Battery Point vs Sandy Bay

Sandy Bay is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 43 in Battery Point. In Battery Point, about half of households rent, about half of homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. In Sandy Bay, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in Battery Point: a median of $1.65 million, against $1.24 million in Sandy Bay, and rent is higher there too. Battery Point is closer to the city centre: 2 km, against 5.1 km. On these figures, Battery Point tends to suit renters and people living alone, while Sandy Bay suits buyers on a tighter budget.

Battery Point scores significantly higher on liveability (97 versus 67) and sits much closer to Hobart's CBD at 2.0 km compared to Sandy Bay's 5.1 km. The most striking difference is bushfire risk: Battery Point registers 0 while Sandy Bay rates 97, making it a critical consideration if fire safety is a priority. Both suburbs show low crime and flood risk. Sandy Bay edges ahead on rental yields for houses (3.1% versus 2.1%), though unit yields are comparable, so the choice may hinge on whether proximity and liveability matter more to you than rental return potential.

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Sandy Bay

ahead on 5 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (6 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (8 vs 2)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (68% vs 35%)

Weighs schools, house stock, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Sandy Bay

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,240,000 vs $1,645,000)
  • has cheaper units ($621,500 vs $752,500)
  • But Battery Point leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 26%)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Battery Point

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (48% vs 35%)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Battery Point

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (2 km vs 5.1 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (7 min vs 12 min)
  • is more walkable (93/100 vs 72/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Battery Point

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (65% vs 32%)
  • is more walkable (93/100 vs 72/100)
  • But Sandy Bay has more GPs (5 vs 1)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, and walkability.

Investors

Sandy Bay

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • returns a higher gross yield on units (4.1% vs 3.1%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (2.6% vs 2.0%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

Battery Point and Sandy Bay drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Walkability 93 / 72
Battery Point — Walkability: 93/100 Sandy Bay — Walkability: 72/100
Low fire risk 100 / 3
Battery Point — Low fire risk: 100/100 Sandy Bay — Low fire risk: 3/100

Demographics

Sandy Bay has more residents (12,315 vs 2,096); Battery Point skews older (43 vs 39).

