South Hobart vs Fern Tree

South Hobart is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 45 in Fern Tree. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Fern Tree, about half of households are couple families. South Hobart is closer to the city centre: 5 km, against 13.4 km. On these figures, South Hobart tends to suit people living alone, while Fern Tree 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

  • South Hobart has more childcare (4 vs 0)
  • Fern Tree has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 70%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

South Hobart

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (34% vs 8%)
  • has cheaper rent ($378/wk vs $450/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

South Hobart

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (5 km vs 13.4 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (11 min vs 27 min)
  • is more walkable (27/100 vs 12/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

South Hobart

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (27/100 vs 12/100)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, and walkability.

Investors

South Hobart

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (10.8% vs 5.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

South Hobart and Fern Tree drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

South Hobart Fern Tree
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.

South Hobart Fern Tree
Walkability 27 / 12
South Hobart — Walkability: 27/100 Fern Tree — Walkability: 12/100
Low fire risk 4 / 3
South Hobart — Low fire risk: 4/100 Fern Tree — Low fire risk: 3/100

Demographics

South Hobart has more residents (5,886 vs 763); Fern Tree rents higher ($450/wk vs $378/wk).

South Hobart Fern Tree
Population 5,886
+87% vs other
 763
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +10.8% +5.1%
Median age 38 45
Median household income $92,924/yr $103,480/yr
+11% vs other
Median weekly rent $378/wk $450/wk
+19% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

South Hobart Fern Tree
0-4 4.1% / 3.0%
South Hobart — 0-4: 4.1% Fern Tree — 0-4: 3.0%
5-14 10.9% / 15.5%
South Hobart — 5-14: 10.9% Fern Tree — 5-14: 15.5%
15-19 5.9% / 6.0%
South Hobart — 15-19: 5.9% Fern Tree — 15-19: 6.0%
20-24 6.8% / 4.8%
South Hobart — 20-24: 6.8% Fern Tree — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 17.4% / 8.3%
South Hobart — 25-34: 17.4% Fern Tree — 25-34: 8.3%
35-44 13.8% / 13.1%
South Hobart — 35-44: 13.8% Fern Tree — 35-44: 13.1%
45-54 12.4% / 19.8%
South Hobart — 45-54: 12.4% Fern Tree — 45-54: 19.8%
55-64 11.0% / 12.8%
South Hobart — 55-64: 11.0% Fern Tree — 55-64: 12.8%
65-74 9.4% / 13.0%
South Hobart — 65-74: 9.4% Fern Tree — 65-74: 13.0%
75-84 5.6% / 4.7%
South Hobart — 75-84: 5.6% Fern Tree — 75-84: 4.7%
85+ 2.7% / 0.4%
South Hobart — 85+: 2.7% Fern Tree — 85+: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

South Hobart 31.9% couple families
South Hobart — Couple Families: 31.9% South Hobart — Lone Person: 41.8% South Hobart — One Parent Families: 13.7% South Hobart — Group Household: 10.9% South Hobart — Other Families: 1.8%
Fern Tree 54.8% couple families
Fern Tree — Couple Families: 54.8% Fern Tree — Lone Person: 31.0% Fern Tree — One Parent Families: 8.3% Fern Tree — Group Household: 6.0% Fern Tree — 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.

South Hobart 33.5% renting
South Hobart — Owned Outright: 35.7% South Hobart — Mortgage: 30.8% South Hobart — Renting: 33.5%
Fern Tree 8.0% renting
Fern Tree — Owned Outright: 43.4% Fern Tree — Mortgage: 48.5% Fern Tree — Renting: 8.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

South Hobart Fern Tree
Bachelor Degree 25.4% / 25.3%
South Hobart — Bachelor Degree: 25.4% Fern Tree — Bachelor Degree: 25.3%
Postgraduate Degree 14.1% / 16.6%
South Hobart — Postgraduate Degree: 14.1% Fern Tree — Postgraduate Degree: 16.6%
Certificate III & IV 6.9% / 7.1%
South Hobart — Certificate III & IV: 6.9% Fern Tree — Certificate III & IV: 7.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.2% / 6.7%
South Hobart — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.2% Fern Tree — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.5% / 4.1%
South Hobart — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.5% Fern Tree — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.4%).

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.

