Dolphin Sands vs Coles Bay

Coles Bay is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 64 in Dolphin Sands. In both, most households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Coles Bay: a median of $812,000, against $650,000 in Dolphin Sands, though rent is higher in Dolphin Sands. On these figures, Dolphin Sands tends to suit people living alone, older residents, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Coles Bay suits young adults.

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

Coles Bay

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (12 vs 2)
  • is already more of a family suburb (32% vs 18%)

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

First-home buyers

Coles Bay

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($200,000 vs $320,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 31%)
  • But Dolphin Sands has cheaper houses ($650,000 vs $812,500)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Coles Bay

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (36% vs 5%)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (19% vs 36%)
  • has cheaper rent ($260/wk vs $300/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Dolphin Sands

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (146.3 km vs 185.5 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (125 min vs 157 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Dolphin Sands

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (46% vs 24%)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, and walkability.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Dolphin Sands and Coles 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.

Dolphin Sands Coles 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.

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
Walkability 0 / 0
Dolphin Sands — Walkability: 0/100 Coles Bay — Walkability: 0/100
Low fire risk 52 / 48
Dolphin Sands — Low fire risk: 52/100 Coles Bay — Low fire risk: 48/100

Demographics

Coles Bay has more residents (515 vs 182); Dolphin Sands skews older (64 vs 38).

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
Population 182 515
+183% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +44.4% +45.9%
Median age 64 38
Median household income $42,744/yr $70,408/yr
+65% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+13% vs other
 $260/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
0-4 — / 3.3%
Dolphin Sands — 0-4: not among its largest Coles Bay — 0-4: 3.3%
5-14 4.9% / 3.9%
Dolphin Sands — 5-14: 4.9% Coles Bay — 5-14: 3.9%
15-19 — / 1.2%
Dolphin Sands — 15-19: not among its largest Coles Bay — 15-19: 1.2%
20-24 — / 5.6%
Dolphin Sands — 20-24: not among its largest Coles Bay — 20-24: 5.6%
25-34 3.3% / 30.5%
Dolphin Sands — 25-34: 3.3% Coles Bay — 25-34: 30.5%
35-44 4.9% / 13.8%
Dolphin Sands — 35-44: 4.9% Coles Bay — 35-44: 13.8%
45-54 8.2% / 8.0%
Dolphin Sands — 45-54: 8.2% Coles Bay — 45-54: 8.0%
55-64 29.7% / 9.9%
Dolphin Sands — 55-64: 29.7% Coles Bay — 55-64: 9.9%
65-74 35.2% / 15.1%
Dolphin Sands — 65-74: 35.2% Coles Bay — 65-74: 15.1%
75-84 8.8% / 8.0%
Dolphin Sands — 75-84: 8.8% Coles Bay — 75-84: 8.0%
85+ 2.2% / 0.6%
Dolphin Sands — 85+: 2.2% Coles Bay — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (35.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Dolphin Sands 81.6% lone person
Dolphin Sands — Lone Person: 81.6% Dolphin Sands — Couple Families: 10.5% Dolphin Sands — One Parent Families: 7.9% Dolphin Sands — Group Household: 0.0%
Coles Bay 61.8% lone person
Coles Bay — Lone Person: 61.8% Coles Bay — Couple Families: 28.1% Coles Bay — One Parent Families: 3.4% Coles Bay — Group Household: 6.7%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Dolphin Sands 5.3% renting
Dolphin Sands — Owned Outright: 73.3% Dolphin Sands — Mortgage: 21.3% Dolphin Sands — Renting: 5.3%
Coles Bay 35.6% renting
Coles Bay — Owned Outright: 43.6% Coles Bay — Mortgage: 20.8% Coles Bay — Renting: 35.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
Bachelor Degree 15.9% / 16.1%
Dolphin Sands — Bachelor Degree: 15.9% Coles Bay — Bachelor Degree: 16.1%
Certificate III & IV 11.5% / 15.5%
Dolphin Sands — Certificate III & IV: 11.5% Coles Bay — Certificate III & IV: 15.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 13.2% / 10.3%
Dolphin Sands — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 13.2% Coles Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.3%
Postgraduate Degree 1.6% / 8.3%
Dolphin Sands — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6% Coles Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 8.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 1.2%
Dolphin Sands — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Coles Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.1%).

