North Motton vs Penguin

North Motton is the younger of the two, with a median age of 44 against 47 in Penguin. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In North Motton, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in North Motton: a median of $735,000, against $632,000 in Penguin. On these figures, North Motton tends to suit couples, while Penguin suits 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

Penguin

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (9 vs 5)
  • But North Motton is already more of a family suburb (69% vs 53%)

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

First-home buyers

Penguin

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($632,000 vs $735,000)

Weighs house prices and 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

North Motton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (308.2 km vs 310.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Penguin

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 16%)

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

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

North Motton Penguin
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.

North Motton Penguin
Walkability 0 / 0
North Motton — Walkability: 0/100 Penguin — Walkability: 0/100
Low fire risk 83 / 85
North Motton — Low fire risk: 83/100 Penguin — Low fire risk: 85/100

Demographics

Penguin has more residents (4,132 vs 425); Penguin skews older (47 vs 44).

North Motton Penguin
Population 425 4,132
+872% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.9% +7.4%
Median age 44 47
Median household income $70,564/yr
+4% vs other
 $67,652/yr
Median weekly rent $265/wk
+2% vs other
 $260/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

North Motton Penguin
0-4 5.6% / 4.2%
North Motton — 0-4: 5.6% Penguin — 0-4: 4.2%
5-14 8.9% / 11.9%
North Motton — 5-14: 8.9% Penguin — 5-14: 11.9%
15-19 6.8% / 5.8%
North Motton — 15-19: 6.8% Penguin — 15-19: 5.8%
20-24 6.6% / 4.5%
North Motton — 20-24: 6.6% Penguin — 20-24: 4.5%
25-34 11.5% / 10.4%
North Motton — 25-34: 11.5% Penguin — 25-34: 10.4%
35-44 10.1% / 10.4%
North Motton — 35-44: 10.1% Penguin — 35-44: 10.4%
45-54 15.1% / 13.6%
North Motton — 45-54: 15.1% Penguin — 45-54: 13.6%
55-64 18.4% / 15.7%
North Motton — 55-64: 18.4% Penguin — 55-64: 15.7%
65-74 10.1% / 12.8%
North Motton — 65-74: 10.1% Penguin — 65-74: 12.8%
75-84 4.9% / 7.8%
North Motton — 75-84: 4.9% Penguin — 75-84: 7.8%
85+ 1.2% / 2.9%
North Motton — 85+: 1.2% Penguin — 85+: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

North Motton 59.3% couple families
North Motton — Couple Families: 59.3% North Motton — Lone Person: 30.8% North Motton — One Parent Families: 9.9% North Motton — Group Household: 0.0% North Motton — Other Families: 0.0%
Penguin 36.5% couple families
Penguin — Couple Families: 36.5% Penguin — Lone Person: 43.9% Penguin — One Parent Families: 16.3% Penguin — Group Household: 2.8% Penguin — Other Families: 0.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

North Motton 12.7% renting
North Motton — Owned Outright: 44.4% North Motton — Mortgage: 43.0% North Motton — Renting: 12.7%
Penguin 21.9% renting
Penguin — Owned Outright: 41.1% Penguin — Mortgage: 37.1% Penguin — Renting: 21.9%
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.

North Motton Penguin
England 4.2% / 4.1%
North Motton — England: 4.2% Penguin — England: 4.1%
New Zealand 0.9% / 1.3%
North Motton — New Zealand: 0.9% Penguin — New Zealand: 1.3%
Netherlands 0.9% / 0.7%
North Motton — Netherlands: 0.9% Penguin — Netherlands: 0.7%
Scotland — / 0.6%
North Motton — Scotland: not among its largest Penguin — Scotland: 0.6%
Philippines — / 0.5%
North Motton — Philippines: not among its largest Penguin — Philippines: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.2%).

