Surveyors Bay vs Dover

Dover is the younger of the two, with a median age of 55 against 58 in Surveyors Bay. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Surveyors Bay, the large majority of households are people living alone. In Dover, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Surveyors Bay: a median of $634,000, against $560,000 in Dover, though rent is higher in Dover. On these figures, Surveyors Bay tends to suit 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

Dover

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (6 vs 1)
  • is already more of a family suburb (39% vs 16%)

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

First-home buyers

Dover

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($560,000 vs $633,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

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

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Dover

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (13/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (74 min vs 84 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (77 km vs 79.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Surveyors Bay has more residents already 65 and over (38% vs 31%)
  • Dover is more walkable (13/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, and walkability.

Investors

Surveyors Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (19.1% vs 8.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Surveyors Bay Dover
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.

Surveyors Bay Dover
Walkability 0 / 13
Surveyors Bay — Walkability: 0/100 Dover — Walkability: 13/100
Low fire risk 4 / 9
Surveyors Bay — Low fire risk: 4/100 Dover — Low fire risk: 9/100

Demographics

Dover has more residents (923 vs 56); Surveyors Bay skews older (58 vs 55).

Surveyors Bay Dover
Population 56 923
+1548% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +19.1% +8.1%
Median age 58 55
Median household income $50,232/yr $50,024/yr
Median weekly rent $280/wk $295/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Surveyors Bay Dover
0-4 5.4% / 2.9%
Surveyors Bay — 0-4: 5.4% Dover — 0-4: 2.9%
5-14 5.4% / 8.6%
Surveyors Bay — 5-14: 5.4% Dover — 5-14: 8.6%
15-19 — / 3.7%
Surveyors Bay — 15-19: not among its largest Dover — 15-19: 3.7%
20-24 — / 2.6%
Surveyors Bay — 20-24: not among its largest Dover — 20-24: 2.6%
25-34 10.7% / 9.0%
Surveyors Bay — 25-34: 10.7% Dover — 25-34: 9.0%
35-44 12.5% / 9.0%
Surveyors Bay — 35-44: 12.5% Dover — 35-44: 9.0%
45-54 7.1% / 13.2%
Surveyors Bay — 45-54: 7.1% Dover — 45-54: 13.2%
55-64 25.0% / 20.2%
Surveyors Bay — 55-64: 25.0% Dover — 55-64: 20.2%
65-74 16.1% / 17.4%
Surveyors Bay — 65-74: 16.1% Dover — 65-74: 17.4%
75-84 21.4% / 10.4%
Surveyors Bay — 75-84: 21.4% Dover — 75-84: 10.4%
85+ — / 2.9%
Surveyors Bay — 85+: not among its largest Dover — 85+: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Surveyors Bay 84.2% lone person
Surveyors Bay — Lone Person: 84.2% Surveyors Bay — One Parent Families: 15.8% Surveyors Bay — Couple Families: 0.0% Surveyors Bay — Group Household: 0.0% Surveyors Bay — Other Families: 0.0%
Dover 51.9% lone person
Dover — Lone Person: 51.9% Dover — One Parent Families: 13.8% Dover — Couple Families: 25.0% Dover — Group Household: 7.7% Dover — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person One Parent Families Couple Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Surveyors Bay 0.0% renting
Surveyors Bay — Owned Outright: 84.0% Surveyors Bay — Mortgage: 16.0% Surveyors Bay — Renting: 0.0%
Dover 14.5% renting
Dover — Owned Outright: 55.3% Dover — Mortgage: 30.3% Dover — Renting: 14.5%
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.

Surveyors Bay Dover
England 5.4% / 5.5%
Surveyors Bay — England: 5.4% Dover — England: 5.5%
New Zealand — / 2.2%
Surveyors Bay — New Zealand: not among its largest Dover — New Zealand: 2.2%
China — / 0.9%
Surveyors Bay — China: not among its largest Dover — China: 0.9%
Scotland — / 0.8%
Surveyors Bay — Scotland: not among its largest Dover — Scotland: 0.8%
Philippines — / 0.7%
Surveyors Bay — Philippines: not among its largest Dover — Philippines: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.5%).