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Population 2,096 12,315
+488% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.0% +3.3%
Median age 43 39
Median household income $98,332/yr $99,580/yr
+1% vs other
Median weekly rent $450/wk
+7% vs other
 $418/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Battery Point Sandy Bay
0-4 2.9% / 3.4%
Battery Point — 0-4: 2.9% Sandy Bay — 0-4: 3.4%
5-14 5.5% / 8.9%
Battery Point — 5-14: 5.5% Sandy Bay — 5-14: 8.9%
15-19 2.9% / 5.0%
Battery Point — 15-19: 2.9% Sandy Bay — 15-19: 5.0%
20-24 6.5% / 7.7%
Battery Point — 20-24: 6.5% Sandy Bay — 20-24: 7.7%
25-34 22.7% / 19.9%
Battery Point — 25-34: 22.7% Sandy Bay — 25-34: 19.9%
35-44 10.9% / 10.9%
Battery Point — 35-44: 10.9% Sandy Bay — 35-44: 10.9%
45-54 9.0% / 10.5%
Battery Point — 45-54: 9.0% Sandy Bay — 45-54: 10.5%
55-64 11.8% / 11.0%
Battery Point — 55-64: 11.8% Sandy Bay — 55-64: 11.0%
65-74 15.7% / 11.6%
Battery Point — 65-74: 15.7% Sandy Bay — 65-74: 11.6%
75-84 9.1% / 7.5%
Battery Point — 75-84: 9.1% Sandy Bay — 75-84: 7.5%
85+ 2.8% / 3.6%
Battery Point — 85+: 2.8% Sandy Bay — 85+: 3.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Battery Point 61.6% lone person
Battery Point — Lone Person: 61.6% Battery Point — Couple Families: 20.3% Battery Point — Group Household: 13.2% Battery Point — One Parent Families: 4.4% Battery Point — Other Families: 0.6%
Sandy Bay 41.5% lone person
Sandy Bay — Lone Person: 41.5% Sandy Bay — Couple Families: 34.9% Sandy Bay — Group Household: 13.0% Sandy Bay — One Parent Families: 8.8% Sandy Bay — Other Families: 1.8%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Battery Point 48.2% renting
Battery Point — Owned Outright: 39.0% Battery Point — Mortgage: 12.8% Battery Point — Renting: 48.2%
Sandy Bay 35.3% renting
Sandy Bay — Owned Outright: 42.8% Sandy Bay — Mortgage: 22.0% Sandy Bay — Renting: 35.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Bachelor Degree 28.4% / 25.6%
Battery Point — Bachelor Degree: 28.4% Sandy Bay — Bachelor Degree: 25.6%
Postgraduate Degree 18.8% / 17.8%
Battery Point — Postgraduate Degree: 18.8% Sandy Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 17.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.2% / 7.4%
Battery Point — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.2% Sandy Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4%
Certificate III & IV 6.1% / 5.1%
Battery Point — Certificate III & IV: 6.1% Sandy Bay — Certificate III & IV: 5.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.2% / 3.5%
Battery Point — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.2% Sandy Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (28.4%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Battery Point Sandy Bay
China 5.8% / 10.2%
Battery Point — China: 5.8% Sandy Bay — China: 10.2%
England 5.4% / 4.5%
Battery Point — England: 5.4% Sandy Bay — England: 4.5%
India 2.0% / 2.8%
Battery Point — India: 2.0% Sandy Bay — India: 2.8%
Nepal 1.8% / 1.3%
Battery Point — Nepal: 1.8% Sandy Bay — Nepal: 1.3%
New Zealand 1.2% / 1.1%
Battery Point — New Zealand: 1.2% Sandy Bay — New Zealand: 1.1%
Malaysia 1.0% / 1.2%
Battery Point — Malaysia: 1.0% Sandy Bay — Malaysia: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (10.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Battery Point 35.1% houses
Battery Point — Houses: 35.1% Battery Point — Flats / Apartments: 48.8% Battery Point — Townhouses: 16.1%
Sandy Bay 68.5% houses
Sandy Bay — Houses: 68.5% Sandy Bay — Flats / Apartments: 18.3% Sandy Bay — Townhouses: 13.3%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Median house price $1,645,000 $1,240,000
Median unit price $752,500 $621,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 35 days
from 21 sales
 29 days
from 75 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Battery Point Sandy Bay
1 bed $575K / $424K
Battery Point — 1 bed: $575K (9 sales) Sandy Bay — 1 bed: $424K (22 sales)

9 vs 22 sales

2 bed $750K / $655K
Battery Point — 2 bed: $750K (33 sales) Sandy Bay — 2 bed: $655K (41 sales)

33 vs 41 sales

3 bed $2.4M / $840K
Battery Point — 3 bed: $2.4M (10 sales) Sandy Bay — 3 bed: $840K (18 sales)

10 vs 18 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Battery Point Sandy Bay
2 bed $1.42M / $855K
Battery Point — 2 bed: $1.42M (9 sales) Sandy Bay — 2 bed: $855K (14 sales)

9 vs 14 sales

3 bed $1.65M / $1.1M
Battery Point — 3 bed: $1.65M (17 sales) Sandy Bay — 3 bed: $1.1M (49 sales)

17 vs 49 sales

4 bed $1.85M / $1.35M
Battery Point — 4 bed: $1.85M (15 sales) Sandy Bay — 4 bed: $1.35M (47 sales)

15 vs 47 sales

5 bed $2.26M / $1.62M
Battery Point — 5 bed: $2.26M (5 sales) Sandy Bay — 5 bed: $1.62M (12 sales)

5 vs 12 sales

Zoning mix

Sandy Bay has more land zoned for conservation (22% vs 0%).

