TASMANIA


TOTAL POPULATION

AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION

MEDIAN AGE

CHILDREN (UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE)

WORKING AGE POPULATION (AGED 15-64 YEARS)

PEOPLE AGED 65 YEARS AND OVER

SEX RATIO


TOTAL POPULATION

At 30 June 2008 the estimated resident population of Tasmania was 497,500, increasing by 19,900 (4.2%, or 0.8% per year on average) since 30 June 2003. All Statistical Divisions (SDs) experienced population growth over the five years to June 2008. The population of the Greater Hobart SD was 209,300 in June 2008 followed by Northern, with a population of 140,300, Mersey-Lyell (111,100) and Southern (36,900).

The following commentary omits specific reference to Local Government Areas (LGAs) with populations of less than 2,000 at 30 June 2008.

AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION

Tasmania's age distribution in 2008 was characterised by a lower proportion of people aged 20 to 44 years compared with the total Australian population. This is reflective of the net outflow of young people from Tasmania to pursue education and employment opportunities interstate. Tasmania also had a proportionately higher number of people aged 45 years and over when compared with Australia. This is partly reflective of the trend of older adults moving to Tasmania.

Greater Hobart SD had higher proportions of people aged 0-4 years, 15-39 years and 80 years or more when compared with the remainder of the state.

MEDIAN AGE

In June 2008 Tasmania had the oldest median age of any state or territory, with half the population younger than 39.4 years and half older. The median age of males was 38.5 years and of females was 40.3 years.

Between June 2003 and June 2008 Tasmania overtook South Australia as having the oldest median age of the states and territories. The median age in every Tasmanian LGA increased over those five years. The greatest increase of 4.4 years occurred in Glamorgan/Spring Bay (M), giving it the third-highest median age in Australia at 50.9 years. The LGA with the lowest median age in Tasmania continued to be Brighton (31.1 years).

CHILDREN (UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE)

In Tasmania in June 2008 there were 97,100 people aged 0 to 14 years in Tasmania. The proportion of the population who were aged less than 15 years decreased from 20.4% in June 2003 to 19.5% in June 2008. Tasmania had a higher proportion in this age group than Australia as a whole.

In June 2008, every Tasmanian LGA other than George Town (M) had a lower proportion of its population aged under 15 years than it did in June 2003. Brighton (M) had the highest proportion of children in June 2008 with 27.5% of its population being under 15 years of age.

WORKING AGE POPULATION (AGED 15-64 YEARS)

In 2008 Tasmania had the lowest proportion of people of working age (65.5%) of all the states and territories. At 30 June 2008 there were 325,700 people aged 15 to 64 years in Tasmania.

The Hobart (C) LGA had the highest proportion of working age population with 72.1% of its population aged 15 to 64 years. Hobart (C) and Launceston (C) had the largest growth in working age population between June 2003 and June 2008 with increases of 1,630 and 1,620 respectively.

PEOPLE AGED 65 YEARS AND OVER

As at 30 June 2008 in Tasmania there were 74,700 people aged 65 years and over, making up 15.0% of the population, which is the second-highest proportion among the states and territories.

As at 30 June 2008 Glamorgan/Spring Bay (M) on the east coast had the highest proportion of people aged 65 years and over (21.8%), reflecting its popularity as a place to retire. Other LGAs with more than 17% of their populations aged 65 years and over were all on the north or east coasts: Break O'Day (M), Tasman (M), Devonport (C), Central Coast (M) and Dorset (M).

SEX RATIO

At 30 June 2008 the population of Tasmania consisted of 245,400 males and 252,200 females, a ratio of 97.3 males per 100 females. Greater Hobart SD had the lowest ratio with 94.8 males per 100 females, followed by Northern SD (97.7) and Mersey-Lyell SD (98.5). Southern SD was the only Statistical Division with more males than females, with a sex ratio of 107.2.

The LGA with the highest sex ratio was West Coast (M) with 112.5 males per 100 females and the lowest was in Glenorchy (C) with 92.5 males per 100 females.

For Tasmania as a whole, the highest age-specific sex ratio occurred in the 15-19 year age group (106.5 males per 100 females) and the lowest age-specific sex ratios were in the older age groups, reflecting females' longer life expectancy.