Urban Area · Area profile
Not in any Significant Urban Area
65,882 km²
Spanning a vast rural landscape, Not in any Significant Urban Area (Tas.) covers over 65,000 square kilometres of the state's countryside. It is a noticeably older community where the typical resident is 48, far older than the national figure. While the population has grown by 16% since 2011, the area remains distinct for its high proportion of homeowners and a strong preference for detached houses. This is a quiet, spread-out region where car dependence is high and the pace of life is slower.
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The community is ageing, with people aged 65 and over making up 23.5% of the population, which is well above the national figure. It is also more diverse in heritage than most similar areas, with an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of 6.4% that has risen since 2011.
Most residents were born in Australia (80.8%), and the area has far fewer overseas-born residents (11.4%) than the national average of 27.7%. English and Australian are the most common ancestries, accounting for 45.4% and 42.8% respectively.
English is the dominant language, spoken by 90.2% of people at home. Only 3.1% use another language, which is far below the national figure and among the lowest for its level.
Half of the population (50.2%) now report having no religion, a figure that rose by 21 points since 2011 and is far above the national average.
Qualifications are lower than the state and national figures, with only 14.5% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, more people have completed Year 12 than in 2011, rising to 37.5%.
Incomes are generally much lower than across Australia, with a typical weekly household earning $1,205. Only 10.3% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, though this has risen since 2011.
Long-term health conditions are more common here than nationally, affecting 34.6% of people, with arthritis being the most frequent. About 6.8% of residents need help with daily activities.
The area has a high rate of volunteering at 18.5% and a strong tradition of service, with 4.4% of people having served in the Defence Force.
Household sizes are a little smaller than the national average, with 2.3 people per home. Couples without children make up 36.9% of families, while 28.4% of people live alone.
Housing is dominated by separate houses (95.2%) and high rates of outright ownership, which at 44.2% is far above the national figure. Renting is much less common here than in the rest of the state.
Cars are essential for getting around, as 96.8% of homes own at least one vehicle and only 0.7% of people commute by public transport. About 10.1% of the workforce now works from home.
The population is relatively stable, with 33.6% of people moving in the last five years, which is well below the national figure. Recent arrivals from overseas are also much less common here than elsewhere.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work (53.9%) compared to the national average. The local economy relies heavily on health care, agriculture, and construction.
The area is mostly car-dependent with a very low walkability score of 2.6. Most homes are far from essential services, with only 32.7% within a 15-minute walk of groceries.