# Bicheno vs Fingal — 2021 Census comparison

Urban Centre comparison · about 36 km apart

Bicheno and Fingal are two nearby Tasmanian areas with very different profiles. Bicheno is far more walkable, rated as somewhat walkable, with 89.1% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries and 84.2% near health services. It also has a more qualified and international population; 20.7% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, and 19.8% were born overseas. In contrast, Fingal is mostly car-dependent, with a much smaller share of university degrees (3.2%) and overseas-born residents (8.3%).

Since 2011, the two areas have drifted further apart in several ways. Bicheno has seen a surge in recent overseas arrivals, now making up 25.9% of the population compared to 0.0% in Fingal. The gap in educational attainment and home loan payments has also grown, with Bicheno now having a far higher typical monthly mortgage payment of $1,300 compared to $650 in Fingal. However, they remain similar in some basics, such as having roughly the same number of people per home.

## Where they differ most

- Recent arrivals: 25.9 pts higher in Bicheno
- Bachelor+: 17.4 pts higher in Bicheno
- PT commute: 1.2 pts higher in Bicheno
- Year 12: 18.4 pts higher in Bicheno
- Limited English: 0.6 pts higher in Bicheno

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Bicheno | Fingal | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 797 | 350 | 447 larger in Bicheno | gap narrowing |
| Median age | 53 yrs | 55 yrs | 2 yrs older in Fingal | gap narrowing |
| First Nations | 4.1% | 3.1% | 1.0 pts higher in Bicheno | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 28.1% | 31.7% | 3.6 pts higher in Fingal | gap narrowing |
| Under 15 | 10.7% | 11.7% | 1.0 pts higher in Fingal | gap narrowing |
| De facto | 14.2% | 16.7% | 2.5 pts higher in Fingal | gap narrowing |

### Age structure

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Seniors (65+) | 28.1% | 31.7% | -3.6 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 31.4% | 31.1% | +0.2 |
| Young adults (25–44) | 23.7% | 15.7% | +8.0 |
| Children (0–14) | 10.7% | 11.7% | -1.0 |
| Youth (15–24) | 5.5% | 7.4% | -1.9 |

### Marital status

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 51.3% | 38.8% | +12.5 |
| Never married | 26.7% | 30.7% | -4.0 |
| Divorced | 10.6% | 16.5% | -5.9 |
| Widowed | 5.7% | 9.1% | -3.4 |
| Separated | 4.0% | 4.5% | -0.6 |

### Age profile

Share of each region's population by age band and sex.

| Age band | Bicheno male | Bicheno female | Fingal male | Fingal female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 2.1% | 2.3% | 0.9% | 1.2% |
| 5–9 | 1.7% | 2.0% | 1.2% | 0.0% |
| 10–14 | 1.8% | 1.5% | 2.9% | 4.4% |
| 15–19 | 1.6% | 1.0% | 2.7% | 3.2% |
| 20–24 | 1.6% | 1.1% | 2.9% | 1.2% |
| 25–29 | 2.8% | 2.5% | 1.8% | 0.9% |
| 30–34 | 3.1% | 3.6% | 2.4% | 0.0% |
| 35–39 | 3.4% | 2.8% | 2.9% | 2.4% |
| 40–44 | 1.8% | 2.0% | 1.5% | 3.5% |
| 45–49 | 3.7% | 1.6% | 2.7% | 4.1% |
| 50–54 | 2.9% | 2.7% | 2.4% | 4.4% |
| 55–59 | 4.9% | 5.7% | 3.2% | 2.9% |
| 60–64 | 5.0% | 5.3% | 5.9% | 6.2% |
| 65–69 | 5.8% | 4.9% | 3.5% | 6.2% |
| 70–74 | 3.9% | 4.1% | 7.1% | 4.4% |
| 75–79 | 2.2% | 3.1% | 3.2% | 0.9% |
| 80–84 | 2.0% | 1.7% | 0.9% | 2.7% |
| 85+ | 1.5% | 0.4% | 1.5% | 1.8% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Bicheno | Fingal | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 19.8% | 8.3% | 11.5 pts higher in Bicheno | gap widening |

