Dairy Plains vs Western Creek

Dairy Plains is the younger of the two, with a median age of 33 against 50 in Western Creek. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Dairy Plains, most households are couple families. On these figures, Dairy Plains tends to suit families with children and couples.

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

Western Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (15% vs 54%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Dairy Plains

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (7% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($150/wk vs $300/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Dairy Plains

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (179 min vs 194 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (245.7 km vs 254.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

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

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, and walkability.

Investors

Western Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (10.3% vs -4.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Dairy Plains Western Creek
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.

Dairy Plains Western Creek
Walkability 0 / 0
Dairy Plains — Walkability: 0/100 Western Creek — Walkability: 0/100
Low fire risk 100 / 15
Dairy Plains — Low fire risk: 100/100 Western Creek — Low fire risk: 15/100

Demographics

Western Creek rents higher ($300/wk vs $150/wk); Western Creek has more residents (128 vs 66).

Dairy Plains Western Creek
Population 66 128
+94% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -4.3% +10.3%
Median age 33 50
Median household income $110,448/yr
+40% vs other
 $66,248/yr
Median weekly rent $150/wk $300/wk
+100% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Dairy Plains Western Creek
0-4 7.6% / 9.4%
Dairy Plains — 0-4: 7.6% Western Creek — 0-4: 9.4%
5-14 22.7% / 7.8%
Dairy Plains — 5-14: 22.7% Western Creek — 5-14: 7.8%
15-19 — / 2.3%
Dairy Plains — 15-19: not among its largest Western Creek — 15-19: 2.3%
20-24 — / 5.5%
Dairy Plains — 20-24: not among its largest Western Creek — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 16.7% / 9.4%
Dairy Plains — 25-34: 16.7% Western Creek — 25-34: 9.4%
35-44 13.6% / 10.9%
Dairy Plains — 35-44: 13.6% Western Creek — 35-44: 10.9%
45-54 15.2% / 14.8%
Dairy Plains — 45-54: 15.2% Western Creek — 45-54: 14.8%
55-64 7.6% / 18.8%
Dairy Plains — 55-64: 7.6% Western Creek — 55-64: 18.8%
65-74 9.1% / 15.6%
Dairy Plains — 65-74: 9.1% Western Creek — 65-74: 15.6%
75-84 7.6% / 3.1%
Dairy Plains — 75-84: 7.6% Western Creek — 75-84: 3.1%
85+ — / —
Dairy Plains — 85+: not among its largest Western Creek — 85+: not among its largest

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Dairy Plains 65.0% couple families
Dairy Plains — Couple Families: 65.0% Dairy Plains — Lone Person: 35.0% Dairy Plains — One Parent Families: 0.0%
Western Creek 41.9% couple families
Western Creek — Couple Families: 41.9% Western Creek — Lone Person: 32.3% Western Creek — One Parent Families: 25.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Dairy Plains 30.8% renting
Dairy Plains — Owned Outright: 42.3% Dairy Plains — Mortgage: 26.9% Dairy Plains — Renting: 30.8%
Western Creek 21.1% renting
Western Creek — Owned Outright: 50.0% Western Creek — Mortgage: 28.9% Western Creek — Renting: 21.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Dairy Plains Western Creek
Certificate III & IV 15.2% / 14.8%
Dairy Plains — Certificate III & IV: 15.2% Western Creek — Certificate III & IV: 14.8%
Bachelor Degree 15.2% / 14.1%
Dairy Plains — Bachelor Degree: 15.2% Western Creek — Bachelor Degree: 14.1%
Postgraduate Degree 10.6% / 2.3%
Dairy Plains — Postgraduate Degree: 10.6% Western Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.1% / 2.3%
Dairy Plains — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.1% Western Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.2%).

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.

Dairy Plains Western Creek
England — / 8.6%
Dairy Plains — England: not among its largest Western Creek — England: 8.6%
Malaysia 7.6% / —
Dairy Plains — Malaysia: 7.6% Western Creek — Malaysia: not among its largest
New Zealand 4.5% / 2.3%
Dairy Plains — New Zealand: 4.5% Western Creek — New Zealand: 2.3%
India 6.1% / —
Dairy Plains — India: 6.1% Western Creek — India: not among its largest
Brazil 4.5% / —
Dairy Plains — Brazil: 4.5% Western Creek — Brazil: not among its largest
Germany — / 3.9%
Dairy Plains — Germany: not among its largest Western Creek — Germany: 3.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Dairy Plains 100.0% houses
Dairy Plains — Houses: 100.0%
Western Creek 100.0% houses
Western Creek — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Property market

Dairy Plains Western Creek
Median house price — $640,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 69 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

Dairy Plains has more rural and farming land (100% vs 67%); Western Creek has more land zoned for conservation (33% vs 0%).

Dairy Plains Western Creek
Rural and farming 100% 67%
Environmental 0% 33%
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

Dairy Plains Western Creek
New dwellings approved 202
across Meander Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year +67%
same for both

Ranking within TAS

Dairy Plains Western Creek
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 94% of TAS Higher than 45% of TAS
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 51% of TAS Higher than 45% of TAS
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 59% of TAS
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 66% of TAS Higher than 32% of TAS

Liveability

Dairy Plains Western Creek
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
same for both

Risk profile

Western Creek carries more bushfire risk (85 vs 0).

Dairy Plains Western Creek
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
85/100
Crime Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Dairy Plains Western Creek
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Dairy Plains Western Creek
Waterways 2 1

Mobility

Western Creek sits further from the CBD (254.2 km vs 245.7 km).

Dairy Plains Western Creek
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Hobart 245.7 km 254.2 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 179 min 194 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 7304
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 32
postcode 7304
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.

Dairy Plains Western Creek
Car (driver) 64.5% / 65.8%
Dairy Plains — Car (driver): 64.5% Western Creek — Car (driver): 65.8%
Worked from Home 35.5% / 23.7%
Dairy Plains — Worked from Home: 35.5% Western Creek — Worked from Home: 23.7%
Walked Only — / 10.5%
Dairy Plains — Walked Only: not among its largest Western Creek — Walked Only: 10.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (65.8%).

Setting

Dairy Plains Western Creek
Elevation 270 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 371 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Dairy Plains Western Creek
Connectivity score 30/100 26/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
24 premises
 0%
47 premises

Climate

Dairy Plains Western Creek
Annual rainfall 720 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Dairy Plains Western Creek
Average residential rate $875/yr
same for both
Council Meander Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

Dairy Plains Western Creek
Division Lyons
same for both
Member Rebecca White
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Dairy Plains Western Creek
Grant amount $20,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Dairy Plains

Family Rural

Western Creek

Rural Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Dairy Plains

Dairy Plains vs Meander Dairy Plains vs Chudleigh Dairy Plains vs Caveside Dairy Plains vs Montana Dairy Plains vs Needles

Other comparisons with Western Creek

Western Creek vs Meander Western Creek vs Caveside
Full data on Dairy Plains Full data on Western Creek
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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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