Region (SA4) · Area profile
Launceston and North East
19,975 km²
Covering nearly 20,000 square kilometres of northern Tasmania, Launceston and North East is a sprawling region of high rainfall and cooler temperatures. It is an older community than most of Australia, with many residents now aged 65 and over. This shift towards an older population is reflected in a high number of people living alone and a significant proportion of homes owned outright. While it remains a traditional heartland with strong English and Australian roots, it has seen a steady rise in people from overseas arriving in recent years.
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The region is noticeably older than the national figure, with a typical resident aged 43 and seniors making up 22% of the population. This elderly cohort has grown by 5.2 percentage points since 2011, while the proportion of children has fallen.
Most residents were born in Australia, and English and Australian are the most common ancestries. About 14.1% of people were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.
English is the main language for 87.8% of the community. While the proportion of people using another language at home is far below the national average, it has nearly doubled since 2011 to reach 7.1%.
A large number of residents report having no religion, at 48.5%, which is well above the national figure. This trend has seen a sharp increase of 21 percentage points since 2011.
More people have finished Year 12 compared to 2011, though the rate remains far below the national average at 42.8%. Around 18.5% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is well below the national figure.
Typical incomes are much lower than in most other areas, with the usual weekly household income sitting at $1,260. This is well below the national figure of $1,746.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 34.5% of people living with a long-term health condition. This is well above the national figure of 27.7%.
Volunteering is much more common here than in most other areas, with 17.5% of people pitching in. The region also has a higher proportion of former Defence Force members than the national average.
There are 5,865 First Nations people in the region. The typical personal income for this group is $544, which is about the same as the national figure.
Homes here are smaller than usual, with just 2.3 people per dwelling. This is consistent with a high number of people living alone, which is well above the national figure of 25.6%.
Separate houses are far more common here than across Australia, and 38% of homes are owned outright. This is well above the national figure of 31%.
Car travel is the dominant choice, with 67.4% of people driving to work. Very few people use public transport to commute, at just 1.2%.
The region has seen a higher proportion of recent overseas arrivals compared to the national figure, with 17.1% of people arriving from abroad in the last five years.
Full-time employment is well below the national average at 55.2%. The unemployment rate is 5.8%, which is slightly higher than the national figure of 5.1%.
The population has grown slightly since 2021, adding about 1.1% more people. This growth is among the lowest for similar areas.
The region is very wet and cool, with average annual rainfall of 1,215mm, which is well above the state average.
The area is somewhat walkable, and residents have better access to groceries within a 15-minute walk than the state average. However, access to schools is well below the state figure.