### Country of birth

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 74.8% | 84.0% | -9.2 |
| Nepal | 4.3% | 0.0% | +4.3 |
| England | 4.1% | 2.6% | +1.6 |
| New Zealand | 1.0% | 1.4% | -0.4 |
| China | 1.4% | 0.0% | +1.4 |
| India | 0.9% | 0.0% | +0.9 |
| South Africa | 0.6% | 0.0% | +0.6 |
| Philippines | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Vietnam | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Italy | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English | 43.7% | 54.3% | -10.6 |
| Australian | 33.8% | 38.3% | -4.5 |
| Irish | 11.0% | 8.6% | +2.5 |
| Scottish | 9.0% | 10.0% | -1.0 |
| German | 2.6% | 5.1% | -2.5 |
| Dutch | 2.6% | 0.9% | +1.8 |
| Chinese | 2.0% | 0.0% | +2.0 |
| Italian | 1.3% | 1.1% | +0.1 |
| Indian | 1.0% | 0.0% | +1.0 |
| Greek | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Filipino | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Vietnamese | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Language

| Statistic | Bicheno | Fingal | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 10.4% | 3.4% | 7.0 pts higher in Bicheno | gap widening |
| Limited English | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.6 pts higher in Bicheno | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 82.9% | 90.3% | -7.3 |
| Mandarin | 1.9% | 0.0% | +1.9 |
| Italian | 0.5% | 0.0% | +0.5 |
| Arabic | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Vietnamese | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Cantonese | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Punjabi | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Greek | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Hindi | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Tagalog | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Bicheno | Fingal | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 51.3% | 48.6% | 2.7 pts higher in Bicheno | gap narrowing |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 51.3% | 48.6% | +2.7 |
| Christianity | 35.1% | 42.3% | -7.2 |
| Not stated | 7.0% | 8.9% | -1.8 |
| Hinduism | 4.6% | 0.0% | +4.6 |
| Buddhism | 1.1% | 1.7% | -0.6 |
| Islam | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Judaism | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Other religions | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Bicheno | Fingal | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 45.9% | 27.6% | 18.4 pts higher in Bicheno | gap steady |
| Bachelor+ | 20.7% | 3.2% | 17.4 pts higher in Bicheno | gap widening |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 45.9% | 27.6% | +18.4 |
| Year 10 | 26.7% | 36.5% | -9.9 |
| Year 9 or below | 10.6% | 19.6% | -9.0 |
| Year 11 | 9.0% | 6.0% | +3.0 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate III / IV | 25.7% | 38.2% | -12.5 |
| Bachelor degree | 22.0% | 6.9% | +15.1 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 16.2% | 18.8% | -2.5 |
| Postgraduate degree | 9.9% | 0.0% | +9.9 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 3.4% | 0.0% | +3.4 |
| Certificate I / II | 2.7% | 0.0% | +2.7 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Engineering & related | 11.9% | 20.1% | -8.3 |
| Management & commerce | 17.4% | 7.6% | +9.8 |
| Society & culture | 9.0% | 13.2% | -4.2 |
| Education | 12.6% | 6.9% | +5.6 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 8.7% | 6.9% | +1.8 |
| Architecture & building | 7.0% | 4.2% | +2.9 |
| Health | 6.5% | 4.2% | +2.4 |
| Agriculture & environment | 3.1% | 3.5% | -0.3 |
| Information technology | 1.2% | 2.8% | -1.6 |
| Creative arts | 2.7% | 0.0% | +2.7 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 1.7% | 0.0% | +1.7 |

