Port Arthur vs Nubeena

Nubeena is the younger of the two, with a median age of 52 against 57 in Port Arthur. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are people living alone. On these figures, Port Arthur tends to suit people living alone and older residents.

Port Arthur and Nubeena are both small, quiet communities in southern Tasmania with similar rental costs and socio-economic profiles. Port Arthur has a notably higher median household income at $47,424 compared to Nubeena's $41,392, and sits slightly closer to Hobart at 95 km versus 103.4 km. Nubeena is the larger settlement with 576 residents against Port Arthur's 247, and has a marginally younger median age of 52 years. Both face identical bushfire risk and share the same low walkability typical of rural Tasmania, making either a fit for those seeking remote, affordable coastal living rather than convenience-focused suburban amenities.

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

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

Nubeena

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (15 vs 6)
  • is already more of a family suburb (41% vs 25%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

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

  • Port Arthur leaves households under less mortgage stress (25% vs 30%)
  • Nubeena has cheaper land ($181,500 vs $300,000)

Weighs house prices, land 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

Port Arthur

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (12/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (85 min vs 98 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (95 km vs 103.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Port Arthur

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (12/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (35% vs 26%)

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

Investors

Nubeena

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (19.8% vs -1.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Port Arthur Nubeena
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.

Port Arthur Nubeena
Walkability 12 / 0
Port Arthur — Walkability: 12/100 Nubeena — Walkability: 0/100
Low fire risk 10 / 10
Port Arthur — Low fire risk: 10/100 Nubeena — Low fire risk: 10/100

Demographics

Nubeena has more residents (576 vs 247); Port Arthur has higher household incomes ($47,424 vs $41,392).

Port Arthur Nubeena
Population 247 576
+133% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -1.6% +19.8%
Median age 57 52
Median household income $47,424/yr
+13% vs other
 $41,392/yr
Median weekly rent $200/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Port Arthur Nubeena
0-4 2.8% / 3.1%
Port Arthur — 0-4: 2.8% Nubeena — 0-4: 3.1%
5-14 6.9% / 11.5%
Port Arthur — 5-14: 6.9% Nubeena — 5-14: 11.5%
15-19 5.7% / 6.4%
Port Arthur — 15-19: 5.7% Nubeena — 15-19: 6.4%
20-24 2.0% / 3.3%
Port Arthur — 20-24: 2.0% Nubeena — 20-24: 3.3%
25-34 11.7% / 8.2%
Port Arthur — 25-34: 11.7% Nubeena — 25-34: 8.2%
35-44 10.1% / 10.1%
Port Arthur — 35-44: 10.1% Nubeena — 35-44: 10.1%
45-54 5.7% / 15.8%
Port Arthur — 45-54: 5.7% Nubeena — 45-54: 15.8%
55-64 20.6% / 17.4%
Port Arthur — 55-64: 20.6% Nubeena — 55-64: 17.4%
65-74 20.6% / 14.1%
Port Arthur — 65-74: 20.6% Nubeena — 65-74: 14.1%
75-84 11.3% / 10.1%
Port Arthur — 75-84: 11.3% Nubeena — 75-84: 10.1%
85+ 3.2% / 2.1%
Port Arthur — 85+: 3.2% Nubeena — 85+: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Port Arthur 75.4% lone person
Port Arthur — Lone Person: 75.4% Port Arthur — Couple Families: 13.1% Port Arthur — One Parent Families: 11.5% Port Arthur — Group Household: 0.0%
Nubeena 55.7% lone person
Nubeena — Lone Person: 55.7% Nubeena — Couple Families: 26.3% Nubeena — One Parent Families: 15.0% Nubeena — Group Household: 3.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Port Arthur 17.2% renting
Port Arthur — Owned Outright: 61.3% Port Arthur — Mortgage: 21.5% Port Arthur — Renting: 17.2%
Nubeena 20.4% renting
Nubeena — Owned Outright: 51.7% Nubeena — Mortgage: 27.8% Nubeena — Renting: 20.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Port Arthur Nubeena
Certificate III & IV 15.8% / 16.8%
Port Arthur — Certificate III & IV: 15.8% Nubeena — Certificate III & IV: 16.8%
Bachelor Degree 6.9% / 8.3%
Port Arthur — Bachelor Degree: 6.9% Nubeena — Bachelor Degree: 8.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 3.6% / 4.9%
Port Arthur — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.6% Nubeena — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9%
Postgraduate Degree 5.3% / 2.3%
Port Arthur — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3% Nubeena — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.2% / 1.6%
Port Arthur — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2% Nubeena — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

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.

