Urban Centre · Area profile
Sheffield
4 km²
A small town in the heart of the Kentish region, Sheffield is a highly walkable community with a notably older population. The typical resident is 54, and over a third of the people are seniors. This shift toward an older age profile is reflected in the health and housing data, with many residents requiring daily assistance and a high number of homes owned outright. While the population shrank by 43% since 2011, the town remains a central hub for services and amenities.
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The community is far older than most areas, with 34.4% of people aged 65 and over, a figure that rose 9.1 points since 2011. In contrast, children under 15 make up only 13.0%, which is well below the national figure.
People born overseas make up 13.6% of the population, an increase of 7.8 points since 2011. English and Australian ancestries are the most common, accounting for 44.6% and 42.3% respectively.
English is the dominant language, with only 2.7% of residents using another language at home. This is far below the national figure of 22.3%.
Roughly half of the residents (49.5%) report no religion, a figure that rose 26 points since 2011 and is far above the national average.
Educational qualifications are lower than most areas; only 9.8% of adults have a bachelor degree or higher, and 29.2% completed Year 12, both of which are far below the national figures.
Incomes are much lower than most areas, with a typical household earning $892 a week, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. Only 5.1% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.
Health needs are high, as 13.0% of people need help with daily activities and 41.1% have a long-term health condition, both of which are well above state and national figures.
Volunteerism is strong here, with 20.6% of people volunteering, which is well above the national figure. Unpaid care is also more common than most areas, at 16.1%.
The area has a high number of people living alone (35.0%) and smaller households, with an average of 2.1 people per home.
Home ownership is strong, with 46.1% of homes owned outright, far above the national figure. Rents are also much lower than most areas, typically costing $200 a week.
Most people rely on cars, and no one commutes by public transport. About 8.1% of the workforce works from home, which is far below the national figure of 21.0%.
Movement is moderate, with 36.7% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals fell to 4.9% since 2011.
Fewer adults are working or looking for work (39.2%) compared to most areas. The unemployment rate is 7.3%, which is a little above the national figure.
The town is very accessible, with 80.1% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a '15-minute-city' walkshed. Access to health services, groceries, and schools is far above the Tasmanian average.