Qualifications

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

Surveyors Bay Dover
Certificate III & IV 19.6% / 14.2%
Surveyors Bay — Certificate III & IV: 19.6% Dover — Certificate III & IV: 14.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.7% / 5.4%
Surveyors Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.7% Dover — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.4%
Bachelor Degree 7.1% / 8.9%
Surveyors Bay — Bachelor Degree: 7.1% Dover — Bachelor Degree: 8.9%
Postgraduate Degree — / 5.0%
Surveyors Bay — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Dover — Postgraduate Degree: 5.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 1.6%
Surveyors Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Dover — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Surveyors Bay 100.0% houses
Surveyors Bay — Houses: 100.0% Surveyors Bay — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Dover 97.2% houses
Dover — Houses: 97.2% Dover — Flats / Apartments: 2.8%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Surveyors Bay Dover
Median house price $633,500 $560,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $250,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 38 days
from 18 sales

Zoning mix

Surveyors Bay Dover
Rural and farming 91% 82%
Environmental 8% 14%
Residential 2%
same for both
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

Surveyors Bay Dover
New dwellings approved 81
across Huon Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year -33%
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.

Surveyors Bay Dover
Houses — 4.9%
$590/wk on $620K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within TAS

Surveyors Bay Dover
House price —
same for both
Income — Higher than 21% of TAS
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 26% of TAS Higher than 79% of TAS
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 67% of TAS Higher than 21% of TAS
NBN connectivity Higher than 42% of TAS Higher than 60% of TAS
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 88% of TAS

Liveability

Dover is more walkable (13 vs 0).

Surveyors Bay Dover
Grade — D
Score — 34/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Surveyors Bay Dover
Bushfire High
96/100
 High
91/100
Crime Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
44/100
 Low
35/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Surveyors Bay Dover
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 Surveyors Bay

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

Schools in Dover

  • Dover District School Government · Combined below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Surveyors Bay Dover
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 4
Parks & reserves 1 6
Childcare 0 1
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 1
Beaches 0 1
Waterways 0 12

Mobility

Surveyors Bay sits further from the CBD (79.3 km vs 77 km).

Surveyors Bay Dover
Walkability score 0/100 13/100
Distance to Hobart 79.3 km
+3% vs other
 77 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 84 min 74 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 7116
 0.3%
postcode 7117
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 37
postcode 7116
 34
postcode 7117

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.

Surveyors Bay Dover
Car (driver) 100.0% / 72.5%
Surveyors Bay — Car (driver): 100.0% Dover — Car (driver): 72.5%
Worked from Home — / 12.4%
Surveyors Bay — Worked from Home: not among its largest Dover — Worked from Home: 12.4%
Car (passenger) — / 7.7%
Surveyors Bay — Car (passenger): not among its largest Dover — Car (passenger): 7.7%
Walked Only — / 7.4%
Surveyors Bay — Walked Only: not among its largest Dover — Walked Only: 7.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (100.0%).

Setting

Surveyors Bay Dover
Elevation 118 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 108 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.2 km
2.4 km to a named beach
 2.0 km
2.6 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Surveyors Bay Dover
Connectivity score 29/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
74 premises
 0%
564 premises

Climate

Surveyors Bay Dover
Annual rainfall 854 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 21.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.7°C
same for both

Council rates

Surveyors Bay Dover
Average residential rate $1,884/yr
same for both
Council Huon Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

Surveyors Bay Dover
Division Franklin
same for both
Member Julie Collins
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Surveyors Bay Dover
Grant amount $20,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Surveyors Bay

Coastal Outer Professionals Retirees

Dover

Coastal Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Surveyors Bay

Surveyors Bay vs Police Point

Other comparisons with Dover

Dover vs Glendevie Dover vs Police Point
Full data on Surveyors Bay Full data on Dover
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