Port Sorell vs Thirlstane

Thirlstane is the younger of the two, with a median age of 44 against 52 in Port Sorell. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Thirlstane, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Port Sorell tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Thirlstane suits 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

They split

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

  • Port Sorell has more parks and reserves (6 vs 0)
  • Thirlstane is already more of a family suburb (71% vs 55%)

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

First-home buyers

Port Sorell

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (24% vs 34%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Thirlstane

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $275/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

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

  • Port Sorell is more walkable (19/100 vs 0/100)
  • Thirlstane sits closer to the CBD (272.7 km vs 277.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Port Sorell

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (19/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (28% vs 14%)

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

Investors

Thirlstane

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (14.9% vs 9.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Port Sorell and Thirlstane 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 Sorell Thirlstane
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 Sorell Thirlstane
Walkability 19 / 0
Port Sorell — Walkability: 19/100 Thirlstane — Walkability: 0/100
Low fire risk 84 / 100
Port Sorell — Low fire risk: 84/100 Thirlstane — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Port Sorell has more residents (2,221 vs 108); Port Sorell skews older (52 vs 44).

Port Sorell Thirlstane
Population 2,221
+95% vs other
 108
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +9.8% +14.9%
Median age 52 44
Median household income $67,600/yr $68,224/yr
Median weekly rent $275/wk
+9% vs other
 $250/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Port Sorell Thirlstane
0-4 5.3% / 2.8%
Port Sorell — 0-4: 5.3% Thirlstane — 0-4: 2.8%
5-14 9.9% / 15.7%
Port Sorell — 5-14: 9.9% Thirlstane — 5-14: 15.7%
15-19 4.3% / 9.3%
Port Sorell — 15-19: 4.3% Thirlstane — 15-19: 9.3%
20-24 3.8% / 3.7%
Port Sorell — 20-24: 3.8% Thirlstane — 20-24: 3.7%
25-34 8.5% / 2.8%
Port Sorell — 25-34: 8.5% Thirlstane — 25-34: 2.8%
35-44 9.1% / 13.0%
Port Sorell — 35-44: 9.1% Thirlstane — 35-44: 13.0%
45-54 14.0% / 13.0%
Port Sorell — 45-54: 14.0% Thirlstane — 45-54: 13.0%
55-64 17.8% / 18.5%
Port Sorell — 55-64: 17.8% Thirlstane — 55-64: 18.5%
65-74 17.8% / 10.2%
Port Sorell — 65-74: 17.8% Thirlstane — 65-74: 10.2%
75-84 8.4% / 3.7%
Port Sorell — 75-84: 8.4% Thirlstane — 75-84: 3.7%
85+ 1.3% / —
Port Sorell — 85+: 1.3% Thirlstane — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Port Sorell 39.7% couple families
Port Sorell — Couple Families: 39.7% Port Sorell — Lone Person: 39.9% Port Sorell — One Parent Families: 15.5% Port Sorell — Group Household: 3.3% Port Sorell — Other Families: 1.5%
Thirlstane 52.4% couple families
Thirlstane — Couple Families: 52.4% Thirlstane — Lone Person: 28.6% Thirlstane — One Parent Families: 19.0% Thirlstane — Group Household: 0.0% Thirlstane — 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.

Port Sorell 20.3% renting
Port Sorell — Owned Outright: 46.5% Port Sorell — Mortgage: 33.2% Port Sorell — Renting: 20.3%
Thirlstane 11.4% renting
Thirlstane — Owned Outright: 68.6% Thirlstane — Mortgage: 20.0% Thirlstane — Renting: 11.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Port Sorell Thirlstane
Certificate III & IV 21.1% / 13.0%
Port Sorell — Certificate III & IV: 21.1% Thirlstane — Certificate III & IV: 13.0%
Bachelor Degree 8.9% / 7.4%
Port Sorell — Bachelor Degree: 8.9% Thirlstane — Bachelor Degree: 7.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.0% / 7.4%
Port Sorell — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.0% Thirlstane — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4%
Postgraduate Degree 2.3% / —
Port Sorell — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3% Thirlstane — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / —
Port Sorell — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Thirlstane — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.1%).