## Income

| Statistic | Bicheno | Fingal | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $636 | $464 | $172 higher in Bicheno | gap widening |
| Household income | $1,057 | $783 | $274 higher in Bicheno | gap narrowing |
| Family income | $1,330 | $1,218 | $112 higher in Bicheno | gap narrowing |
| High earners | 4.1% | 2.6% | 1.5 pts higher in Bicheno | gap steady |
| High-income homes | 7.0% | 3.9% | 3.0 pts higher in Bicheno | gap steady |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $650–$1,499 | 39.7% | 34.6% | +5.1 |
| Under $650 | 22.9% | 30.7% | -7.8 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 19.7% | 17.0% | +2.7 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 4.1% | 3.9% | +0.1 |
| $4,000 or more | 2.9% | 0.0% | +2.9 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 47.8% | 61.5% | -13.7 |
| $650–$1,499 | 33.7% | 21.0% | +12.6 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 9.2% | 8.1% | +1.1 |
| $3,000 or more | 1.4% | 0.0% | +1.4 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Bicheno | Fingal | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 35.0% | 41.7% | 6.7 pts higher in Fingal |  |
| Mental health | 7.2% | 12.6% | 5.4 pts higher in Fingal |  |
| Needs assistance | 5.6% | 10.9% | 5.2 pts higher in Fingal | gap narrowing |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Arthritis | 13.2% | 17.1% | -4.0 |
| Mental health | 7.2% | 12.6% | -5.4 |
| Other condition | 5.9% | 11.1% | -5.2 |
| Heart disease | 6.4% | 9.7% | -3.3 |
| Asthma | 9.7% | 9.4% | +0.2 |
| Diabetes | 4.8% | 7.7% | -2.9 |
| Lung condition | 3.8% | 5.4% | -1.7 |
| Cancer | 4.9% | 4.3% | +0.6 |
| Stroke | 0.0% | 2.9% | -2.9 |
| Dementia | 1.0% | 0.0% | +1.0 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 56.0% | 48.9% | +7.1 |
| One condition | 25.0% | 24.0% | +1.0 |
| Two conditions | 6.1% | 11.1% | -5.0 |
| Three or more | 4.3% | 7.4% | -3.2 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Bicheno | Fingal | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 23.2% | 17.2% | 6.0 pts higher in Bicheno | gap widening |
| Unpaid carers | 11.9% | 16.5% | 4.6 pts higher in Fingal | gap widening |
| Unpaid child care | 21.8% | 17.2% | 4.6 pts higher in Bicheno | gap narrowing |
| Defence service | 4.6% | 5.5% | 0.9 pts higher in Fingal |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 24.6% | 26.5% | 1.9 pts higher in Fingal | gap steady |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Bicheno | Fingal | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.0 | 2.1 | 0.1 larger in Fingal | gap narrowing |
| One-parent | 12.3% | 15.1% | 2.9 pts higher in Fingal | gap narrowing |
| Living alone | 29.9% | 36.6% | 6.7 pts higher in Fingal | gap narrowing |

### Family composition

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples without children | 48.9% | 35.9% | +13.0 |
| Couples with children | 37.2% | 45.4% | -8.2 |
| One-parent families | 12.3% | 15.1% | -2.9 |
| Other families | 1.3% | 1.2% | +0.1 |

### Household size

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 people | 46.7% | 35.9% | +10.7 |
| 1 person | 29.9% | 36.6% | -6.7 |
| 3 people | 11.0% | 12.4% | -1.4 |
| 4 people | 9.6% | 9.8% | -0.2 |
| 5 people | 1.2% | 0.0% | +1.2 |
| 6 or more | 1.2% | 0.0% | +1.2 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Bicheno | Fingal | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $243 | $194 | $49 higher in Bicheno | gap narrowing |
| Mortgage | $1,300 | $650 | $650 higher in Bicheno | gap widening |
| People / bedroom | 0.80 | 0.70 | 0.10 higher in Bicheno | gap widening |
| Renting | 26.1% | 13.1% | 13.0 pts higher in Bicheno | gap widening |
| Owned outright | 49.6% | 57.5% | 8.0 pts higher in Fingal | gap widening |
| Separate houses | 94.2% | 96.1% | 1.9 pts higher in Fingal | gap widening |
| 3+ bedrooms | 64.6% | 73.9% | 9.2 pts higher in Fingal | gap narrowing |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Owned outright | 49.6% | 57.5% | -8.0 |
| Rented | 26.1% | 13.1% | +13.0 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 20.9% | 22.9% | -2.0 |
| Other tenure | 2.0% | 3.9% | -1.9 |
| Not stated | 1.4% | 3.3% | -1.8 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 94.2% | 96.1% | -1.9 |
| Other dwelling | 1.2% | 2.6% | -1.5 |
| Flat or apartment | 2.6% | 0.0% | +2.6 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 1.2% | 2.0% | -0.8 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 44.6% | 60.1% | -15.5 |
| 2 bedrooms | 26.7% | 16.3% | +10.3 |
| 4 bedrooms | 18.0% | 13.7% | +4.2 |
| 1 bedroom | 7.0% | 2.6% | +4.3 |
| Studio / none | 0.9% | 5.2% | -4.4 |
| 5 or more | 2.0% | 0.0% | +2.0 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $200 | 25.6% | 70.0% | -44.4 |
| $200–$349 | 55.6% | 30.0% | +25.6 |
| $350–$549 | 13.3% | 0.0% | +13.3 |
| $550–$749 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| $750 or more | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $1,000 | 33.3% | 45.7% | -12.4 |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 31.9% | 28.6% | +3.4 |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 23.6% | 0.0% | +23.6 |
| $3,000 or more | 5.6% | 0.0% | +5.6 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Bicheno | Fingal | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 2.9% | 5.5% | 2.5 pts higher in Fingal | gap narrowing |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 4.0% | 5.0 pts higher in Bicheno | gap steady |
| PT commute | 1.2% | 0.0% | 1.2 pts higher in Bicheno | gap steady |

