Old Beach vs Otago

Old Beach is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 51 in Otago. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Old Beach, about half of households are couple families. In Otago, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Otago: a median of $1 million, against $720,000 in Old Beach, and rent is higher there too. Otago is closer to the city centre: 13.1 km, against 19.4 km. On these figures, Old Beach tends to suit families with children and buyers on a tighter budget, while Otago suits couples and older residents.

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

First-home buyers

Old Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($720,000 vs $1,005,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Old Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($400/wk vs $455/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Otago

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (22/100 vs 0/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (13.1 km vs 19.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Otago

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (22/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (27% vs 18%)

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

Investors

Old Beach

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (16.3% vs 7.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Old Beach Otago
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.

Old Beach Otago
Walkability 0 / 22
Old Beach — Walkability: 0/100 Otago — Walkability: 22/100
Low fire risk 7 / 55
Old Beach — Low fire risk: 7/100 Otago — Low fire risk: 55/100

Demographics

Old Beach has more residents (4,394 vs 596); Otago skews older (51 vs 40).

Old Beach Otago
Population 4,394
+86% vs other
 596
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +16.3% +7.6%
Median age 40 51
Median household income $96,980/yr $100,724/yr
+4% vs other
Median weekly rent $400/wk $455/wk
+14% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Old Beach Otago
0-4 6.1% / 3.9%
Old Beach — 0-4: 6.1% Otago — 0-4: 3.9%
5-14 12.8% / 9.9%
Old Beach — 5-14: 12.8% Otago — 5-14: 9.9%
15-19 4.5% / 7.0%
Old Beach — 15-19: 4.5% Otago — 15-19: 7.0%
20-24 5.5% / 6.2%
Old Beach — 20-24: 5.5% Otago — 20-24: 6.2%
25-34 13.3% / 5.7%
Old Beach — 25-34: 13.3% Otago — 25-34: 5.7%
35-44 14.0% / 8.7%
Old Beach — 35-44: 14.0% Otago — 35-44: 8.7%
45-54 12.7% / 12.4%
Old Beach — 45-54: 12.7% Otago — 45-54: 12.4%
55-64 12.8% / 18.6%
Old Beach — 55-64: 12.8% Otago — 55-64: 18.6%
65-74 11.1% / 17.3%
Old Beach — 65-74: 11.1% Otago — 65-74: 17.3%
75-84 5.5% / 7.9%
Old Beach — 75-84: 5.5% Otago — 75-84: 7.9%
85+ 1.6% / 1.3%
Old Beach — 85+: 1.6% Otago — 85+: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Old Beach 52.3% couple families
Old Beach — Couple Families: 52.3% Old Beach — Lone Person: 27.9% Old Beach — One Parent Families: 15.5% Old Beach — Group Household: 3.6% Old Beach — Other Families: 0.6%
Otago 63.6% couple families
Otago — Couple Families: 63.6% Otago — Lone Person: 21.8% Otago — One Parent Families: 9.1% Otago — Group Household: 5.5% Otago — 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.

Old Beach 11.9% renting
Old Beach — Owned Outright: 35.7% Old Beach — Mortgage: 52.4% Old Beach — Renting: 11.9%
Otago 4.5% renting
Otago — Owned Outright: 55.0% Otago — Mortgage: 40.5% Otago — Renting: 4.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Old Beach Otago
Certificate III & IV 20.0% / 14.8%
Old Beach — Certificate III & IV: 20.0% Otago — Certificate III & IV: 14.8%
Bachelor Degree 9.2% / 12.6%
Old Beach — Bachelor Degree: 9.2% Otago — Bachelor Degree: 12.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.1% / 6.9%
Old Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.1% Otago — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9%
Postgraduate Degree 2.8% / 4.9%
Old Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 2.8% Otago — Postgraduate Degree: 4.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 2.2%
Old Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Otago — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.0%).

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.

