Waverley - St Leonards

The typical resident is 37, making the area noticeably younger than the state average. Children under 15 make up 20.0% of the population, which is well above the Tasmanian figure, while 15.6% of people are aged 65 and over.

The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 88.4% born here. Only 7.0% of residents were born overseas, a figure far below the national average of 27.7%.

English is the primary language for 92.7% of the community. Only 3.2% of people use another language at home, which is far lower than the national figure of 22.3%.

A majority of the population—52.6%—report having no religion. This is among the highest rates for similar areas and has risen sharply by 26 percentage points since 2011.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 11.4% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Year 12 completion is also far below the national average at 36.3%, though this has risen by 12 percentage points since 2011.

Typical weekly household income is $1,308, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. Only 10.4% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, a rate much lower than most similar areas.

Health challenges are more common here, with 34.7% of people reporting a long-term condition. Mental health conditions are particularly prevalent at 13.6%, which is among the highest rates for similar areas.

Unpaid care is common, with 30.1% of people caring for children—well above the national figure. About 12.9% of residents provide some form of unpaid care.

First Nations people make up 5.1% of the population. This community faces significant hurdles, with an unemployment rate of 17.6%, which is well above both state and national figures.

One-parent families make up 22.8% of households, among the highest rates for similar areas. About 50.1% of homes are couples with children.

The area is dominated by separate houses (89.3%) and larger homes, with 78.4% having three or more bedrooms. Typical weekly rent is $250, which is well below the national figure of $375.

Most people drive to work, and only 1.1% use public transport. While there are many bus stops relative to the population, the walk to the nearest stop is much longer than in most areas.

The area is relatively stable, with 35.1% of people moving in the last five years, which is lower than the national average. However, recent arrivals from overseas make up 18.9% of the community.

The unemployment rate is 7.5%, which is a little above the national average. The most common industries for workers are health care and social assistance, and construction.

This is an area of significant disadvantage, ranking in the lowest 10% for overall advantage and job skills. There are 220 businesses operating in the area.

The area is drier than the state average, with annual rainfall of 684mm. It experiences warmer conditions than the state average, with an average maximum temperature of 18.4°C.

The area is somewhat walkable, with almost all homes within a 15-minute walk of a park. However, it is very poorly served by health services, as no homes are within a 15-minute walk of a clinic.