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Western Australia vs Tasmania

State / Territory comparison ≈ 2,824 km apart · Western Australia profile · Tasmania profile

Western Australia Tasmania

Western Australia and Tasmania are distinct regions with very different environments and demographics. Western Australia is much warmer and drier, with a typical maximum temperature of 31.3 C compared to 12.5 C in Tasmania, which sees far more rainfall. Western Australia is also more diverse, with 32.2% of people born overseas and 16% speaking a First Nations language, while Tasmania's overseas-born population is much lower at 15.4%. Typical weekly household incomes are well higher in Western Australia at $1,815, compared to $1,358 in Tasmania.

Since 2011, the gaps in typical household income and the share of people born overseas have both narrowed, though the difference in typical age has remained steady. The two areas are similar in their housing layouts, with about the same number of people per home and a similar share of renters. They also share a similar unemployment rate, sitting at 5.1% in Western Australia and 5.9% in Tasmania.

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Where they differ most

Population: 2,102,455 larger in Western Australia Born overseas: 16.9 pts higher in Western Australia Year 12: 10.9 pts higher in Western Australia Other language: 9.7 pts higher in Western Australia 3+ bedrooms: 9.4 pts higher in Western Australia

Demographics & Identity

Population in Western Australiain Tasmania +2,102,455 larger in Western Australia gap widening
2,660,026 557,571
Median age in Western Australiain Tasmania +4 yrs older in Tasmania gap steady
38 yrs 42 yrs
First Nations in Western Australiain Tasmania +2.1 pts higher in Tasmania gap widening
3.3% 5.4%
Aged 65+ in Western Australiain Tasmania +4.8 pts higher in Tasmania gap steady
16.1% 20.9%
Under 15 in Western Australiain Tasmania +2.4 pts higher in Western Australia gap widening
19.0% 16.6%
De facto in Western Australiain Tasmania +1.3 pts higher in Tasmania gap steady
12.2% 13.5%

Age structure

28.3% Young adults (25–44) ◂ +2.7 pts 25.6%
24.9% Older adults (45–64) +1.1 pts ▸ 25.9%
16.1% Seniors (65+) +4.8 pts ▸ 20.9%
19.0% Children (0–14) ◂ +2.4 pts 16.6%
11.7% Youth (15–24) ◂ +0.8 pts 11.0%

Marital status

47.3% Married ◂ +2.9 pts 44.4%
36.1% Never married even 36.1%
8.8% Divorced +1.4 pts ▸ 10.3%
4.4% Widowed +1.5 pts ▸ 6.0%
3.3% Separated even 3.3%

Age & sex structure

Western Australia Tasmania

Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.

Ancestry & Birthplace

Born overseas in Western Australiain Tasmania +16.9 pts higher in Western Australia gap narrowing
32.2% 15.4%

Country of birth

62.0% Australia +17.1 pts ▸ 79.1%
7.4% England ◂ +3.9 pts 3.5%
2.8% New Zealand ◂ +1.9 pts 1.0%
2.3% India ◂ +1.2 pts 1.1%
1.7% South Africa ◂ +1.3 pts 0.4%
1.4% Philippines ◂ +1.0 pts 0.4%
1.1% China +0.2 pts ▸ 1.2%
0.2% Nepal +0.9 pts ▸ 1.1%
0.7% Italy ◂ +0.5 pts 0.2%
0.7% Vietnam ◂ +0.4 pts 0.2%

Ancestry

37.6% English +6.1 pts ▸ 43.7%
29.7% Australian +10.7 pts ▸ 40.4%
8.8% Irish +1.4 pts ▸ 10.2%
8.7% Scottish +0.7 pts ▸ 9.4%
5.2% Italian ◂ +3.6 pts 1.5%
4.4% Chinese ◂ +2.2 pts 2.2%
2.9% German +0.6 pts ▸ 3.6%
2.9% Indian ◂ +1.9 pts 1.1%
2.0% Dutch +0.1 pts ▸ 2.1%
1.8% Filipino ◂ +1.2 pts 0.6%
0.9% Vietnamese ◂ +0.6 pts 0.3%
0.6% Greek ◂ +0.1 pts 0.5%

