Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Westbury
94 km²
Tucked away in the Meander Valley, Westbury is a rural community where the typical resident is 49, far older than the national figure. It is a place of stability and home ownership, where nearly half of all houses are owned outright. While the population is noticeably older than the state average, with a high proportion of seniors, it remains a substantial local hub of over 2,200 people. This older demographic is consistent with the area's lower typical incomes and a higher need for health support.
Explore Westbury by topic
Westbury is far older than most similar areas; the typical resident is 49, and 27.9% of the population are seniors. This is well above the Tasmanian figure of 20.9%. About 3.2% of people are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, which is about the same as the national average.
Most residents were born in Australia, and English is the most common ancestry at 50.6%. Only 12.8% of people were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.
English is the primary language here, with 94.2% of people using it only. Only 2.1% of residents use another language at home, a figure that is far below the national average of 22.3%.
About 46.7% of people report having no religion, which is well above the national figure. Christianity is also common, accounting for 45.1% of the community.
Year 12 completion is lower than most areas at 37.1%, which is far below the national figure of 58.8%. Similarly, only 15.4% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, well below the state average.
Typical incomes are much lower than in most areas. The typical weekly household income is $1,122, which is well below the national figure of $1,746, and only 7.6% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.
Long-term health conditions are much more common here than in most areas, affecting 37.5% of people. This is well above the national figure of 27.7%, with arthritis and mental health being the most reported conditions.
Unpaid housework and care are more common here than in most areas. This includes 26.0% of people doing 15 or more hours of housework weekly, which is well above the national figure of 20.7%.
There are 72 First Nations people in Westbury, with a typical age of 30, which is noticeably older than the national figure. While the unemployment rate for this group is 0.0%, typical personal income is lower than the national average.
Households are slightly smaller than average, with 2.3 people per home. About 26.9% of people live alone, which is a little above the national figure.
The area is dominated by separate houses, which make up 94.1% of dwellings. A striking 45.0% of homes are owned outright, far above the national figure of 31.0%.
Cars are essential for most, as 68.7% of people drive to work and only 2.9% of homes have no vehicle. This is consistent with the long 129-minute average drive time to the city.
Movement into the area is relatively common, with 35.6% of people moving in the last five years. However, recent arrivals from overseas are far fewer than the national average at 6.9%.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work compared to most areas, at 53.1%. The most common industries are health care and social assistance, followed by construction and retail.
The town is somewhat walkable, with 60.1% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries. However, access to parks is far lower than the state average, with only 59.1% of homes within a 15-minute walk.