Old Beach Otago
England 2.8% / 3.7%
Old Beach — England: 2.8% Otago — England: 3.7%
New Zealand 0.7% / 1.3%
Old Beach — New Zealand: 0.7% Otago — New Zealand: 1.3%
Italy — / 1.3%
Old Beach — Italy: not among its largest Otago — Italy: 1.3%
Germany — / 1.3%
Old Beach — Germany: not among its largest Otago — Germany: 1.3%
India 0.5% / 0.7%
Old Beach — India: 0.5% Otago — India: 0.7%
Malaysia — / 1.0%
Old Beach — Malaysia: not among its largest Otago — Malaysia: 1.0%
Philippines 0.5% / —
Old Beach — Philippines: 0.5% Otago — Philippines: not among its largest
South Africa 0.4% / —
Old Beach — South Africa: 0.4% Otago — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Old Beach 89.9% houses
Old Beach — Houses: 89.9% Old Beach — Flats / Apartments: 9.0% Old Beach — Townhouses: 1.2%
Otago 98.1% houses
Otago — Houses: 98.1% Otago — Flats / Apartments: 1.9% Otago — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Old Beach Otago
Median house price $720,000 $1,005,000
Median unit price $595,000 —
Median land price $255,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 30 days
from 65 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Old Beach has more rural and farming land (59% vs 36%).

Old Beach Otago
Rural and farming 59% 36%
Parks and recreation 4% 38%
Environmental 22% 16%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 10%
Residential 9% 0%
Other and special use 5% 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

Old Beach Otago
New dwellings approved 153
across Brighton
 291
across Clarence
Approvals change year on year -10% +0%

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.

Old Beach Otago
Houses 4.5%
$680/wk on $790K
 —
Units 5.7%
$690/wk on $625K
 —

Ranking within TAS

Old Beach Otago
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 88% of TAS Higher than 90% of TAS
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 63% of TAS Higher than 85% of TAS
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 76% of TAS Higher than 75% of TAS
NBN connectivity Higher than 83% of TAS Higher than 95% of TAS
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 65% of TAS —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 96% of TAS —

Liveability

Otago is more walkable (22 vs 0); Otago scores higher overall (68 vs 45).

Old Beach Otago
Grade C A
Score 45/100 68/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Old Beach carries more bushfire risk (93 vs 45).

Old Beach Otago
Bushfire High
93/100
 Moderate
45/100
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 2
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Old Beach Otago
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

Old Beach Otago
Parks & reserves 4 5
Waterways 14 0

Mobility

Old Beach sits further from the CBD (19.4 km vs 13.1 km).

Old Beach Otago
Walkability score 0/100 22/100
Distance to Hobart 19.4 km
+32% vs other
 13.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 23 min 19 min
Public transport score 92/100
Bus
 71/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 50.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 22.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 7017
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 44
postcode 7017
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.

Old Beach Otago
Car (driver) 84.3% / 79.4%
Old Beach — Car (driver): 84.3% Otago — Car (driver): 79.4%
Worked from Home 7.1% / 10.7%
Old Beach — Worked from Home: 7.1% Otago — Worked from Home: 10.7%
Car (passenger) 5.4% / 4.8%
Old Beach — Car (passenger): 5.4% Otago — Car (passenger): 4.8%
Bus 2.9% / 2.4%
Old Beach — Bus: 2.9% Otago — Bus: 2.4%
Walked Only 0.3% / 1.6%
Old Beach — Walked Only: 0.3% Otago — Walked Only: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (84.3%).

Setting

Old Beach Otago
Elevation 88 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 214 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 8.1 km
4.9 km to a named beach
 4.0 km
3.0 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Old Beach Otago
Connectivity score 65/100 100/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 39%
1,979 premises
 100%
244 premises

Climate

Old Beach Otago
Annual rainfall 507 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Old Beach Otago
Average residential rate $1,772/yr $2,189/yr
Council Brighton Clarence

Federal electorate

Old Beach Otago
Division Lyons Franklin
Member Rebecca White Julie Collins
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Old Beach Otago
Grant amount $20,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Old Beach

Acreage Easy Commute Middle-Ring Transport Hub

Otago

Acreage Easy Commute Middle-Ring Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Old Beach

Old Beach vs Richmond Old Beach vs Gagebrook Old Beach vs Herdsmans Cove Old Beach vs Honeywood Old Beach vs Tea Tree Old Beach vs Risdon

Other comparisons with Otago

Otago vs Risdon
Full data on Old Beach Full data on Otago
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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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