Burnie vs Hillcrest

Hillcrest is the younger of the two, with a median age of 36 against 42 in Burnie. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Burnie, about half of households rent and most households are people living alone. In Hillcrest, most households own their home. Houses cost more in Burnie: a median of $562,000, against $450,000 in Hillcrest. On these figures, Burnie tends to suit people living alone, while Hillcrest suits families with children and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Hillcrest

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (51% vs 29%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (88% vs 64%)

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

First-home buyers

Hillcrest

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($450,000 vs $562,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Burnie

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (82/100 vs 72/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Burnie

ahead on 4 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (36% vs 12%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (23% vs 16%)

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

Investors

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Burnie is growing faster (16.3% vs 4.4%)
  • Hillcrest returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.9% vs 4.0%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Burnie Hillcrest
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.

Burnie Hillcrest
Walkability 82 / 72
Burnie — Walkability: 82/100 Hillcrest — Walkability: 72/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Burnie — Low fire risk: 100/100 Hillcrest — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Hillcrest has more residents (1,088 vs 693); Burnie skews older (42 vs 36).

Burnie Hillcrest
Population 693 1,088
+57% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +16.3% +4.4%
Median age 42 36
Median household income $55,328/yr $59,384/yr
+7% vs other
Median weekly rent $240/wk
+4% vs other
 $230/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Burnie Hillcrest
0-4 4.0% / 6.3%
Burnie — 0-4: 4.0% Hillcrest — 0-4: 6.3%
5-14 6.8% / 13.1%
Burnie — 5-14: 6.8% Hillcrest — 5-14: 13.1%
15-19 4.5% / 4.4%
Burnie — 15-19: 4.5% Hillcrest — 15-19: 4.4%
20-24 6.2% / 7.5%
Burnie — 20-24: 6.2% Hillcrest — 20-24: 7.5%
25-34 16.9% / 16.9%
Burnie — 25-34: 16.9% Hillcrest — 25-34: 16.9%
35-44 12.7% / 11.4%
Burnie — 35-44: 12.7% Hillcrest — 35-44: 11.4%
45-54 13.0% / 11.4%
Burnie — 45-54: 13.0% Hillcrest — 45-54: 11.4%
55-64 11.7% / 14.1%
Burnie — 55-64: 11.7% Hillcrest — 55-64: 14.1%
65-74 13.0% / 9.6%
Burnie — 65-74: 13.0% Hillcrest — 65-74: 9.6%
75-84 7.8% / 4.2%
Burnie — 75-84: 7.8% Hillcrest — 75-84: 4.2%
85+ 2.0% / 1.7%
Burnie — 85+: 2.0% Hillcrest — 85+: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Burnie 63.0% lone person
Burnie — Lone Person: 63.0% Burnie — Couple Families: 14.7% Burnie — One Parent Families: 13.9% Burnie — Group Household: 7.0% Burnie — Other Families: 1.5%
Hillcrest 42.1% lone person
Hillcrest — Lone Person: 42.1% Hillcrest — Couple Families: 27.6% Hillcrest — One Parent Families: 23.1% Hillcrest — Group Household: 5.4% Hillcrest — Other Families: 1.9%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Burnie 51.1% renting
Burnie — Owned Outright: 31.6% Burnie — Mortgage: 17.2% Burnie — Renting: 51.1%
Hillcrest 41.4% renting
Hillcrest — Owned Outright: 26.4% Hillcrest — Mortgage: 32.2% Hillcrest — Renting: 41.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Burnie Hillcrest
Certificate III & IV 14.4% / 20.0%
Burnie — Certificate III & IV: 14.4% Hillcrest — Certificate III & IV: 20.0%
Bachelor Degree 15.4% / 5.5%
Burnie — Bachelor Degree: 15.4% Hillcrest — Bachelor Degree: 5.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.0% / 3.6%
Burnie — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.0% Hillcrest — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.6%
Postgraduate Degree 7.1% / 1.6%
Burnie — Postgraduate Degree: 7.1% Hillcrest — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.0% / 0.4%
Burnie — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0% Hillcrest — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.0%).

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.

