Urban Area · Area profile
Burnie - Somerset
131 km²
A growing number of people have called Burnie - Somerset home since 2011, with the population rising to 27,826. It is an older community where the typical resident is 43 and more than half of people now report having no religion. The area is marked by a strong Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander presence and a high proportion of detached housing. While incomes remain below the national figure, the community benefits from high walkability to local services and parks.
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 8.9% of the population, which is well above the Tasmanian figure of 5.4%. The community is aging, with those aged 65 and over rising to 22.1% since 2011.
The area is less culturally diverse than most, with only 10.1% of people born overseas, far below the Australian average of 27.7%. Most residents claim Australian or English ancestry.
English is the primary language for 90.7% of the community. Only 4.1% of people use another language at home, a figure far below the national average.
The area has seen a major shift since 2011, with the proportion of people reporting no religion rising 23 points to 52.5%. This is far above the national figure of 38.9%.
Education levels are lower than most areas, with only 12.8% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. However, the share of people completing Year 12 rose by 9.4 points since 2011.
Typical weekly household income is $1,146, which is well below the national figure of $1,746. Only 9.9% of households earn $3,000 or more a week, though this rose 6.8 points since 2011.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas, with 37.2% of people living with a long-term health condition. This includes 12.8% with a mental health condition and 12.7% with arthritis.
Unpaid care is a key part of local life, with 13.6% of people providing unpaid care, which is higher than most areas. Volunteering has fallen slightly since 2011 to 15.5%.
The area has a high number of people living alone (33.5%) and a much higher rate of one-parent families (19.2%) compared to most areas. This helps explain why typical households are small, with only 2.2 people per home.
Separate houses are very common, making up 89.4% of all homes. While 31.9% of households rent, the typical weekly rent of $240 is well below the national figure.
Cars are the primary way to get around, with 70.5% of workers driving to work. Very few people work from home (4.8%), which is far below the national figure of 21%.
The population is relatively stable, with 36.9% of people moving in the last five years, which is lower than most areas. Recent overseas arrivals make up 14.9% of the community.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work (54.0%) compared to the national figure of 61.1%. Unemployment is at 6.2%, which is a little above the Australian average.
The area is quite walkable, with 68.3% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a range of amenities. This is far above the Tasmanian average, with most homes located very close to public transport and parks.