3235.0 - Population by Age and Sex, Regions of Australia, 2013 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 28/08/2014   
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TASMANIA


Total population

Age and sex distribution

Median age

Children (under 15 years of age)

Working age population (aged 15-64 years)

People aged 65 years and over

Sex ratio


TOTAL POPULATION

At June 2013, the estimated resident population of Tasmania was 513,200 people. The state's population increased by 14,600 in the five years to 2013, with all four Tasmanian SA4s experiencing population growth. Hobart SA4 had the largest growth (up by 8,800 people), followed by Launceston and North East (2,400), West and North West (1,900) and South East (1,500).


AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION

The age distribution of Tasmania's population at June 2013 was characterised by a lower proportion of people aged 20 to 44 years than the total Australian population. As a proportion of the Tasmanian population, those aged 20 to 44 years made up 30% compared to 36% for Australia as a whole. This in part reflects a net outflow of young adults from Tasmania to pursue education and employment opportunities interstate. Tasmania also had a higher proportion of people aged 45 years and over (45%) than Australia as a whole (39%). This partly reflects a trend of adults in this age group moving to the state.

AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION (%), Tasmania - 30 June 2013
Diagram: AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION (%), Tasmania—30 June 2013


MEDIAN AGE

At June 2013, the median age (the age at which half the population is older and half is younger) of the Tasmanian population was 41.2 years. This was the highest median age of all states and territories and compares to 37.3 years at the Australia level. Tasmania also had the largest increase in median age over the last five years, increasing by 1.8 years. The median age of males in 2013 was 40.3 years compared with 42.0 years for females.

Between 2008 and 2013, the median age increased in most of Tasmania’s SA2s. The area with the highest median age in 2013 was Triabunna - Bicheno (54.2 years), followed by Forestier - Tasman (52.3) and St Helens - Scamander (51.1). All three of these SA2s are located on Tasmania's eastern seaboard. The lowest median age was in Mowbray (29.7 years) in Launceston, which is close to the University of Tasmania. Bridgewater - Gagebrook (31.0 years) and Rokeby (31.5), both in Greater Hobart, had the next lowest median ages in the state.

CHILDREN (UNDER 15 YEARS OF AGE)

Tasmania had 95,100 children under 15 years of age at June 2013. The proportion of the population aged less than 15 years decreased from 19.4% in 2008 to 18.5% in 2013.

Bridgewater - Gagebrook and Rokeby in Greater Hobart had the highest proportions of children in Tasmania in 2013 (28% and 26% respectively), followed by Ravenswood (24%) in Launceston.

Between 2008 and 2013, the largest increases in the number of children were in the SA2s of Margate - Snug (up by 280 people), Howrah - Tranmere (260) and Kingston-Huntingfield (210), all within commuting distance from Hobart. However, the proportion of children under the age of 15 decreased in the majority of SA2s in Tasmania over this period.

WORKING AGE POPULATION (AGED 15-64 YEARS)

In the five years to 2013, Tasmania’s working age population grew by 2,800 people to reach 329,500. As a proportion of the total population, the working age population declined from 66% in 2008 to 64% in 2013. This was the lowest proportion of all states and territories.

Hobart SA2 had the highest proportion of its population aged 15 to 64 years (77%) in Tasmania, followed by Mount Nelson - Dynnyrne (73%) in Greater Hobart and Invermay in Launceston (72%).

Margate - Snug (up by 570 people), in the south of Greater Hobart, and Brighton - Pontville in Hobart's north (400) had the largest growth in working age population between 2008 and 2013.

WORKING AGE POPULATION (AGED 15-64 YEARS), Statistical Areas Level 2, Tasmania - 30 June 2013
Diagram: WORKING AGE POPULATION (AGED 15–64 YEARS), Statistical Areas Level 2, Tasmania—30 June 2013


PEOPLE AGED 65 YEARS AND OVER

At June 2013, there were 88,600 people aged 65 years and over in Tasmania, making up 17.3% of the state's total population. This was an increase from 15.1% in 2008. Tasmania had the highest proportion of people aged 65 years and over among the states and territories, just ahead of South Australia (16.7%).

The SA2 of Triabunna - Bicheno on the east coast had the highest proportion of people aged 65 years and over (28%) in 2013, reflecting its popularity as a place to retire. This was followed by Forestier - Tasman on Tasmania's south-eastern peninsular, and Norwood in Launceston which contains a large aged care facility, both at 25%.

SEX RATIO

At June 2013, the population of Tasmania consisted of 255,700 males and 257,400 females. This equates to a ratio of 99.3 males per 100 females, up from 98.1 in 2008.

Risdon Vale, in Hobart's northern suburbs, was the SA2 with the highest sex ratio (138.2 males per 100 females) due in part to the male population of Risdon Prison. The next highest sex ratios were in Waratah (117.6) in the north-west of the state, and West Coast (116.8).

Parklands - Camdale, west of Burnie, had the lowest sex ratio (88.5), followed by Newstead (88.9) and Ravenswood (89.0) in Launceston.

MALES PER 100 FEMALES, Statistical Areas Level 2, Tasmania - 30 June 2013
Diagram: MALES PER 100 FEMALES, Statistical Areas Level 2, Tasmania—30 June 2013