Qualifications

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

North Motton Penguin
Certificate III & IV 22.6% / 19.4%
North Motton — Certificate III & IV: 22.6% Penguin — Certificate III & IV: 19.4%
Bachelor Degree 4.9% / 9.7%
North Motton — Bachelor Degree: 4.9% Penguin — Bachelor Degree: 9.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.6% / 6.8%
North Motton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.6% Penguin — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.8%
Postgraduate Degree 1.4% / 2.6%
North Motton — Postgraduate Degree: 1.4% Penguin — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / 1.7%
North Motton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% Penguin — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

North Motton 100.0% houses
North Motton — Houses: 100.0% North Motton — Townhouses: 0.0% North Motton — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Penguin 90.5% houses
Penguin — Houses: 90.5% Penguin — Townhouses: 6.6% Penguin — Flats / Apartments: 2.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

North Motton Penguin
Median house price $735,000 $632,000
Median unit price — $537,000
Median land price — $246,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 57 days
from 73 sales

Zoning mix

North Motton Penguin
Rural and farming 77% 70%
Environmental 23% 20%
Residential 0% 6%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 2%
Parks and recreation 0% 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

North Motton Penguin
New dwellings approved 84
across Central Coast (Tas.)
same for both
Approvals change year on year -38%
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.

North Motton Penguin
Houses — 3.3%
$505/wk on $795K
Units — 3.7%
$350/wk on $495K

Ranking within TAS

North Motton Penguin
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 55% of TAS Higher than 49% of TAS
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 21% of TAS Higher than 50% of TAS
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 34% of TAS Higher than 70% of TAS
NBN connectivity Higher than 36% of TAS Higher than 79% of TAS
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 14% of TAS
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 12% of TAS

Liveability

North Motton Penguin
Grade — C
Score — 46/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
same for both

Risk profile

North Motton Penguin
Bushfire Low
17/100
 Low
15/100
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

North Motton Penguin
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in North Motton

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Penguin

  • North West Christian School Independent · Combined at peers
  • Penguin District School Government · Combined at peers

Amenities in the suburb

North Motton Penguin
Supermarkets 0 3
Cafes & restaurants 0 4
Parks & reserves 5 9
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 2
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 10 26

Mobility

Penguin sits further from the CBD (310.6 km vs 308.2 km).

North Motton Penguin
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Hobart 308.2 km 310.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 217 min 215 min
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 7315
 0.7%
postcode 7316
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 28
postcode 7315
 31
postcode 7316

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.

North Motton Penguin
Car (driver) 83.2% / 84.2%
North Motton — Car (driver): 83.2% Penguin — Car (driver): 84.2%
Worked from Home 9.5% / 8.4%
North Motton — Worked from Home: 9.5% Penguin — Worked from Home: 8.4%
Car (passenger) 5.8% / 4.1%
North Motton — Car (passenger): 5.8% Penguin — Car (passenger): 4.1%
Walked Only 1.6% / 2.3%
North Motton — Walked Only: 1.6% Penguin — Walked Only: 2.3%
Bus — / 1.0%
North Motton — Bus: not among its largest Penguin — Bus: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (84.2%).

Setting

North Motton Penguin
Elevation 141 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 136 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.2 km 3.1 km
3.2 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

North Motton Penguin
Connectivity score 28/100 57/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
185 premises
 25%
2,060 premises

Climate

North Motton Penguin
Annual rainfall 814 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

North Motton Penguin
Average residential rate $1,379/yr
same for both
Council Central Coast (Tas.)
same for both

Federal electorate

North Motton Penguin
Division Braddon
same for both
Member Anne Urquhart
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

North Motton Penguin
Grant amount $20,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

North Motton

Rural

Penguin

Acreage

More comparisons

Other comparisons with North Motton

North Motton vs West Ulverstone North Motton vs Gawler North Motton vs Riana North Motton vs Gunns Plains North Motton vs Preston

Other comparisons with Penguin

Penguin vs West Ulverstone Penguin vs Sulphur Creek Penguin vs Riana Penguin vs West Pine Penguin vs Preservation Bay
Full data on North Motton Full data on Penguin
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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