# Zeehan

Suburb / Locality · Area profile

Located in: Tasmania › Rest of Tas. › West Coast › 7469, TAS

Area: 91 km²

Set in the rugged landscape of the West Coast, Zeehan is a small town with a population of 722 people. It is a noticeably older community, where the typical resident is 48, far older than the national figure. The town has a strong mining identity, which is reflected in its workforce and a lower typical income compared to the rest of the state. Despite these challenges, it is a very walkable place where most residents live within a short stroll of health services and groceries.

## Demographics & Identity

The population is significantly older than the state and national averages, with 20.5% of residents aged 65 and over. About 7.1% of people are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, which is well above the national figure.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total population | 722 | -0.8% since 2011 |
| Median age | 48 yrs | +33.3% since 2011 |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander population | 7.1% | +0.8% since 2011 |
| People aged 65 and over | 20.5% | +161.4% since 2011 |
| Children under 15 | 15.8% | -25.5% since 2011 |
| People in a de facto relationship | 12.3% | -44.2% since 2011 |

**Age structure** — Older adults (45–64) 34.5%, Young adults (25–44) 21.9%, Seniors (65+) 20.5%, Children (0–14) 15.8%, Youth (15–24) 6.6%

**Marital status** — Married 40.5%, Never married 38.5%, Divorced 11.5%, Widowed 5.5%, Separated 3.2%

## Ancestry & Birthplace

Most residents were born in Australia, and the most common ancestries are Australian and English. Only 12.3% of people were born overseas, far below the national average of 27.7%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People born overseas | 12.3% | +69.3% since 2011 |

**Country of birth** — Australia 75.9%, England 3.2%, New Zealand 1.4%, South Africa 0.7%, Philippines 0.6%, China 0.4%

**Ancestry** — Australian 42.5%, English 38.0%, Irish 8.2%, Scottish 8.2%, German 5.4%, Dutch 1.8%, Italian 1.0%, Greek 0.7%, Filipino 0.7%, Chinese 0.4%

## Language

English is the dominant language, with only 4.4% of people using another language at home. This is far below the national figure of 22.3%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People using another language at home | 4.4% | +436.3% since 2011 |
| People who speak little or no English | 0.4% | — |

**Language used at home** — English only 85.9%, Mandarin 0.6%

## Religion

A majority of residents (51.4%) report having no religion, which is far above the national figure of 38.9%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with no religion | 51.4% | +94.8% since 2011 |

**Religious affiliation** — No religion 51.4%, Christianity 30.3%, Not stated 13.4%, Islam 1.5%, Other religions 0.7%, Buddhism 0.6%

## Education & Qualifications

Education levels are among the lowest for similar areas, with only 25.8% of people completing Year 12, far below the national average of 58.8%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Completed Year 12 | 25.8% | +30.0% since 2011 |
| Adults with a bachelor degree or higher | 6.0% | +91.0% since 2011 |
| Schools per 1,000 children | 8.77 | — |
| Schools within 3 km | 1 | — |
| Average school size | 43 | — |
| Average school ICSEA | 919 | — |

**Highest year of school** — Year 10 35.4%, Year 12 25.8%, Year 9 or below 18.2%, Year 11 8.9%

**Highest qualification level** — Certificate III / IV 46.1%, Bachelor degree 8.7%, Advanced diploma / diploma 8.4%, Postgraduate degree 2.5%, Certificate I / II 1.5%

**Field of qualification** — Engineering & related 25.1%, Society & culture 13.3%, Management & commerce 9.6%, Food, hospitality & personal services 8.4%, Education 5.0%, Architecture & building 4.0%, Health 3.7%, Information technology 1.5%, Creative arts 1.5%, Natural & physical sciences 1.2%