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 Sorell Thirlstane
England 4.7% / 9.3%
Port Sorell — England: 4.7% Thirlstane — England: 9.3%
New Zealand 1.3% / 5.6%
Port Sorell — New Zealand: 1.3% Thirlstane — New Zealand: 5.6%
South Africa — / 5.6%
Port Sorell — South Africa: not among its largest Thirlstane — South Africa: 5.6%
Netherlands 0.9% / —
Port Sorell — Netherlands: 0.9% Thirlstane — Netherlands: not among its largest
Scotland 0.7% / —
Port Sorell — Scotland: 0.7% Thirlstane — Scotland: not among its largest
India 0.5% / —
Port Sorell — India: 0.5% Thirlstane — India: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Port Sorell 89.6% houses
Port Sorell — Houses: 89.6% Port Sorell — Flats / Apartments: 5.8% Port Sorell — Townhouses: 4.6%
Thirlstane 87.2% houses
Thirlstane — Houses: 87.2% Thirlstane — Flats / Apartments: 12.8% Thirlstane — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Port Sorell Thirlstane
Median house price $750,000 —
Median unit price $515,000 —
Median land price $350,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 31 days
from 25 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Thirlstane has more rural and farming land (96% vs 76%).

Port Sorell Thirlstane
Rural and farming 76% 96%
Residential 8% 0%
Environmental 7% 1%
Other and special use 5% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 1%
Parks and recreation 1% 3%
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 Sorell Thirlstane
New dwellings approved 93
across Latrobe (Tas.)
same for both
Approvals change year on year +9%
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.

Port Sorell Thirlstane
Houses 3.4%
$580/wk on $895K
 —
Units 5.2%
$512/wk on $514K
 —

Ranking within TAS

Port Sorell Thirlstane
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 48% of TAS Higher than 51% of TAS
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 84% of TAS Higher than 64% of TAS
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 52% of TAS Higher than 54% of TAS
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of TAS Higher than 71% of TAS
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 16% of TAS —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 75% of TAS —

Liveability

Port Sorell is more walkable (19 vs 0).

Port Sorell Thirlstane
Grade B —
Score 52/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Port Sorell carries more bushfire risk (16 vs 0).

Port Sorell Thirlstane
Bushfire Low
16/100
 None
0/100
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 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Port Sorell Thirlstane
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Port Sorell

  • Port Sorell Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Thirlstane

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

Amenities in the suburb

Port Sorell Thirlstane
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 6 0
Childcare 1 0

Mobility

Port Sorell sits further from the CBD (277.2 km vs 272.7 km).

Port Sorell Thirlstane
Walkability score 19/100 0/100
Distance to Hobart 277.2 km
+2% vs other
 272.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 194 min 190 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 7307
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 30
postcode 7307
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.

Port Sorell Thirlstane
Car (driver) 85.5% / 77.1%
Port Sorell — Car (driver): 85.5% Thirlstane — Car (driver): 77.1%
Worked from Home 7.5% / 12.5%
Port Sorell — Worked from Home: 7.5% Thirlstane — Worked from Home: 12.5%
Walked Only 0.8% / 10.4%
Port Sorell — Walked Only: 0.8% Thirlstane — Walked Only: 10.4%
Car (passenger) 5.2% / —
Port Sorell — Car (passenger): 5.2% Thirlstane — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bus 0.9% / —
Port Sorell — Bus: 0.9% Thirlstane — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (85.5%).

Setting

Port Sorell Thirlstane
Elevation 34 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 30 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km
1.7 km to a named beach
 5.1 km

NBN connectivity

Port Sorell Thirlstane
Connectivity score 60/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 28%
1,141 premises
 0%
45 premises

Climate

Port Sorell Thirlstane
Annual rainfall 698 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 21.6°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 5.1°C
same for both

Council rates

Port Sorell Thirlstane
Average residential rate $1,123/yr
same for both
Council Latrobe (Tas.)
same for both

Federal electorate

Port Sorell Thirlstane
Division Braddon
same for both
Member Anne Urquhart
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Port Sorell

Acreage Coastal Retirees River

Thirlstane

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Port Sorell

Port Sorell vs Shearwater Port Sorell vs Squeaking Point Port Sorell vs Northdown

Other comparisons with Thirlstane

Thirlstane vs Squeaking Point Thirlstane vs Northdown Thirlstane vs Moriarty Thirlstane vs Harford
Full data on Port Sorell Full data on Thirlstane
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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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