Mount Nelson vs Ridgeway

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Ridgeway, most households are couple families. On these figures, Mount Nelson tends to suit people living alone, while Ridgeway suits 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

Ridgeway

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (80% vs 54%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (101% vs 81%)
  • But Mount Nelson has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

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

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Mount Nelson

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (29% vs 17%)
  • has cheaper rent ($320/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Mount Nelson

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (61/100 vs 16/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Mount Nelson

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (61/100 vs 16/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (19% vs 12%)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, and walkability.

Investors

Ridgeway

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (26.9% vs 10.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
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.

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Walkability 61 / 16
Mount Nelson — Walkability: 61/100 Ridgeway — Walkability: 16/100
Low fire risk 3 / 3
Mount Nelson — Low fire risk: 3/100 Ridgeway — Low fire risk: 3/100

Demographics

Mount Nelson has more residents (2,749 vs 222); Ridgeway has higher household incomes ($132,860 vs $87,724).

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Population 2,749
+92% vs other
 222
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +10.2% +26.9%
Median age 40 41
Median household income $87,724/yr $132,860/yr
+51% vs other
Median weekly rent $320/wk $400/wk
+25% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
0-4 4.8% / 4.1%
Mount Nelson — 0-4: 4.8% Ridgeway — 0-4: 4.1%
5-14 12.5% / 25.7%
Mount Nelson — 5-14: 12.5% Ridgeway — 5-14: 25.7%
15-19 5.6% / 4.1%
Mount Nelson — 15-19: 5.6% Ridgeway — 15-19: 4.1%
20-24 6.0% / 1.4%
Mount Nelson — 20-24: 6.0% Ridgeway — 20-24: 1.4%
25-34 13.3% / 6.8%
Mount Nelson — 25-34: 13.3% Ridgeway — 25-34: 6.8%
35-44 13.7% / 16.2%
Mount Nelson — 35-44: 13.7% Ridgeway — 35-44: 16.2%
45-54 13.3% / 15.3%
Mount Nelson — 45-54: 13.3% Ridgeway — 45-54: 15.3%
55-64 11.7% / 11.7%
Mount Nelson — 55-64: 11.7% Ridgeway — 55-64: 11.7%
65-74 12.5% / 9.5%
Mount Nelson — 65-74: 12.5% Ridgeway — 65-74: 9.5%
75-84 5.2% / 1.4%
Mount Nelson — 75-84: 5.2% Ridgeway — 75-84: 1.4%
85+ 1.6% / 1.4%
Mount Nelson — 85+: 1.6% Ridgeway — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Mount Nelson 39.0% couple families
Mount Nelson — Couple Families: 39.0% Mount Nelson — Lone Person: 37.8% Mount Nelson — One Parent Families: 15.1% Mount Nelson — Group Household: 6.1% Mount Nelson — Other Families: 1.9%
Ridgeway 69.6% couple families
Ridgeway — Couple Families: 69.6% Ridgeway — Lone Person: 19.6% Ridgeway — One Parent Families: 10.9% Ridgeway — Group Household: 0.0% Ridgeway — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Mount Nelson 28.6% renting
Mount Nelson — Owned Outright: 40.2% Mount Nelson — Mortgage: 31.2% Mount Nelson — Renting: 28.6%
Ridgeway 16.7% renting
Ridgeway — Owned Outright: 40.9% Ridgeway — Mortgage: 42.4% Ridgeway — Renting: 16.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Bachelor Degree 21.9% / 21.2%
Mount Nelson — Bachelor Degree: 21.9% Ridgeway — Bachelor Degree: 21.2%
Postgraduate Degree 14.7% / 10.8%
Mount Nelson — Postgraduate Degree: 14.7% Ridgeway — Postgraduate Degree: 10.8%
Certificate III & IV 7.0% / 11.7%
Mount Nelson — Certificate III & IV: 7.0% Ridgeway — Certificate III & IV: 11.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.7% / 2.3%
Mount Nelson — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7% Ridgeway — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 2.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.7% / 4.5%
Mount Nelson — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.7% Ridgeway — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.9%).

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.