Port Arthur Nubeena
England 4.5% / 3.8%
Port Arthur — England: 4.5% Nubeena — England: 3.8%
Philippines 3.2% / —
Port Arthur — Philippines: 3.2% Nubeena — Philippines: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.6% / 1.2%
Port Arthur — New Zealand: 1.6% Nubeena — New Zealand: 1.2%
Nepal 2.4% / —
Port Arthur — Nepal: 2.4% Nubeena — Nepal: not among its largest
Scotland — / 1.7%
Port Arthur — Scotland: not among its largest Nubeena — Scotland: 1.7%
Canada — / 0.5%
Port Arthur — Canada: not among its largest Nubeena — Canada: 0.5%
Netherlands — / 0.5%
Port Arthur — Netherlands: not among its largest Nubeena — Netherlands: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Port Arthur 93.5% houses
Port Arthur — Houses: 93.5% Port Arthur — Flats / Apartments: 6.5% Port Arthur — Townhouses: 0.0%
Nubeena 92.0% houses
Nubeena — Houses: 92.0% Nubeena — Flats / Apartments: 3.4% Nubeena — Townhouses: 4.6%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Port Arthur Nubeena
Median house price $512,500 $542,500
Median unit price — $495,000
Median land price $300,000 $181,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 63 days
from 7 sales
 41 days
from 7 sales

Zoning mix

Port Arthur Nubeena
Rural and farming 88% 79%
Environmental 10% 18%
Residential 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

Port Arthur Nubeena
New dwellings approved 14
across Tasman
same for both
Approvals change year on year +67%
same for both

Ranking within TAS

Port Arthur Nubeena
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 17% of TAS Higher than 9% of TAS
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 78% of TAS Higher than 31% of TAS
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 85% of TAS Higher than 21% of TAS
NBN connectivity Higher than 71% of TAS Higher than 60% of TAS

Liveability

Port Arthur is more walkable (12 vs 0).

Port Arthur Nubeena
Grade — D
Score — 22/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
same for both

Risk profile

Port Arthur Nubeena
Bushfire High
90/100
same for both
Crime Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
60/100
 Moderate
58/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Port Arthur Nubeena
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Port Arthur

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

Schools in Nubeena

  • Tasman District School Government · Combined below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Port Arthur Nubeena
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 6 2
Parks & reserves 6 15
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 2
EV chargers 1 0
Beaches 0 1
Waterways 14 6

Mobility

Nubeena sits further from the CBD (103.4 km vs 95 km).

Port Arthur Nubeena
Walkability score 12/100 0/100
Distance to Hobart 95 km 103.4 km
+9% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 85 min 98 min
Electric vehicle share 1.1%
postcode 7182
 0.3%
postcode 7184
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 22
postcode 7182
 22
postcode 7184

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.

Port Arthur Nubeena
Car (driver) 59.1% / 68.9%
Port Arthur — Car (driver): 59.1% Nubeena — Car (driver): 68.9%
Walked Only 19.7% / 9.8%
Port Arthur — Walked Only: 19.7% Nubeena — Walked Only: 9.8%
Worked from Home 9.1% / 17.7%
Port Arthur — Worked from Home: 9.1% Nubeena — Worked from Home: 17.7%
Car (passenger) 12.1% / 3.7%
Port Arthur — Car (passenger): 12.1% Nubeena — Car (passenger): 3.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.9%).

Setting

Port Arthur Nubeena
Elevation 53 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 97 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.2 km 757 m
3.6 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Port Arthur Nubeena
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
291 premises
 0%
313 premises

Climate

Port Arthur Nubeena
Annual rainfall 460 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 22.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 4.8°C
same for both

Council rates

Port Arthur Nubeena
Average residential rate $1,663/yr
same for both
Council Tasman
same for both

Federal electorate

Port Arthur Nubeena
Division Lyons
same for both
Member Rebecca White
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Port Arthur Nubeena
Grant amount $20,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Port Arthur

Affordable Coastal Quiet Retirees Rural

Nubeena

Coastal Outer Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Port Arthur

Port Arthur vs Taranna Port Arthur vs Koonya

Other comparisons with Nubeena

Nubeena vs White Beach Nubeena vs Premaydena Nubeena vs Koonya Nubeena vs Saltwater River Nubeena vs Sloping Main
Full data on Port Arthur Full data on Nubeena
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