South Hobart Fern Tree
England 4.4% / 8.5%
South Hobart — England: 4.4% Fern Tree — England: 8.5%
China 2.9% / —
South Hobart — China: 2.9% Fern Tree — China: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.4% / 1.4%
South Hobart — New Zealand: 1.4% Fern Tree — New Zealand: 1.4%
India 1.4% / 0.9%
South Hobart — India: 1.4% Fern Tree — India: 0.9%
Scotland 0.7% / 1.2%
South Hobart — Scotland: 0.7% Fern Tree — Scotland: 1.2%
Nepal 1.5% / —
South Hobart — Nepal: 1.5% Fern Tree — Nepal: not among its largest
South Africa — / 1.0%
South Hobart — South Africa: not among its largest Fern Tree — South Africa: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (8.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

South Hobart 70.5% houses
South Hobart — Houses: 70.5% South Hobart — Townhouses: 15.1% South Hobart — Flats / Apartments: 14.3%
Fern Tree 100.0% houses
Fern Tree — Houses: 100.0% Fern Tree — Townhouses: 0.0% Fern Tree — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

South Hobart Fern Tree
Median house price $850,000 $802,000
Median unit price $525,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 26 days
from 33 sales
 13 days
from 5 sales

Zoning mix

Fern Tree has more land zoned for conservation (87% vs 44%).

South Hobart Fern Tree
Environmental 44% 87%
Residential 28% 0%
Rural and farming 12% 11%
Infrastructure and transport 10% 1%
Parks and recreation 4% 0%
Other and special use 2% 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

South Hobart Fern Tree
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.

South Hobart Fern Tree
Houses 4.0%
$650/wk on $848K
 —
Units 5.1%
$505/wk on $510K
 —

Ranking within TAS

South Hobart Fern Tree
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 84% of TAS Higher than 91% of TAS
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 87% of TAS Higher than 78% of TAS
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 100% of TAS Higher than 95% of TAS
NBN connectivity Higher than 91% of TAS Higher than 74% of TAS
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 35% of TAS —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 73% of TAS —

Liveability

South Hobart is more walkable (27 vs 12).

South Hobart Fern Tree
Grade B
same for both
Score 59/100 55/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

South Hobart Fern Tree
Bushfire High
96/100
 High
97/100
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 5
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

South Hobart Fern Tree
Inside the suburb 2 0
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, 4.8 km
 1
Hobart, 6.7 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 4.4% 2.2%

Schools in South Hobart

  • South Hobart Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • St Michael's Collegiate School - Junior School Campus Independent · Primary

Schools in Fern Tree

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

Amenities in the suburb

South Hobart Fern Tree
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 7 0
Parks & reserves 4 5
Childcare 4 0
GPs 3 2
Pharmacies 2 0
Hospitals 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 13 3

Mobility

Fern Tree sits further from the CBD (13.4 km vs 5 km).

South Hobart Fern Tree
Walkability score 27/100 12/100
Distance to Hobart 5 km 13.4 km
+168% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 11 min 27 min
Public transport score 92/100
Bus
 82/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 139.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 24.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 3.3%
postcode 7004
 2.0%
postcode 7054
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 22
postcode 7004
 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.

South Hobart Fern Tree
Car (driver) 49.1% / 62.9%
South Hobart — Car (driver): 49.1% Fern Tree — Car (driver): 62.9%
Worked from Home 14.5% / 19.3%
South Hobart — Worked from Home: 14.5% Fern Tree — Worked from Home: 19.3%
Walked Only 15.1% / 0.9%
South Hobart — Walked Only: 15.1% Fern Tree — Walked Only: 0.9%
Bicycle 8.7% / 5.0%
South Hobart — Bicycle: 8.7% Fern Tree — Bicycle: 5.0%
Bus 6.9% / 5.6%
South Hobart — Bus: 6.9% Fern Tree — Bus: 5.6%
Car (passenger) 5.7% / 6.4%
South Hobart — Car (passenger): 5.7% Fern Tree — Car (passenger): 6.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.9%).

Setting

South Hobart Fern Tree
Elevation 129 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 263 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 3.8 km
3.9 km to a named beach
 6.6 km

NBN connectivity

South Hobart Fern Tree
Connectivity score 89/100 42/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 80%
2,806 premises
 0%
319 premises

Climate

South Hobart Fern Tree
Annual rainfall 559 mm —
Summer max (Jan) 22.4°C —
Winter min (Jul) 5.6°C —

Council rates

South Hobart Fern Tree
Average residential rate $2,818/yr
same for both
Council Hobart
same for both

Federal electorate

South Hobart Fern Tree
Division Clark
same for both
Member Andrew Wilkie
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

South Hobart Fern Tree
Grant amount $20,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

South Hobart

Easy Commute Inner Premium Professionals River Transport Hub

Fern Tree

Acreage Easy Commute Inner Professionals River Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with South Hobart

South Hobart vs Sandy Bay South Hobart vs West Hobart South Hobart vs Lenah Valley South Hobart vs Hobart South Hobart vs Dynnyrne South Hobart vs Ridgeway

Other comparisons with Fern Tree

Fern Tree vs Kingston Fern Tree vs Ridgeway Fern Tree vs Neika
Full data on South Hobart Full data on Fern Tree
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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