## Income

Typical incomes are much lower than most areas; the typical household earns $951 a week, which is far below the national figure of $1,746.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median personal income (weekly) | $498 | +25.4% since 2011 |
| Median household income (weekly) | $951 | -6.6% since 2011 |
| Median family income (weekly) | $1,202 | -1.5% since 2011 |
| People earning $2,000+ a week | 6.7% | — |
| Households earning $3,000+ a week | 8.2% | — |

**Household income distribution** — Under $650 31.5%, $650–$1,499 30.9%, $1,500–$2,999 20.8%, $3,000–$3,999 6.3%, $4,000 or more 1.9%

**Personal income distribution** — Under $650 50.3%, $650–$1,499 19.8%, $1,500–$2,999 14.3%, $3,000 or more 0.7%

## Health & Disability

Health challenges are common here, with 36.8% of people living with a long-term health condition and 15.9% reporting a mental health condition, both well above the national average.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People with a long-term health condition | 36.8% | — |
| People with a mental health condition | 15.9% | — |
| People needing help with daily activities | 10.0% | +133.9% since 2011 |

**Long-term health conditions reported** — Mental health 15.9%, Arthritis 14.4%, Other condition 10.9%, Asthma 10.0%, Diabetes 8.6%, Heart disease 6.1%, Lung condition 3.9%, Cancer 3.2%, Stroke 1.8%, Dementia 0.6%

**Number of long-term health conditions** — None 50.8%, One condition 20.1%, Two conditions 8.7%, Three or more 8.4%

## Community Participation

Unpaid care is a significant part of local life, as 16.3% of people provide unpaid care, which is much higher than most areas.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteers | 17.2% | -13.1% since 2011 |
| People providing unpaid care | 16.3% | +66.8% since 2011 |
| People caring for children unpaid | 21.2% | -28.5% since 2011 |
| People who served in the Defence Force | 4.2% | — |
| People doing 15+ hours of unpaid housework | 26.8% | +4.2% since 2011 |

## First Nations

The First Nations community is larger than in 80% of similar areas, though typical personal income is well below the national figure at $405 per week.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people | 51 | — |
| First Nations median age | 43 yrs | — |
| First Nations Year 12 completion | 24.4% | — |
| First Nations median personal income | $405 | — |
| First Nations household income | $780 | — |
| Speaks a First Nations language | 0.0% | — |

## Family & Households

Many residents live alone—about 42.6%—which is far above the national average. This helps explain why the typical home holds only 2.0 people.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Average household size | 2.0 | -16.7% since 2011 |
| One-parent families | 19.5% | +45.1% since 2011 |
| People living alone | 42.6% | +34.6% since 2011 |

**Family composition** — Couples with children 45.0%, Couples without children 34.0%, One-parent families 19.5%, Other families 0.9%

**Household size** — 1 person 42.6%, 2 people 35.6%, 3 people 9.8%, 4 people 7.9%, 5 people 2.5%, 6 or more 0.9%

## Housing & Dwellings

Housing is very affordable, with a typical weekly rent of $160, far below the national figure. Most people live in separate houses, and 38.5% own their home outright.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Median rent (weekly) | $160 | +23.1% since 2011 |
| Median mortgage repayment (monthly) | $606 | -15.8% since 2011 |
| Average people per bedroom | 0.70 | -36.4% since 2011 |
| Households renting | 29.0% | +0.0% since 2011 |
| Homes owned outright | 38.5% | +9.5% since 2011 |
| Separate (detached) houses | 89.3% | -3.5% since 2011 |
| Homes with three or more bedrooms | 75.1% | -6.0% since 2011 |

**How homes are owned or rented** — Owned outright 38.5%, Rented 29.0%, Owned with a mortgage 24.9%, Other tenure 3.5%, Not stated 1.9%