Burnie Hillcrest
England 3.8% / 1.8%
Burnie — England: 3.8% Hillcrest — England: 1.8%
India 3.2% / 1.0%
Burnie — India: 3.2% Hillcrest — India: 1.0%
New Zealand 0.4% / 1.2%
Burnie — New Zealand: 0.4% Hillcrest — New Zealand: 1.2%
Nepal 1.3% / —
Burnie — Nepal: 1.3% Hillcrest — Nepal: not among its largest
Philippines — / 1.3%
Burnie — Philippines: not among its largest Hillcrest — Philippines: 1.3%
China 0.9% / —
Burnie — China: 0.9% Hillcrest — China: not among its largest
Vietnam 0.9% / —
Burnie — Vietnam: 0.9% Hillcrest — Vietnam: not among its largest
Germany — / 0.7%
Burnie — Germany: not among its largest Hillcrest — Germany: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Burnie 63.9% houses
Burnie — Houses: 63.9% Burnie — Townhouses: 17.9% Burnie — Flats / Apartments: 18.2%
Hillcrest 87.6% houses
Hillcrest — Houses: 87.6% Hillcrest — Townhouses: 6.9% Hillcrest — Flats / Apartments: 5.4%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Burnie Hillcrest
Median house price $562,500 $450,000
Median unit price $320,000 $313,214
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 39 days
from 3 sales
 32 days
from 8 sales

Zoning mix

Burnie has more industrially zoned land (32% vs 0%); Burnie has more commercially zoned land (23% vs 0%).

Burnie Hillcrest
Residential 24% 85%
Industrial 32% 0%
Commercial 23% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 15% 1%
Parks and recreation 5% 14%
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

Burnie Hillcrest
New dwellings approved 90
across Burnie
same for both
Approvals change year on year +1200%
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.

Burnie Hillcrest
Houses 4.0%
$465/wk on $599K
 4.9%
$455/wk on $482K
Units 4.3%
$290/wk on $350K
 —

Ranking within TAS

Burnie Hillcrest
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 29% of TAS Higher than 35% of TAS
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 98% of TAS Higher than 97% of TAS
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 32% of TAS
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of TAS Higher than 85% of TAS
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 37% of TAS Higher than 86% of TAS
Rental yield (units) Higher than 43% of TAS —

Liveability

Burnie scores higher overall (63 vs 51); Burnie is more walkable (82 vs 72).

Burnie Hillcrest
Grade A B
Score 63/100 51/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Burnie Hillcrest
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
84/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 8
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Burnie Hillcrest
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Burnie

  • Indie School - Devonport (Burnie Campus) Independent · Secondary · Special school

Schools in Hillcrest

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Burnie Hillcrest
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 29 0
Parks & reserves 3 2
Childcare 2 0
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 4 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 8 0
Fuel stations 3 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Burnie Hillcrest
Walkability score 82/100 72/100
Distance to Hobart 325.3 km 326.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 224 min 227 min
Public transport score 56/100
Bus
 23/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 16.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 2.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
 3 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 7320
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 19
postcode 7320
same for both

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.

Burnie Hillcrest
Car (driver) 59.0% / 80.8%
Burnie — Car (driver): 59.0% Hillcrest — Car (driver): 80.8%
Walked Only 25.3% / 2.5%
Burnie — Walked Only: 25.3% Hillcrest — Walked Only: 2.5%
Car (passenger) 6.8% / 8.9%
Burnie — Car (passenger): 6.8% Hillcrest — Car (passenger): 8.9%
Worked from Home 7.5% / 4.8%
Burnie — Worked from Home: 7.5% Hillcrest — Worked from Home: 4.8%
Bus — / 3.0%
Burnie — Bus: not among its largest Hillcrest — Bus: 3.0%
Bicycle 1.4% / —
Burnie — Bicycle: 1.4% Hillcrest — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (80.8%).

Setting

Burnie Hillcrest
Elevation 22 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 115 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 292 m
616 m to a named beach
 1.6 km
1.8 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Burnie Hillcrest
Connectivity score 58/100 68/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 23%
921 premises
 42%
522 premises

Climate

Burnie Hillcrest
Annual rainfall 929 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 21.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.8°C
same for both

Council rates

Burnie Hillcrest
Average residential rate $2,050/yr
same for both
Council Burnie
same for both

Federal electorate

Burnie Hillcrest
Division Braddon
same for both
Member Anne Urquhart
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Burnie Hillcrest
Grant amount $20,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Burnie

Beach Coastal Parks

Hillcrest

Affordable Coastal Large Blocks Parks Quiet River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Burnie

Burnie vs Park Grove Burnie vs Upper Burnie Burnie vs Montello Burnie vs Parklands Burnie vs South Burnie

Other comparisons with Hillcrest

Hillcrest vs Park Grove Hillcrest vs Shorewell Park Hillcrest vs Upper Burnie Hillcrest vs Acton Hillcrest vs Montello
Full data on Burnie Full data on Hillcrest
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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