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
England 4.0% / 8.1%
Mount Nelson — England: 4.0% Ridgeway — England: 8.1%
China 5.1% / 2.3%
Mount Nelson — China: 5.1% Ridgeway — China: 2.3%
Germany — / 3.6%
Mount Nelson — Germany: not among its largest Ridgeway — Germany: 3.6%
Scotland 0.7% / 1.8%
Mount Nelson — Scotland: 0.7% Ridgeway — Scotland: 1.8%
New Zealand 1.2% / —
Mount Nelson — New Zealand: 1.2% Ridgeway — New Zealand: not among its largest
South Africa 0.9% / —
Mount Nelson — South Africa: 0.9% Ridgeway — South Africa: not among its largest
India 0.9% / —
Mount Nelson — India: 0.9% Ridgeway — India: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Mount Nelson 81.4% houses
Mount Nelson — Houses: 81.4% Mount Nelson — Townhouses: 14.0% Mount Nelson — Flats / Apartments: 4.5%
Ridgeway 101.4% houses
Ridgeway — Houses: 101.4% Ridgeway — Townhouses: 0.0% Ridgeway — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Median house price $950,000 —
Median unit price $475,000 —
Median land price $504,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 16 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Ridgeway has more land zoned for conservation (85% vs 40%).

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Environmental 40% 85%
Residential 30% 0%
Rural and farming 13% 11%
Infrastructure and transport 12% 2%
Other and special use 5% 0%
Parks and recreation 1% 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

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
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.

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Houses 3.6%
$680/wk on $995K
 —
Units 5.6%
$460/wk on $430K
 —

Ranking within TAS

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 80% of TAS Higher than 99% of TAS
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 95% of TAS Higher than 82% of TAS
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 100% of TAS Higher than 96% of TAS
NBN connectivity Higher than 95% of TAS Higher than 64% of TAS
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 21% of TAS —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 90% of TAS —

Liveability

Mount Nelson is more walkable (61 vs 16).

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Grade B —
Score 61/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Bushfire High
97/100
same for both
Crime Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Hobart, 1.6 km
 1
Hobart, 4.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.1% 1.8%

Schools in Mount Nelson

  • Mount Nelson Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Hobart College Government · Secondary

Schools in Ridgeway

  • St Michael's Collegiate School - Sports Campus Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 2
same for both
Childcare 1 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Waterways 0 4

Mobility

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Walkability score 61/100 16/100
Distance to Hobart 7.2 km
+1% vs other
 7.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 13 min 16 min
Public transport score 92/100
Bus
 23/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 45.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 1.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 30 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 3.2%
postcode 7007
 2.0%
postcode 7054
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 33
postcode 7007
 41
postcode 7054

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.

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Car (driver) 67.8% / 78.7%
Mount Nelson — Car (driver): 67.8% Ridgeway — Car (driver): 78.7%
Worked from Home 13.4% / 9.3%
Mount Nelson — Worked from Home: 13.4% Ridgeway — Worked from Home: 9.3%
Car (passenger) 7.7% / 5.3%
Mount Nelson — Car (passenger): 7.7% Ridgeway — Car (passenger): 5.3%
Bicycle 1.5% / 6.7%
Mount Nelson — Bicycle: 1.5% Ridgeway — Bicycle: 6.7%
Bus 5.8% / —
Mount Nelson — Bus: 5.8% Ridgeway — Bus: not among its largest
Walked Only 3.7% / —
Mount Nelson — Walked Only: 3.7% Ridgeway — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.7%).

Setting

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Elevation 300 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 317 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.2 km
2.2 km to a named beach
 4.3 km
4.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Connectivity score 100/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
1,228 premises
 0%
74 premises

Climate

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Annual rainfall 559 mm —
Summer max (Jan) 22.4°C —
Winter min (Jul) 5.6°C —

Council rates

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Average residential rate $2,818/yr
same for both
Council Hobart
same for both

Federal electorate

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Division Clark
same for both
Member Andrew Wilkie
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Mount Nelson Ridgeway
Grant amount $20,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Mount Nelson

Coastal Easy Commute Inner Premium Professionals Quiet Transport Hub

Ridgeway

Family Inner Professionals River

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Mount Nelson

Mount Nelson vs Sandy Bay Mount Nelson vs Kingston Mount Nelson vs Taroona Mount Nelson vs Dynnyrne Mount Nelson vs Tolmans Hill

Other comparisons with Ridgeway

Ridgeway vs Kingston Ridgeway vs South Hobart Ridgeway vs Dynnyrne Ridgeway vs Fern Tree Ridgeway vs Tolmans Hill
Full data on Mount Nelson Full data on Ridgeway
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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