**Types of homes** — Separate house 89.3%, Townhouse / semi-detached 8.8%, Other dwelling 0.9%

**Bedrooms per home** — 3 bedrooms 61.8%, 2 bedrooms 14.8%, 4 bedrooms 11.0%, 1 bedroom 5.4%, 5 or more 2.2%

**Weekly rent distribution** — Under $200 71.7%, $200–$349 21.7%

**Monthly mortgage distribution** — Under $1,000 83.5%, $1,000–$1,799 19.0%

## Transport & Vehicles

Cars are essential for getting around, as 0.0% of people commute by public transport. Only 3.7% of the workforce works from home, among the lowest for its level.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Homes with no motor vehicle | 5.4% | -8.6% since 2011 |
| People working from home | 3.7% | +191.0% since 2011 |
| Commuting by public transport | 0.0% | -100.0% since 2011 |
| Public transport stops | 1 | — |
| PT stops per 1,000 people | 1.39 | — |
| Weekly PT departures per 1,000 people | 19.4 | — |
| Public transport routes | 1 | — |
| Walk to nearest stop (min) | 27 | — |

**How people get to work** — Car (driver) 66.5%, Walked 7.4%, Car (passenger) 7.0%, Worked at home 3.7%

**Motor vehicles per home** — 1 vehicle 47.0%, 2 vehicles 31.9%, 3 vehicles 12.1%, No vehicle 5.4%, 4 or more 4.8%

## Migration & Movement

The town has seen significant movement, with 39.4% of people moving house in the last five years, slightly above the state figure.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| People who moved in the last 5 years | 39.4% | +12.0% since 2011 |
| Recent arrivals from overseas | 10.1% | +28.9% since 2011 |

## Jobs & Industry

Mining is the dominant industry, employing 38% of the workforce. While full-time employment is higher than the state average, the unemployment rate is also well above the national figure at 10.1%.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment rate | 10.1% | +1.9% since 2011 |
| Labour-force participation | 44.7% | -25.6% since 2011 |
| Employed full-time | 61.2% | -1.3% since 2011 |

**Industries people work in** — Mining 38.0%, Accommodation & food 13.6%, Health care & social assistance 8.7%, Retail trade 7.0%, Public administration & safety 5.8%, Education & training 5.4%, Transport & warehousing 5.0%, Construction 3.7%, Agriculture, forestry & fishing 2.9%, Electricity, gas & water 2.5%, Administrative & support 2.5%, Other services 2.1%, Media & telecommunications 1.2%, Professional & technical 1.2%

**Occupations people work in** — Machinery operators & drivers 25.2%, Labourers 18.2%, Technicians & trades 16.1%, Community & personal service 12.8%, Managers 12.0%, Clerical & administrative 8.7%, Professionals 5.4%, Sales workers 5.4%

## Walkability

The town is very walkable, with 93.3% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a 'city' center and 98.2% within 15 minutes of a park.

| Statistic | Value | Change since |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Walkability score | 6.1 | — |
| Amenity types within a 15-minute walk | 7.1 | — |
| Homes with a 15-minute-city walkshed | 93.3% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of groceries | 89.8% | — |
| Homes within 10 min walk of public transport | 54.2% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a school | 88.1% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of a park | 98.2% | — |
| Homes within 15 min walk of health services | 93.2% | — |
| Walkable amenities per 1,000 residents | 22.2 | — |
| Street connectivity (intersections/km²) | 2 | — |
| Mean terrain slope | 4.4% | — |

## Schools serving Zeehan

1 school, 43 students, average ICSEA 919.

By sector: Government 1

By type: Primary 1

| School | Sector | Type | Distance | Students |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Zeehan Primary School | Government | Primary | 0.4 km | 43 |

## Nearby areas

[Renison Bell](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL60545/renison-bell) · [Rosebery](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL60568/rosebery) · [Trial Harbour](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL60691/trial-harbour) · [Lake Margaret](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL60314/lake-margaret) · [Queenstown](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL60531/queenstown) · [Gormanston](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL60240/gormanston) · [Tullah](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL60695/tullah) · [Granville Harbour](https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL60245/granville-harbour)

Interactive profile: https://censusatlas.au/region/sal/SAL60776/zeehan