Language

Other language in Western Australiain Tasmania +9.7 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
18.4% 8.7%
Limited English in Western Australiain Tasmania +1.3 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
2.3% 0.9%

Language used at home

75.3% English only +10.8 pts ▸ 86.1%
1.9% Mandarin ◂ +0.5 pts 1.5%
1.0% Italian ◂ +0.8 pts 0.2%
0.9% Vietnamese ◂ +0.6 pts 0.3%
0.8% Punjabi ◂ +0.3 pts 0.5%
0.7% Cantonese ◂ +0.5 pts 0.3%
0.7% Tagalog ◂ +0.5 pts 0.1%
0.6% Arabic ◂ +0.4 pts 0.2%
0.4% Hindi ◂ +0.2 pts 0.2%
0.2% Greek even 0.2%

Religion

No religion in Western Australiain Tasmania +7.1 pts higher in Tasmania gap widening
42.9% 50.0%

Religious affiliation

42.9% No religion +7.1 pts ▸ 50.0%
41.1% Christianity ◂ +2.7 pts 38.4%
8.0% Not stated ◂ +0.9 pts 7.1%
2.5% Islam ◂ +1.6 pts 0.9%
2.2% Buddhism ◂ +1.2 pts 1.0%
2.0% Hinduism ◂ +0.2 pts 1.7%
1.1% Other religions ◂ +0.3 pts 0.8%
0.2% Judaism ◂ +0.1 pts 0.1%

Education & Qualifications

Year 12 in Western Australiain Tasmania +10.9 pts higher in Western Australia gap narrowing
58.0% 47.1%
Bachelor+ in Western Australiain Tasmania +1.9 pts higher in Western Australia gap narrowing
23.8% 21.9%

Highest year of school

58.0% Year 12 ◂ +10.9 pts 47.1%
19.2% Year 10 +9.2 pts ▸ 28.4%
6.7% Year 9 or below +3.3 pts ▸ 10.0%
8.8% Year 11 ◂ +0.8 pts 8.0%

Highest qualification level

28.0% Certificate III / IV +2.9 pts ▸ 30.9%
25.9% Bachelor degree ◂ +2.8 pts 23.1%
14.7% Advanced diploma / diploma ◂ +1.5 pts 13.2%
8.0% Postgraduate degree +1.7 pts ▸ 9.8%
3.7% Graduate diploma / certificate even 3.7%
2.6% Certificate I / II +0.2 pts ▸ 2.7%

Field of qualification

17.6% Management & commerce ◂ +0.3 pts 17.3%
17.1% Engineering & related ◂ +4.0 pts 13.0%
10.8% Society & culture +1.9 pts ▸ 12.7%
10.6% Health +0.2 pts ▸ 10.9%
8.0% Education +0.4 pts ▸ 8.4%
5.0% Architecture & building +0.8 pts ▸ 5.8%
5.1% Food, hospitality & personal services +0.4 pts ▸ 5.5%
3.4% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +0.4 pts 3.0%
3.2% Creative arts even 3.2%
2.0% Agriculture & environment +1.0 pts ▸ 3.0%
2.5% Information technology +0.2 pts ▸ 2.7%

Income

Personal income in Western Australiain Tasmania +$147 higher in Western Australia gap narrowing
$848 $701
Household income in Western Australiain Tasmania +$457 higher in Western Australia gap narrowing
$1,815 $1,358
Family income in Western Australiain Tasmania +$494 higher in Western Australia gap narrowing
$2,214 $1,720
High earners in Western Australiain Tasmania +7.1 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
14.7% 7.6%
High-income homes in Western Australiain Tasmania +9.3 pts higher in Western Australia gap widening
23.2% 13.9%

Household income distribution

23.8% $650–$1,499 +7.6 pts ▸ 31.3%
28.8% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +0.8 pts 28.0%
14.8% Under $650 +4.9 pts ▸ 19.6%
12.6% $4,000 or more ◂ +6.3 pts 6.4%
10.6% $3,000–$3,999 ◂ +3.0 pts 7.6%

