West Coast

The area has a strong First Nations presence at 11.8%, which is well above the state and national figures. It is an ageing community where the typical resident is 44 and the proportion of seniors has risen to 20.5% since 2011.

Most residents were born in Australia, and the area has a much lower proportion of overseas-born people (11.0%) than the national figure of 27.7%. Australian and English are the most common ancestries.

English is the dominant language, with only 4.0% of people using another language at home—far below the 22.3% national average. Very few residents speak little or no English.

About 47.8% of people report no religion, a figure that has risen by 19 points since 2011 and is well above the national average.

Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 11.3% of adults holding a bachelor degree and just 32.1% completing Year 12. There are many small schools relative to the number of children.

Incomes are much lower than the national figure, with the typical weekly household earning $1,210. Only 9.9% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, which is far below the Australian average.

Long-term health conditions are more common here than in most areas, affecting 31.2% of people. Around 6.2% of residents need help with daily activities.

The community is very active in volunteering, with 19.7% of people participating—well above the national figure. A high proportion of residents also do significant unpaid housework.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up a significant part of the population. While Year 12 completion is low, the unemployment rate for First Nations people is 7.6%, which is much lower than in most similar areas.

People are more likely to live alone here than in other areas, with 32.2% of households being single person. Typical homes are small, with 2.3 people per household.

Housing is dominated by detached houses (95.4%) and high rates of outright ownership at 41.4%. Typical rents are very low at $200 a week, far below the national figure.

The area is heavily car-reliant, with only 0.3% of people using public transport to commute. Very few homes lack a motor vehicle.

The population has been relatively stable, with 34.7% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals make up 12.8% of the community.

About 55.7% of adults are working or looking for work, which is well below the national average. Many residents work in agriculture, forestry, fishing or manufacturing.

The population is small and has seen a slight decline of 0.2% since 2021, which is among the lowest growth rates at this level.

The West Coast is exceptionally wet, with average annual rainfall of 2,226mm—far above the Tasmania average. Temperatures are generally cool.

The area is mostly car-dependent with a low walkability score of 3.3. Many homes are far from public transport and health services compared to the state average.