### How people get to work

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 53.0% | 75.2% | -22.2 |
| Walked | 13.6% | 4.0% | +9.7 |
| Worked at home | 9.0% | 4.0% | +5.0 |
| Car (passenger) | 3.2% | 0.0% | +3.2 |
| Bus | 1.2% | 0.0% | +1.2 |
| Bicycle | 0.9% | 0.0% | +0.9 |
| Train | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 vehicles | 40.6% | 39.0% | +1.5 |
| 1 vehicle | 40.3% | 27.4% | +12.9 |
| 3 vehicles | 11.2% | 21.2% | -10.1 |
| 4 or more | 3.2% | 11.6% | -8.4 |
| No vehicle | 2.9% | 5.5% | -2.5 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Bicheno | Fingal | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 42.5% | 35.0% | 7.5 pts higher in Bicheno | gap widening |
| Recent arrivals | 25.9% | 0.0% | 25.9 pts higher in Bicheno | gap widening |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Bicheno | Fingal | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 6.3% | 11.5% | 5.2 pts higher in Fingal | gap widening |
| Participation | 51.9% | 36.6% | 15.3 pts higher in Bicheno | gap widening |
| Full-time | 45.5% | 50.5% | 5.0 pts higher in Fingal | gap steady |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Accommodation & food | 24.9% | 5.0% | +20.0 |
| Health care & social assistance | 5.2% | 16.8% | -11.6 |
| Agriculture, forestry & fishing | 9.3% | 11.9% | -2.6 |
| Retail trade | 8.4% | 9.9% | -1.5 |
| Education & training | 7.0% | 9.9% | -2.9 |
| Construction | 8.1% | 0.0% | +8.1 |
| Manufacturing | 7.8% | 6.9% | +0.9 |
| Transport & warehousing | 4.9% | 5.9% | -1.0 |
| Other services | 1.2% | 5.9% | -4.8 |
| Administrative & support | 5.2% | 0.0% | +5.2 |
| Public administration & safety | 1.2% | 5.0% | -3.8 |
| Professional & technical | 4.6% | 0.0% | +4.6 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Bicheno % | Fingal % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 3.8% | 22.8% | -19.0 |
| Community & personal service | 11.9% | 20.8% | -8.9 |
| Labourers | 20.3% | 19.8% | +0.5 |
| Managers | 17.1% | 8.9% | +8.2 |
| Professionals | 15.4% | 4.0% | +11.4 |
| Technicians & trades | 10.7% | 7.9% | +2.8 |
| Clerical & administrative | 9.3% | 4.0% | +5.3 |
| Sales workers | 7.5% | 5.0% | +2.6 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Bicheno | Fingal | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 5.7 | 2.8 | 3.0 higher in Bicheno |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 6.0 | 3.2 | 2.8 more in Bicheno |  |
| 15-min city | 69.0% | 0.0% | 69.0 pts higher in Bicheno |  |
| Walk to shops | 89.1% | 0.0% | 89.1 pts higher in Bicheno |  |
| Walk to transit | 48.1% | 65.5% | 17.4 pts higher in Fingal |  |
| Walk to school | 59.2% | 0.0% | 59.2 pts higher in Bicheno |  |
| Walk to a park | 76.2% | 80.5% | 4.2 pts higher in Fingal |  |
| Walk to health | 84.2% | 0.0% | 84.2 pts higher in Bicheno |  |
| Amenities/1k | 38.9 | 20.0 | 18.9 more in Bicheno |  |
| Intersections/km² | 42 | 7 | 35 higher in Bicheno |  |
| Mean slope | 9.4% | 5.9% | 3.5 pts higher in Bicheno |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/ucl/UCL621002/bicheno/vs/UCL622008/fingal