Personal income distribution

38.1% Under $650 +5.9 pts ▸ 44.0%
28.7% $650–$1,499 +4.3 pts ▸ 32.9%
19.6% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +5.5 pts 14.2%
5.9% $3,000 or more ◂ +3.4 pts 2.5%

Health & Disability

Health condition in Western Australiain Tasmania +7.5 pts higher in Tasmania
26.1% 33.6%
Mental health in Western Australiain Tasmania +3.2 pts higher in Tasmania
8.3% 11.5%
Needs assistance in Western Australiain Tasmania +2.2 pts higher in Tasmania gap steady
4.6% 6.8%

Long-term health conditions reported

7.6% Arthritis +4.6 pts ▸ 12.2%
8.3% Mental health +3.2 pts ▸ 11.5%
7.3% Asthma +2.0 pts ▸ 9.4%
7.4% Other condition +1.5 pts ▸ 8.9%
4.4% Diabetes +0.7 pts ▸ 5.1%
3.6% Heart disease +1.0 pts ▸ 4.5%
2.7% Cancer +0.7 pts ▸ 3.4%
1.6% Lung condition +0.9 pts ▸ 2.5%
0.8% Stroke +0.4 pts ▸ 1.2%
0.7% Dementia +0.1 pts ▸ 0.8%

Number of long-term health conditions

65.1% None ◂ +6.5 pts 58.6%
18.2% One condition +3.6 pts ▸ 21.7%
5.3% Two conditions +2.3 pts ▸ 7.7%
2.6% Three or more +1.6 pts ▸ 4.2%

Community Participation

Volunteering in Western Australiain Tasmania +2.0 pts higher in Tasmania gap steady
15.9% 18.0%
Unpaid carers in Western Australiain Tasmania +2.1 pts higher in Tasmania gap steady
10.7% 12.9%
Unpaid child care in Western Australiain Tasmania +2.9 pts higher in Western Australia gap widening
28.5% 25.6%
Defence service in Western Australiain Tasmania +1.1 pts higher in Tasmania
2.9% 4.0%
Housework 15h+ in Western Australiain Tasmania +1.9 pts higher in Tasmania gap narrowing
20.1% 21.9%

First Nations

First Nations people in Western Australiain Tasmania +58,507 larger in Western Australia
88,693 30,186
Median age in Western Australiain Tasmania +1 yrs older in Tasmania
24 yrs 25 yrs
Year 12 in Western Australiain Tasmania +1.4 pts higher in Tasmania
32.5% 33.9%
Unemployment in Western Australiain Tasmania +5.7 pts higher in Western Australia
15.9% 10.1%
Median income in Western Australiain Tasmania +$79 higher in Tasmania
$481 $560
Household income in Western Australiain Tasmania +$110 higher in Western Australia
$1,480 $1,370
Indigenous language in Western Australiain Tasmania +14.4 pts higher in Western Australia
16.0% 1.7%

Family & Households

Household size in Western Australiain Tasmania +0.1 larger in Western Australia gap narrowing
2.5 2.4
One-parent in Western Australiain Tasmania +2.4 pts higher in Tasmania gap steady
13.5% 15.9%
Living alone in Western Australiain Tasmania +3.6 pts higher in Tasmania gap steady
25.4% 29.0%

Family composition

58.9% Couples with children ◂ +8.2 pts 50.7%
26.5% Couples without children +5.8 pts ▸ 32.3%
13.5% One-parent families +2.4 pts ▸ 15.9%
1.1% Other families ◂ +0.1 pts 1.1%

