TAS · Clarence Council

Opossum Bay, 7023

Est. population · Jun 2025

384

Growth (1 yr)

+0.8%

Growth (5 yr)

+1.9%

Median age

56

Median income

$1,302/wk

Employment rate

53%

University qualified

30.1%

Work from home

15.6%

Languages at home

2.4%non-English

Mostly English at home

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

39.1/100
Below average

199th in TAS

Verified 84% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Beach
  • Marina
What Opossum Bay is known for: Beach, Marina

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Opossum Bay, TAS suburb snapshot — Suburb Guide

Cite this suburb snapshot

Suburb Guide, “Opossum Bay, TAS Suburb Guide”, updated 2 October 2026, https://suburb.guide/tas/opossum-bay

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Suburb profile

Opossum Bay is a middle-ring metropolitan suburb of Hobart, in Clarence Council. It is close to the South Arm Peninsula.

Open-space access is exceptionally strong, placing it among the highest-ranked middle-ring metropolitan suburbs. Recorded road crashes are a relative strength, with recorded road crashes 70% below the peer median, and working from home is a very strong feature of the suburb, with working from home 58% above the peer median, and university qualifications are more common than in comparable places, with university qualifications 22% above the peer median. Employment is a relative weakness.

Overall, the suburb suits people prioritising open space and university qualifications over employment.

Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.

Strengths and weaknesses

Middle-ring metropolitan suburb · compared with middle-ring metropolitan suburbs in Tasmania (41)

Strengths

  • Open-space access is exceptionally strong
  • Recorded road crashes are a relative strength
  • Working from home is a relative strength
  • University qualifications are more common than in comparable places

Weaknesses

  • Employment is a relative weakness

What stands out

  • Opossum Bay Beach
  • Mitchells Beach
  • South Arm Peninsula

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • Students
  • Budget buyers

Housing, growth and risk

How Opossum Bay compares

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent

$550/wk

Population (ERP)

384

+0.8% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

39.4%

Census unoccupied dwellings

Livability profile

Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Desirability

#15

among Metro Hobart · Mature

Pop. growth

71st

percentile in TAS

Rented dwellings

16%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

6/10

national SEIFA decile

Population growth

Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years

Housing mix

Dwelling types from the 2021 Census

Risks & flags

Quick scan — open a section below for full context

Living here

Desirability

Ranks & confidence
Desirability score
39.1/100 — Below average
National rank
4663rd in Australia
State rank
199th in TAS
Peer rank
#15 among Metro Hobart · Mature suburbs
Cohort rank
#54 among Metro Hobart suburbs
Data confidence
84%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Housing

All types (latest monthly release)
$550
Rental bonds lodged (latest monthly release)
1

Median weekly rent from Tasmanian rental data where available.

Contributes to desirability score · Housing (10%) · Future Growth (6%)

Household crowding and healthy vacancy — not cheapness Modest price change as a healthy-growth band

Data sources & freshness

Population

Estimated resident population

384(June 2025)

+0.8% annual · +1.9% over 5 years · 71th percentile in TAS

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.8%
5-year growth
+1.9%
Change in 1 year
+3
Change in 5 years
+7
Growth rank in TAS
71th percentile

ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.

Methodology

Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.

The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~400), extrapolated at +0.8% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
383
Median age
56
Median household income / week
$1,302
Dwelling vacancy
39.4%
Unoccupied private dwellings
112 of 284
Median monthly mortgage
$1,441
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$418
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
44.7% / 39% / 16.4%
Employment rate
53%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
15.6% / 0% / 68.7%
Walked or cycled to work
0%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
163 / 0 / 0

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%) · Accessibility (12%) · Future Growth (6%)

Employment, household income and owned-outright tenure (2021 Census) Work-from-home and public-transport commute shares (2021 Census) Five-year population change as a healthy-growth band, not a boom bonus

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries

Qualifications

30.1% of adults have a university degree, compared with 21.9% across Tasmania. 18.2% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified30.1% · 21.9% TAS
  • Diploma qualified10.7% · 7.9% TAS
  • Trade / vocational18.2% · 18.5% TAS
  • Year 12 or below41.1% · 51.8% TAS

Highest qualification field

Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).

  • Management and commerce20.5%
  • Education15.5%
  • Engineering and related technologies14%
  • Health12%
  • Architecture and building10%
  • Society and culture10%
How these groups are defined
MeasureDefinition
University qualifiedBachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualifiedAdvanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocationalCertificate III + IV
Year 12Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12Year 11 / 10 / 9 or below

People aged 15 years and over, 2021 Census. University, diploma and trade shares match ABS highest educational attainment (HEAP). Year 12 and below Year 12 are combined in the chart because the General Community Profile reports school-only attainment as a residual.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

University qualifications from the 2021 Census

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Tax & income

Median taxable income (2023–24)
$54,453

61st percentile in TAS · -7% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$66,945

96th percentile in TAS · +3% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
16.0%

89th percentile in TAS · +16% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$131,085

96th percentile in TAS · +107% vs Australia

Residents with business income
12.0%

61st percentile in TAS · +15% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 7023 — not a suburb-level official statistic. Rental investment is the share of local taxpayers reporting rental income or loss, not the share of local properties owned by investors.

