Gunns Plains vs Preston

Gunns Plains is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 48 in Preston. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. On these figures, Gunns Plains tends to suit families with children.

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

Gunns Plains

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more parks and reserves (7 vs 2)

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

First-home buyers

Preston

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (17% vs 23%)

Weighs 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

Preston

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Preston

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (10/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Gunns Plains

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (14.0% vs -0.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Gunns Plains Preston
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.

Gunns Plains Preston
Walkability 0 / 10
Gunns Plains — Walkability: 0/100 Preston — Walkability: 10/100
Low fire risk 79 / 88
Gunns Plains — Low fire risk: 79/100 Preston — Low fire risk: 88/100

Demographics

Gunns Plains has more residents (195 vs 149); Gunns Plains has higher household incomes ($61,048 vs $48,932).

Gunns Plains Preston
Population 195
+24% vs other
 149
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +14.0% -0.7%
Median age 39 48
Median household income $61,048/yr
+20% vs other
 $48,932/yr
Median weekly rent $225/wk
+2% vs other
 $220/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Gunns Plains Preston
0-4 9.2% / 4.0%
Gunns Plains — 0-4: 9.2% Preston — 0-4: 4.0%
5-14 13.3% / 14.1%
Gunns Plains — 5-14: 13.3% Preston — 5-14: 14.1%
15-19 2.6% / 6.7%
Gunns Plains — 15-19: 2.6% Preston — 15-19: 6.7%
20-24 7.7% / 3.4%
Gunns Plains — 20-24: 7.7% Preston — 20-24: 3.4%
25-34 11.8% / 2.7%
Gunns Plains — 25-34: 11.8% Preston — 25-34: 2.7%
35-44 15.4% / 11.4%
Gunns Plains — 35-44: 15.4% Preston — 35-44: 11.4%
45-54 9.7% / 16.1%
Gunns Plains — 45-54: 9.7% Preston — 45-54: 16.1%
55-64 12.3% / 17.4%
Gunns Plains — 55-64: 12.3% Preston — 55-64: 17.4%
65-74 12.8% / 14.1%
Gunns Plains — 65-74: 12.8% Preston — 65-74: 14.1%
75-84 2.1% / 5.4%
Gunns Plains — 75-84: 2.1% Preston — 75-84: 5.4%
85+ 1.5% / —
Gunns Plains — 85+: 1.5% Preston — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Gunns Plains 41.5% lone person
Gunns Plains — Lone Person: 41.5% Gunns Plains — Couple Families: 36.6% Gunns Plains — One Parent Families: 22.0%
Preston 41.9% lone person
Preston — Lone Person: 41.9% Preston — Couple Families: 32.6% Preston — One Parent Families: 25.6%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Gunns Plains 24.7% renting
Gunns Plains — Owned Outright: 39.7% Gunns Plains — Mortgage: 35.6% Gunns Plains — Renting: 24.7%
Preston 20.8% renting
Preston — Owned Outright: 52.8% Preston — Mortgage: 26.4% Preston — Renting: 20.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Gunns Plains Preston
England 2.6% / 4.0%
Gunns Plains — England: 2.6% Preston — England: 4.0%
New Zealand 2.6% / 3.4%
Gunns Plains — New Zealand: 2.6% Preston — New Zealand: 3.4%
India 1.5% / —
Gunns Plains — India: 1.5% Preston — India: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.0%).

Qualifications

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

Gunns Plains Preston
Certificate III & IV 23.1% / 15.4%
Gunns Plains — Certificate III & IV: 23.1% Preston — Certificate III & IV: 15.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.7% / 7.4%
Gunns Plains — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7% Preston — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4%
Bachelor Degree 8.2% / 4.0%
Gunns Plains — Bachelor Degree: 8.2% Preston — Bachelor Degree: 4.0%
Postgraduate Degree 2.1% / —
Gunns Plains — Postgraduate Degree: 2.1% Preston — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.5% / —
Gunns Plains — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5% Preston — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Gunns Plains 89.0% houses
Gunns Plains — Houses: 89.0% Gunns Plains — Flats / Apartments: 11.0%
Preston 94.9% houses
Preston — Houses: 94.9% Preston — Flats / Apartments: 5.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Zoning mix

Gunns Plains has more land zoned for conservation (18% vs 0%); Preston has more rural and farming land (99% vs 82%).

Gunns Plains Preston
Rural and farming 82% 99%
Environmental 18% 0%
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

Gunns Plains Preston
New dwellings approved 84
across Central Coast (Tas.)
same for both
Approvals change year on year -38%
same for both

Ranking within TAS

Gunns Plains Preston
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 37% of TAS Higher than 19% of TAS
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 49% of TAS Higher than 77% of TAS
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 34% of TAS Higher than 35% of TAS
NBN connectivity Higher than 14% of TAS Higher than 34% of TAS

Liveability

Preston is more walkable (10 vs 0).

Gunns Plains Preston
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Gunns Plains Preston
Bushfire Low
21/100
 Low
12/100
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

Gunns Plains Preston
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

Gunns Plains Preston
Parks & reserves 7 2
Waterways 6 5

Mobility

Gunns Plains Preston
Walkability score 0/100 10/100
Distance to Hobart 319.8 km 318.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 228 min 226 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 7315
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 28
postcode 7315
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.

Gunns Plains Preston
Car (driver) 74.7% / 61.4%
Gunns Plains — Car (driver): 74.7% Preston — Car (driver): 61.4%
Worked from Home 21.5% / 38.6%
Gunns Plains — Worked from Home: 21.5% Preston — Worked from Home: 38.6%
Walked Only 3.8% / —
Gunns Plains — Walked Only: 3.8% Preston — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (74.7%).

Setting

Gunns Plains Preston
Elevation 117 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 367 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 19.4 km 18.7 km

NBN connectivity

Gunns Plains Preston
Connectivity score 15/100 27/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
84 premises
 0%
59 premises

Climate

Gunns Plains Preston
Annual rainfall 814 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Gunns Plains Preston
Average residential rate $1,379/yr
same for both
Council Central Coast (Tas.)
same for both

Federal electorate

Gunns Plains Preston
Division Braddon
same for both
Member Anne Urquhart
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Gunns Plains Preston
Grant amount $20,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Gunns Plains

Family Rural Young Families

Preston

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Gunns Plains

Gunns Plains vs North Motton Gunns Plains vs Riana Gunns Plains vs South Riana

Other comparisons with Preston

Preston vs Gawler Preston vs North Motton Preston vs Upper Castra
Full data on Gunns Plains Full data on Preston
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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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