Household size

33.5% 2 people +2.8 pts ▸ 36.3%
25.4% 1 person +3.6 pts ▸ 29.0%
15.9% 4 people ◂ +3.4 pts 12.5%
15.9% 3 people ◂ +1.2 pts 14.6%
6.4% 5 people ◂ +1.3 pts 5.1%
2.9% 6 or more ◂ +0.5 pts 2.5%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Western Australiain Tasmania +$50 higher in Western Australia gap narrowing
$340 $290
Mortgage in Western Australiain Tasmania +$529 higher in Western Australia gap narrowing
$1,842 $1,313
People / bedroom in Western Australiain Tasmania even gap steady
0.80 0.80
Renting in Western Australiain Tasmania +0.9 pts higher in Western Australia gap narrowing
27.3% 26.4%
Owned outright in Western Australiain Tasmania +7.9 pts higher in Tasmania gap widening
29.2% 37.1%
Separate houses in Western Australiain Tasmania +8.0 pts higher in Tasmania gap widening
79.7% 87.7%
3+ bedrooms in Western Australiain Tasmania +9.4 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
82.2% 72.8%

How homes are owned or rented

40.0% Owned with a mortgage ◂ +6.9 pts 33.0%
29.2% Owned outright +7.9 pts ▸ 37.1%
27.3% Rented ◂ +0.9 pts 26.4%
2.1% Other tenure ◂ +0.3 pts 1.9%
1.4% Not stated +0.2 pts ▸ 1.6%

Types of homes

79.7% Separate house +8.0 pts ▸ 87.7%
13.0% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +6.9 pts 6.1%
6.5% Flat or apartment ◂ +1.2 pts 5.3%
0.6% Other dwelling even 0.6%

Bedrooms per home

37.5% 3 bedrooms +12.2 pts ▸ 49.6%
38.4% 4 bedrooms ◂ +19.9 pts 18.5%
12.6% 2 bedrooms +7.9 pts ▸ 20.5%
6.3% 5 or more ◂ +1.7 pts 4.6%
3.7% 1 bedroom +1.1 pts ▸ 4.7%
0.3% Studio / none +0.2 pts ▸ 0.5%

Weekly rent distribution

34.9% $200–$349 +7.6 pts ▸ 42.5%
38.8% $350–$549 ◂ +10.4 pts 28.3%
14.4% Under $200 +6.4 pts ▸ 20.8%
5.7% $550–$749 ◂ +1.7 pts 4.0%
2.4% $750 or more ◂ +1.6 pts 0.8%

Monthly mortgage distribution

31.4% $1,000–$1,799 +11.3 pts ▸ 42.7%
34.2% $1,800–$2,999 ◂ +14.5 pts 19.8%
13.9% Under $1,000 +12.9 pts ▸ 26.8%
14.9% $3,000 or more ◂ +8.9 pts 6.1%

Transport & Vehicles

No car in Western Australiain Tasmania +1.1 pts higher in Tasmania gap steady
5.0% 6.1%
Work from home in Western Australiain Tasmania +0.5 pts higher in Tasmania gap steady
7.5% 8.0%
PT commute in Western Australiain Tasmania +2.1 pts higher in Western Australia gap narrowing
4.7% 2.5%
PT stops in Western Australiain Tasmania +11,169 more in Western Australia
14,585 3,416
Stops/1k in Western Australiain Tasmania +0.64 more in Tasmania
5.48 6.13
Departures/1k in Western Australiain Tasmania +856.1 more in Western Australia
1,623.0 767.0
PT routes in Western Australiain Tasmania +210 more in Western Australia
407 197

How people get to work

62.1% Car (driver) +2.0 pts ▸ 64.1%
7.5% Worked at home +0.5 pts ▸ 8.0%
4.6% Car (passenger) +0.6 pts ▸ 5.3%
2.2% Walked +2.1 pts ▸ 4.2%
2.9% Bus ◂ +0.4 pts 2.5%
1.8% Train ◂ +1.8 pts 0.0%
0.7% Bicycle even 0.7%

Motor vehicles per home

39.6% 2 vehicles ◂ +3.7 pts 35.9%
34.5% 1 vehicle +0.7 pts ▸ 35.2%
13.4% 3 vehicles +0.6 pts ▸ 14.1%
7.6% 4 or more +1.2 pts ▸ 8.7%
5.0% No vehicle +1.1 pts ▸ 6.1%

