern SD (from 12.2% to 13.4%), Northern SD (from 14.1% to 14.7%) and Greater Hobart SD (from 13.8% to 14.2%).

LGAs with the highest proportion of their population aged 65 years and over were Glamorgan/Spring Bay (M) (19.1%), Break O'Day (M) (17.5%) and Devonport (C) (17.2%). LGAs with the lowest proportion of people aged 65 years and over were Brighton (M) (7.1%), West Coast (M) (10.9%) and Southern Midlands (M) (11.2%). Only Hobart (C) experienced a decrease in its proportion of population aged 65 years and over in the five years to June 2006, from 14.3% to 13.5%. Launceston's (C) proportion of people aged 65 years and over remained relatively steady at 14.6%.

AGED 85 YEARS AND OVER

The population aged 85 years and over was estimated to be 8,500 people, or 1.7% of the total Tasmanian population at June 2006. Since June 2001, the population aged 85 years and over increased by 1,400 people, at an average annual rate of growth of 3.6%. At June 2006 there were 45.4 males for every 100 females in this age group.

Regionally, 1.8% of the Greater Hobart SD and Northern SD populations were aged 85 years and over, while 1.7% of the Mersey-Lyell SD population and 1.1% of the Southern SD population were aged 85 years and over.

LGAs (excluding those with population less than 2,000) with the highest proportion of their population aged 85 years or more were Devonport (C) (2.3%), Hobart (C) (2.2%) and Launceston (C) (2.1%). LGAs with the lowest proportion of people aged 85 years and over were Central Highlands (M) (0.6%), Brighton (M) (0.8%) and West Coast (M) (0.9%). Only Central Highlands (M) and Tasman (M) had a decrease in proportion of their population aged 85 years and over in the five years to June 2006, with Central Highlands (M) decreasing from 1.3% to 0.6% and Tasman (M) decreasing from 1.8% to 1.4%.


SEX RATIO

At 30 June 2006 there were 6,700 more females than males in Tasmania, or 97.3 males for every 100 females. This compares with 98.8 males for every 100 females in the total Australian population.

Southern SD was the only SD in Tasmania at 30 June 2006 to have more males than females (107.9 males for every 100 females). Mersey-Lyell SD had 98.7 males for every 100 females, Northern SD had 97.8, and Greater Hobart SD had 94.4.

Excluding areas with less than 2,000 people, the LGAs with the highest number of males per 100 females were Central Highlands (M) (114.4), West Coast (M) (113.7) and Southern Midlands (M) (107.7). The LGAs with the lowest number of males per 100 females were Glenorchy (C) (92.3), Devonport (C) (94.2) and Kingborough (M) and Launceston (C) (both 94.7).