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.

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
England 6.6% / 3.5%
Dolphin Sands — England: 6.6% Coles Bay — England: 3.5%
Nepal — / 10.1%
Dolphin Sands — Nepal: not among its largest Coles Bay — Nepal: 10.1%
Scotland 3.3% / —
Dolphin Sands — Scotland: 3.3% Coles Bay — Scotland: not among its largest
India — / 1.2%
Dolphin Sands — India: not among its largest Coles Bay — India: 1.2%
New Zealand — / 1.2%
Dolphin Sands — New Zealand: not among its largest Coles Bay — New Zealand: 1.2%
Germany — / 1.0%
Dolphin Sands — Germany: not among its largest Coles Bay — Germany: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (10.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Dolphin Sands 100.0% houses
Dolphin Sands — Houses: 100.0% Dolphin Sands — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Coles Bay 93.4% houses
Coles Bay — Houses: 93.4% Coles Bay — Flats / Apartments: 6.6%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
Median house price $650,000 $812,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $320,000 $200,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 45 days
from 9 sales

Zoning mix

Coles Bay has more land zoned for conservation (68% vs 8%); Dolphin Sands has more rural and farming land (51% vs 29%).

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
Environmental 8% 68%
Rural and farming 51% 29%
Other and special use 40% 0%
Residential 0% 1%
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

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
New dwellings approved 49
across Glamorgan-Spring Bay
same for both
Approvals change year on year -80%
same for both

Ranking within TAS

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 10% of TAS Higher than 55% of TAS
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 8% of TAS Higher than 39% of TAS
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 62% of TAS Higher than 50% of TAS
NBN connectivity Higher than 50% of TAS Higher than 44% of TAS

Liveability

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
Grade — C
Score — 48/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
Bushfire Moderate
48/100
 Moderate
52/100
Crime Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
77/100
 High
93/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
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

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 5
Parks & reserves 2 12
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 0 2

Mobility

Coles Bay sits further from the CBD (185.5 km vs 146.3 km).

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Hobart 146.3 km 185.5 km
+27% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 125 min 157 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 7190
 0.4%
postcode 7215
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 27
postcode 7190
 29
postcode 7215

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.

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
Car (driver) 69.4% / 60.0%
Dolphin Sands — Car (driver): 69.4% Coles Bay — Car (driver): 60.0%
Worked from Home 22.2% / 9.8%
Dolphin Sands — Worked from Home: 22.2% Coles Bay — Worked from Home: 9.8%
Walked Only 8.3% / 17.9%
Dolphin Sands — Walked Only: 8.3% Coles Bay — Walked Only: 17.9%
Car (passenger) — / 10.2%
Dolphin Sands — Car (passenger): not among its largest Coles Bay — Car (passenger): 10.2%
Bicycle — / 2.1%
Dolphin Sands — Bicycle: not among its largest Coles Bay — Bicycle: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (69.4%).

Setting

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
Elevation 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 58 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 372 m
1.6 km to a named beach
 3.0 km
3.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
Connectivity score 30/100 29/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
279 premises
 0%
669 premises

Climate

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
Annual rainfall 660 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 21.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.8°C
same for both

Council rates

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
Average residential rate $1,943/yr
same for both
Council Glamorgan-Spring Bay
same for both

Federal electorate

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
Division Lyons
same for both
Member Rebecca White
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Dolphin Sands Coles Bay
Grant amount $20,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Dolphin Sands

Coastal Retirees Rural

Coles Bay

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Dolphin Sands

Dolphin Sands vs Swansea Dolphin Sands vs Cranbrook

Other comparisons with Coles Bay

Coles Bay vs Cranbrook
Full data on Dolphin Sands Full data on Coles Bay
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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