Migration & Movement

Recent movers in Western Australiain Tasmania +1.5 pts higher in Western Australia gap narrowing
39.0% 37.4%
Recent arrivals in Western Australiain Tasmania +7.1 pts higher in Tasmania gap steady
10.6% 17.7%

Jobs & Industry

Unemployment in Western Australiain Tasmania +0.8 pts higher in Tasmania gap steady
5.1% 5.9%
Participation in Western Australiain Tasmania +5.6 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
63.9% 58.2%
Full-time in Western Australiain Tasmania +5.3 pts higher in Western Australia gap steady
60.2% 54.9%

Industries people work in

13.6% Health care & social assistance +2.8 pts ▸ 16.4%
8.8% Retail trade +0.8 pts ▸ 9.6%
8.8% Education & training +0.7 pts ▸ 9.4%
8.8% Construction ◂ +0.2 pts 8.6%
6.5% Accommodation & food +1.1 pts ▸ 7.6%
7.5% Mining ◂ +6.5 pts 1.0%
5.9% Public administration & safety +1.4 pts ▸ 7.3%
6.9% Professional & technical ◂ +1.8 pts 5.1%
5.3% Manufacturing +1.1 pts ▸ 6.4%
2.3% Agriculture, forestry & fishing +3.0 pts ▸ 5.3%
4.5% Transport & warehousing ◂ +0.5 pts 4.1%
3.9% Other services ◂ +0.1 pts 3.8%

Occupations people work in

22.0% Professionals ◂ +2.0 pts 20.0%
15.3% Technicians & trades ◂ +1.3 pts 13.9%
11.8% Community & personal service +1.8 pts ▸ 13.6%
12.3% Managers +0.4 pts ▸ 12.7%
12.1% Clerical & administrative ◂ +0.4 pts 11.7%
9.4% Labourers +1.8 pts ▸ 11.3%
7.8% Sales workers +0.8 pts ▸ 8.6%
7.7% Machinery operators & drivers ◂ +1.3 pts 6.4%

Economy & Advantage

ERP in Western Australiain Tasmania +2,468,121 higher in Western Australia
3,044,382 576,261
Growth in Western Australiain Tasmania +9.1 pts higher in Western Australia
10.7% 1.6%

Environment & Climate

Rainfall in Western Australiain Tasmania +620 higher in Tasmania
185 805
Max temp in Western Australiain Tasmania +18.8 higher in Western Australia
31.3 12.5
Min temp in Western Australiain Tasmania +11.9 higher in Western Australia
15.6 3.7

Walkability

Walk score in Western Australiain Tasmania +0.7 higher in Western Australia
5.4 4.7
Types ≤15 min in Western Australiain Tasmania +0.7 more in Western Australia
5.2 4.5
15-min city in Western Australiain Tasmania +10.1 pts higher in Western Australia
64.0% 53.9%
Walk to shops in Western Australiain Tasmania +8.1 pts higher in Western Australia
61.5% 53.4%
Walk to transit in Western Australiain Tasmania +10.9 pts higher in Western Australia
80.9% 70.0%
Walk to school in Western Australiain Tasmania +18.6 pts higher in Western Australia
71.9% 53.3%
Walk to a park in Western Australiain Tasmania +10.3 pts higher in Western Australia
88.9% 78.6%
Walk to health in Western Australiain Tasmania +9.2 pts higher in Western Australia
48.5% 39.3%
Amenities/1k in Western Australiain Tasmania +3.9 more in Tasmania
16.6 20.5
Intersections/km² in Western Australiain Tasmania +1 higher in Tasmania
0 1
Mean slope in Western Australiain Tasmania +3.1 pts higher in Tasmania
5.7% 8.8%

Compare Western Australia with nearby areas

Northern Territory South Australia Queensland Other Territories Victoria New South Wales Australian Capital Territory Tasmania

Compare Tasmania with nearby areas

Victoria Australian Capital Territory New South Wales South Australia Queensland Northern Territory Western Australia Other Territories

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Western Australia vs Tasmania [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/ste/5/western-australia/vs/6/tasmania