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Residential 70% 58%
Other and special use 24% 6%
Environmental 0% 22%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 7%
Parks and recreation 2% 6%
Commercial 0% 1%
Planning zones cover 99% of Battery Point and 100% of Sandy Bay. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Battery Point Sandy Bay
New dwellings approved 163
across Hobart
same for both
Approvals change year on year -76%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Houses 2.0%
$762/wk on $1.95M
 2.6%
$680/wk on $1.37M
Units 3.1%
$550/wk on $925K
 4.1%
$500/wk on $635K

Ranking within TAS

Battery Point Sandy Bay
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 90% of TAS
same for both
Schools — Higher than 76% of TAS
Walkability Higher than 100% of TAS Higher than 97% of TAS
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 100% of TAS Higher than 99% of TAS
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of TAS Higher than 89% of TAS
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 1% of TAS Higher than 3% of TAS
Rental yield (units) Higher than 8% of TAS Higher than 29% of TAS

Liveability

Battery Point scores higher overall (96 vs 67); Battery Point is more walkable (93 vs 72).

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Grade A+ A
Score 96/100 67/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Sandy Bay carries more bushfire risk (97 vs 0).

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
97/100
Crime Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 Low
32/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 12
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Inside the suburb 1 6
Rated above peers 1 2
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Hobart, 2.5 km
 1
Hobart, 0.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.4% 4.4%

Schools in Battery Point

  • Albuera Street Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Sandy Bay

  • Princes Street Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Waimea Heights Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Mount Carmel College Catholic · Combined at peers
  • Fahan School Independent · Combined
  • Sandy Bay Infant School Government · Primary
  • The Hutchins School Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Supermarkets 1 4
Cafes & restaurants 34 39
Parks & reserves 8 13
Childcare 2 8
GPs 1 5
Pharmacies 1 2
Banks & Bank@Post 1 3
Fuel stations 1 4
EV chargers 0 2
Beaches 0 3
Waterways 1 13

Mobility

Sandy Bay sits further from the CBD (5.1 km vs 2 km).

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Walkability score 93/100 72/100
Distance to Hobart 2 km 5.1 km
+155% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 7 min 12 min
Public transport score 80/100
Bus
 94/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 18.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 248.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 3.3%
postcode 7004
 2.6%
postcode 7005
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 22
postcode 7004
 20
postcode 7005

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Car (driver) 35.3% / 55.2%
Battery Point — Car (driver): 35.3% Sandy Bay — Car (driver): 55.2%
Walked Only 40.1% / 12.0%
Battery Point — Walked Only: 40.1% Sandy Bay — Walked Only: 12.0%
Worked from Home 15.9% / 13.9%
Battery Point — Worked from Home: 15.9% Sandy Bay — Worked from Home: 13.9%
Car (passenger) 4.3% / 8.1%
Battery Point — Car (passenger): 4.3% Sandy Bay — Car (passenger): 8.1%
Bus 2.2% / 8.7%
Battery Point — Bus: 2.2% Sandy Bay — Bus: 8.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (55.2%).

Setting

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Elevation 33 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 79 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 428 m
576 m to a named beach
 585 m
590 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Connectivity score 100/100 80/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
1,770 premises
 63%
6,087 premises

Climate

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Annual rainfall 559 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 22.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 5.6°C
same for both

Council rates

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Average residential rate $2,818/yr
same for both
Council Hobart
same for both

Federal electorate

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Division Clark
same for both
Member Andrew Wilkie
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Battery Point Sandy Bay
Grant amount $20,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Battery Point

Apartments Beach Coastal Easy Commute Inner Parks Professionals Retirees River Transport Hub Urban

Sandy Bay

Beach Coastal Easy Commute Inner Luxury Parks Professionals Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Battery Point

Battery Point vs Hobart

Other comparisons with Sandy Bay

Sandy Bay vs South Hobart Sandy Bay vs Hobart Sandy Bay vs Taroona Sandy Bay vs Mount Nelson Sandy Bay vs Dynnyrne
Full data on Battery Point Full data on Sandy Bay
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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