Urban Centre · Area profile
Low Head
1 km²
A car-dependent lifestyle defines Low Head, where residents rely on vehicles for almost all daily needs. This is an ageing community that has seen its population shrink by 43% since 2011. It is now far older than the national average, with nearly half of all residents aged 65 or over. This shift toward a senior population is reflected in the quiet nature of the area, with very few children and a high number of people living alone.
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Low Head is far older than most areas, with a typical age of 64 and 48.1% of residents aged 65 or over. The population has fallen to 507 people, while children under 15 now make up only 5.3% of the community.
People born overseas make up 16.0% of the population, a figure that rose 7.3 points since 2011. English ancestry is most common at 51.1%, followed by Australian at 34.3%.
English is the primary language for 91.3% of residents, and the proportion of people using another language at home is much lower than most areas at 2.2%.
About half of the community identifies as Christian (49.9%), while 40.4% report having no religion, a figure that rose 10 points since 2011.
The area has a high proportion of adults with a bachelor degree or higher at 17.7%, which rose 15 points since 2011. Qualifications in engineering and education are the most common.
Typical weekly household income is $886, which is far below the national figure of $1,746. However, 9.5% of people earn $2,000 or more a week, which is higher than in most similar areas.
Health challenges are common here, as 50.7% of people have a long-term health condition and 17.6% need help with daily activities, both of which are far above state and national figures.
Volunteering is very high at 24.3%, though unpaid childcare is far below the national average at 13.2%. There is also a higher than usual number of former Defence Force members (5.8%).
Living alone is very common, with 45.4% of people in single-person households. This contributes to the small typical household size of 1.8 people.
Home ownership is high, with 44.9% of homes owned outright. Rent is much lower than the national average at a typical $230 per week.
Most people drive to work (62.8%) and no one uses public transport for their commute. Working from home is more common here than in most other Tasmanian areas at 11.0%.
About 36.0% of residents moved in the last five years. There have been no recent arrivals from overseas since 2011.
Only 37.5% of adults are working or looking for work, which is far below the national figure. The unemployment rate is 8.2%, which is much higher than most areas.
The area is heavily car-dependent, with a walkability score of 1.9. No homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, health services, or schools.