Hobart vs West Hobart

Hobart is the younger of the two, with a median age of 31 against 38 in West Hobart. In Hobart, most households rent, most homes are flats or apartments, and most households are people living alone. In West Hobart, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. Houses cost more in West Hobart: a median of $995,000, against $875,000 in Hobart. Hobart is the city centre itself; West Hobart is 2.5 km out. On these figures, Hobart tends to suit renters, young adults, and people living alone.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Hobart has more childcare (8 vs 1)
  • West Hobart has more separate houses rather than flats (76% vs 19%)

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

First-home buyers

West Hobart

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($607,500 vs $892,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (22% vs 29%)
  • But Hobart has cheaper houses ($875,000 vs $995,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Hobart has a bigger rental market to choose from (71% vs 35%)
  • West Hobart leaves renters under less rental stress (20% vs 26%)

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

Commuting to the city

Hobart

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (0 min vs 7 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (0 km vs 2.5 km)
  • is more walkable (95/100 vs 73/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Hobart

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (7 vs 1)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (81% vs 24%)
  • is more walkable (95/100 vs 73/100)

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

Investors

Hobart

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • returns a higher gross yield on units (4.3% vs 2.7%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (3.8% vs 3.3%)

Weighs house yield and unit yield.

Where they sit

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

Hobart West Hobart
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.

Hobart West Hobart
Walkability 95 / 73
Hobart — Walkability: 95/100 West Hobart — Walkability: 73/100
Low fire risk 100 / 2
Hobart — Low fire risk: 100/100 West Hobart — Low fire risk: 2/100

Demographics

West Hobart has more residents (6,525 vs 3,390); West Hobart has higher household incomes ($103,792 vs $76,128).

Hobart West Hobart
Population 3,390 6,525
+92% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) — +9.6%
Median age 31 38
Median household income $76,128/yr $103,792/yr
+36% vs other
Median weekly rent $380/wk $400/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Hobart West Hobart
0-4 2.2% / 4.0%
Hobart — 0-4: 2.2% West Hobart — 0-4: 4.0%
5-14 2.9% / 9.8%
Hobart — 5-14: 2.9% West Hobart — 5-14: 9.8%
15-19 5.1% / 5.6%
Hobart — 15-19: 5.1% West Hobart — 15-19: 5.6%
20-24 16.9% / 6.4%
Hobart — 20-24: 16.9% West Hobart — 20-24: 6.4%
25-34 31.7% / 19.1%
Hobart — 25-34: 31.7% West Hobart — 25-34: 19.1%
35-44 11.8% / 12.1%
Hobart — 35-44: 11.8% West Hobart — 35-44: 12.1%
45-54 7.9% / 13.9%
Hobart — 45-54: 7.9% West Hobart — 45-54: 13.9%
55-64 7.7% / 13.3%
Hobart — 55-64: 7.7% West Hobart — 55-64: 13.3%
65-74 7.0% / 9.6%
Hobart — 65-74: 7.0% West Hobart — 65-74: 9.6%
75-84 4.1% / 4.6%
Hobart — 75-84: 4.1% West Hobart — 75-84: 4.6%
85+ 2.8% / 1.4%
Hobart — 85+: 2.8% West Hobart — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (31.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Hobart 56.4% lone person
Hobart — Lone Person: 56.4% Hobart — Couple Families: 11.3% Hobart — Group Household: 22.0% Hobart — One Parent Families: 8.4% Hobart — Other Families: 2.0%
West Hobart 40.0% lone person
West Hobart — Lone Person: 40.0% West Hobart — Couple Families: 34.0% West Hobart — Group Household: 12.3% West Hobart — One Parent Families: 12.0% West Hobart — Other Families: 1.7%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Hobart 71.2% renting
Hobart — Owned Outright: 16.7% Hobart — Mortgage: 12.1% Hobart — Renting: 71.2%
West Hobart 35.1% renting
West Hobart — Owned Outright: 34.9% West Hobart — Mortgage: 30.0% West Hobart — Renting: 35.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Hobart West Hobart
Bachelor Degree 22.8% / 25.6%
Hobart — Bachelor Degree: 22.8% West Hobart — Bachelor Degree: 25.6%
Postgraduate Degree 15.7% / 14.2%
Hobart — Postgraduate Degree: 15.7% West Hobart — Postgraduate Degree: 14.2%
Certificate III & IV 6.3% / 7.5%
Hobart — Certificate III & IV: 6.3% West Hobart — Certificate III & IV: 7.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.8% / 7.0%
Hobart — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.8% West Hobart — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.9% / 4.7%
Hobart — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9% West Hobart — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.6%).

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.

Hobart West Hobart
China 10.0% / 2.3%
Hobart — China: 10.0% West Hobart — China: 2.3%
England 2.9% / 4.7%
Hobart — England: 2.9% West Hobart — England: 4.7%
India 2.8% / 1.4%
Hobart — India: 2.8% West Hobart — India: 1.4%
Nepal 2.2% / 1.5%
Hobart — Nepal: 2.2% West Hobart — Nepal: 1.5%
Vietnam 1.4% / 0.8%
Hobart — Vietnam: 1.4% West Hobart — Vietnam: 0.8%
New Zealand — / 1.2%
Hobart — New Zealand: not among its largest West Hobart — New Zealand: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (10.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Hobart 18.6% houses
Hobart — Houses: 18.6% Hobart — Flats / Apartments: 66.6% Hobart — Townhouses: 14.8%
West Hobart 75.9% houses
West Hobart — Houses: 75.9% West Hobart — Flats / Apartments: 17.6% West Hobart — Townhouses: 6.5%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Hobart West Hobart
Median house price $875,000 $995,000
Median unit price $892,000 $607,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 25 days
from 8 sales
 28 days
from 63 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.