Counts, net rent & state comparison
Taxpayers in this postcode
238
Taxpayers reporting net rent
38
Median net rent
$5,018
Taxpayers reporting business income
28
Taxable income vs state median
+3%
Salary / wages vs state median
+15%
Rental investment vs state median
+46%
Super vs state median
+74%
Business income vs state median
+9%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in TAS, so suburbs that share a postcode are not counted twice. Dollar figures are compared with Australia-wide ATO medians from the same release. Median net rent is among taxpayers who reported the rent label and can be negative.

Data sources & freshness

  • Taxation Statistics 2023–24 — individuals by postcode (Table 25) — Australian Taxation Office · Updated · Annual release; taxpayer residential postcode, not suburb boundary

Community & culture

2.4% speak a language other than English at home; 15.2% born overseas

Language at home
360 English only · 9 other
Non-English at home
2.4%
Born overseas
55 (15.2%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
18 (4.7%)
Australian citizens
350

Religion

52%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 52%, while Christianity accounts for 38.1%.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion52%49.6%
Christianity38.1%38.4%
Other / not stated9.9%12.1%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Anglican19.8%14.4%
Catholic12.8%12.7%

2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, Indigenous status, and religious affiliation (usual residence). Religion is optional on the Census form.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Figures are for the Clarence Police Division, not this suburb alone.

Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (2024–25)
3,536
Against the person
482
Against property
2,927
Rate per 1,000 residents (area)
55.5
State crime-rate percentile
71.6th (higher = more crime)
Increase (daily rate)
+4.1%
Recorded road crashes (in suburb)
16
Crash rate per 1,000 residents (state rank)
41.67

Most common offence types

  • Offences Against Property
  • Offences Against The Person
  • Total Offences

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates

Data sources & freshness

Family & Lifestyle

Public transport

7 public transport stops in this suburb

  • Driftwood Dr / Bodega Crt
  • No.2 Spitfarm Rd
  • No.27 Spitfarm Road
  • No.3733 South Arm Rd
  • No.59 Spitfarm Road

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Public transport stops per 1,000 residents and walkability

Data sources & freshness

Amenities

26 mapped amenities

1 playgrounds · 6 beaches

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
  • Great for outdoor family life — 1 parks mapped in suburb, 1 playgrounds nearby
Walkability proxy
11/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
2.61
Shopping(1)
  • The Opossum Bay StoreConvenience store
Sport & outdoors(13)
  • Beach (3)
  • Mitchells BeachBeach
  • Opossum Bay BeachBeach
  • South Arm BeachBeach
  • South Arm Peninsula TrailCycling route
  • Opossum Bay Boat RampMarina
  • Gellibrand Point Nature Recreation AreaNature reserve
  • Opossum Bay Marine Conservation AreaNature reserve
  • Opossum Bay ParkPark
  • Playground
  • Public toilets
Transport(7)

7 bus stops

Other(4)
  • Parking (2)
  • Post Box
  • Shelter
  • Telephone

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually. Campgrounds, beaches, wineries and local trails are included when they sit inside the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport per 1,000 residents (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Parks & reserves

1 parks and public open space in this suburb

  • Opossum Bay ParkPark

Data sources & freshness

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
0.1%
Woodland / forest cover
0%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
1
Parks (OSM)
1
Typical summer maximum
18°C

Green cover is the share of this suburb's boundary overlapping OpenStreetMap parks, woodland and forest polygons — not a satellite tree-canopy product. Summer maximum is the WorldClim / Open-Meteo seasonal normal already collected for Weather.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Tree canopy first, then green-cover area and parks per 1,000

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover and tree canopy — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Park/woodland polygons intersected with suburb boundaries

Health access

Nearest hospital
The Hobart Clinic (9.7 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
GP clinics in suburb
0

GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
7
Participants per 1,000 residents
18.2

Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.

For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.

Data sources & freshness

Weather

Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.

Summer (Dec–Feb)

Usual max / min
18° / 11°
Rainfall
201 mm · ~25 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
15° / 9°
Rainfall
207 mm · ~26 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
11° / 5°
Rainfall
246 mm · ~31 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
14° / 7°
Rainfall
213 mm · ~27 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Heritage

1 heritage place

  • Gellibrand Vault150B SPITFARM RD, OPOSSUM BAY, 7023Permanently Registered

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Heritage listings as established streetscape

Data sources & freshness

  • State heritage register — State heritage authority · current · Updated

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies
Flood / inundation overlay
7.5% of suburb boundary

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via LIST bushfire impact area mapping. Flood cover uses Tasmanian Planning Scheme flood-prone area overlays against the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Bushfire and flood hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

  • Bushfire and flood planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Franklin
Member of Parliament
Julie COLLINS (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
83,693
Turnout (2025)
94.2%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+5.7 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 30.6%Labor 69.4%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 9.8 km away).

Coalition 27.3%Labor 72.7%

3.3 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +6.9 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • South ArmLabor 72.5% · Coalition 27.4% TPP (2025)4.5 km away
  • Kingston Beach (Franklin)Labor 71.5% · Coalition 28.5% TPP (2025)7.2 km away
  • Blackmans BayLabor 77.5% · Coalition 22.5% TPP (2025)7.4 km away
  • Blackmans Bay SouthLabor 72.6% · Coalition 27.4% TPP (2025)8.0 km away
  • Kingston WestLabor 68.3% · Coalition 31.7% TPP (2025)8.3 km away

Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
6/10
IRSD decile (2021)
7/10

ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).

What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?

IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.

IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.

A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

Data sources & freshness

Compare with

Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.

More in Clarence Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Tasmania.