Hobart West Hobart
1 bed $517K / $436K
Hobart — 1 bed: $517K (15 sales) West Hobart — 1 bed: $436K (11 sales)

15 vs 11 sales

2 bed $890K / $700K
Hobart — 2 bed: $890K (39 sales) West Hobart — 2 bed: $700K (9 sales)

39 vs 9 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.

Hobart West Hobart
2 bed $850K / $828K
Hobart — 2 bed: $850K (5 sales) West Hobart — 2 bed: $828K (22 sales)

5 vs 22 sales

3 bed $960K / $958K
Hobart — 3 bed: $960K (13 sales) West Hobart — 3 bed: $958K (64 sales)

13 vs 64 sales

4 bed $960K / $1.19M
Hobart — 4 bed: $960K (9 sales) West Hobart — 4 bed: $1.19M (34 sales)

9 vs 34 sales

Zoning mix

West Hobart has more land zoned for conservation (41% vs 0%); Hobart has more commercially zoned land (33% vs 0%).

Hobart West Hobart
Residential 17% 52%
Environmental 0% 41%
Commercial 33% 0%
Other and special use 22% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 19% 2%
Industrial 6% 0%
Rural and farming 0% 4%
Parks and recreation 3% 2%
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

Hobart West Hobart
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.

Hobart West Hobart
Houses 3.8%
$695/wk on $950K
 3.3%
$730/wk on $1.15M
Units 4.3%
$660/wk on $808K
 2.7%
$498/wk on $975K

Ranking within TAS

Hobart West Hobart
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 67% of TAS Higher than 92% of TAS
Schools Higher than 24% of TAS —
Walkability Higher than 100% of TAS Higher than 97% of TAS
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 98% of TAS
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 93% of TAS Higher than 100% of TAS
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 27% of TAS Higher than 14% of TAS
Rental yield (units) Higher than 39% of TAS Higher than 4% of TAS

Liveability

Hobart is more walkable (95 vs 73); Hobart scores higher overall (71 vs 64).

Hobart West Hobart
Grade A
same for both
Score 71/100 64/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

West Hobart carries more bushfire risk (98 vs 0).

Hobart West Hobart
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
98/100
Crime Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
18/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 12
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Hobart West Hobart
Inside the suburb 6 2
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Hobart, 3.5 km
 1
Hobart, 4.3 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 12.4% 2.8%

Schools in Hobart

  • St Mary's College Catholic · Combined at peers
  • Elizabeth College Government · Secondary
  • Guilford Young College - Hobart Campus Catholic · Secondary
  • St Michael's Collegiate School Independent · Combined
  • St Michael's Collegiate School - Middle School Campus Independent · Combined
  • St Virgil's College - St Virgil's Junior School Catholic · Primary

Schools in West Hobart

  • Lansdowne Crescent Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Goulburn Street Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Hobart West Hobart
Supermarkets 2 1
Cafes & restaurants 126 4
Parks & reserves 11 7
Childcare 8 1
GPs 7 1
Pharmacies 9 1
Hospitals 3 0
Police stations 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 10 1
Fuel stations 1 0
EV chargers 6 0
Waterways 4 2

Mobility

West Hobart sits further from the CBD (2.5 km vs 0 km).

Hobart West Hobart
Walkability score 95/100 73/100
Distance to Hobart 0 km 2.5 km
(not reported on the other side)
Drive time (normal traffic) 0 min 7 min
Public transport score 94/100
Bus
 91/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 376.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 39.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 2.5%
postcode 7000
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 19
postcode 7000
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.

Hobart West Hobart
Car (driver) 31.6% / 45.6%
Hobart — Car (driver): 31.6% West Hobart — Car (driver): 45.6%
Walked Only 48.6% / 27.4%
Hobart — Walked Only: 48.6% West Hobart — Walked Only: 27.4%
Worked from Home 9.8% / 13.0%
Hobart — Worked from Home: 9.8% West Hobart — Worked from Home: 13.0%
Car (passenger) 2.5% / 7.3%
Hobart — Car (passenger): 2.5% West Hobart — Car (passenger): 7.3%
Bus 6.5% / 3.0%
Hobart — Bus: 6.5% West Hobart — Bus: 3.0%
Bicycle 0.8% / 3.6%
Hobart — Bicycle: 0.8% West Hobart — Bicycle: 3.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (48.6%).

Setting

Hobart West Hobart
Elevation 23 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 206 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 924 m
1.5 km to a named beach
 2.7 km
2.7 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Hobart West Hobart
Connectivity score 97/100 100/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 91%
5,214 premises
 100%
3,110 premises

Climate

Hobart West Hobart
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

Hobart West Hobart
Average residential rate $2,818/yr
same for both
Council Hobart
same for both

Federal electorate

Hobart West Hobart
Division Clark
same for both
Member Andrew Wilkie
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Hobart West Hobart
Grant amount $20,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Hobart

Apartments Coastal Easy Commute Inner Luxury Multicultural Parks Professionals River Students Transport Hub

West Hobart

Coastal Easy Commute Inner Parks Premium Professionals River Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Hobart

Hobart vs Sandy Bay Hobart vs South Hobart Hobart vs North Hobart Hobart vs Battery Point Hobart vs Glebe

Other comparisons with West Hobart

West Hobart vs Lenah Valley West Hobart vs South Hobart West Hobart vs North Hobart West Hobart vs Mount Stuart
Full data on Hobart Full data on West Hobart
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or