Perth (Tas.), TAS
By Lauren McCaleb · Reviewed by Dylan Duncan ·
Perth is a historic town in northern Tasmania, lying about 20 kilometres south of Launceston on the Midland Highway. Governor Lachlan Macquarie established the settlement in 1821 and named it after Perth in Scotland, and it was proclaimed a township in 1836. Many of its buildings date from the early nineteenth century, giving the town a well-preserved colonial character; among them is the Perth Baptist Church, opened in 1862 and noted for its history, scale and architecture. As the first major town on the road south out of Launceston, Perth long served as a junction for travellers bypassing the city, and it remains a quiet heritage town along the busy Midland Highway between Launceston and Hobart.
Less advantaged than the national average
Perth (Tas.) is more socio-economically advantaged than about 23% of the 14,462 Australian suburbs we score, based on the ABS SEIFA index (raw score 936, where about 1000 is the national average).
A socio-economic measure from ABS Census data — not a measure of how good a suburb is to live in or visit. How we calculate this.
Perth (Tas.) at a glance
- Population (2021)
- 3,472
- Median age
- 39
- Median weekly household income
- $1,449
- SEIFA score
- 936
- Coordinates
- -41.6023, 147.1992
Perth (Tas.) demographics (2021 Census)
The figures below profile Perth (Tas.) using the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census; every percentage is a share of a clearly stated Census count, so each one traces back to the source. At a glance, the largest age group is young adults (25–44) at 26%, 18% of homes are rented, and 8% of residents were born overseas.
Age profile
| Age group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Children (0–14) | 664 | 19% |
| Youth (15–24) | 375 | 11% |
| Young adults (25–44) | 888 | 26% |
| Mid-life (45–64) | 889 | 26% |
| Seniors (65+) | 654 | 19% |
Share of the 3,470 people counted by age.
Housing and households
| Tenure | Dwellings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Owned outright | 454 | 33% |
| Owned with a mortgage | 633 | 47% |
| Rented | 244 | 18% |
| Dwelling type | Dwellings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Houses | 1,204 | 88% |
| Townhouses & semis | 7 | 1% |
| Flats & apartments | 152 | 11% |
Tenure and dwelling shares are of the roughly 1,363 occupied private dwellings in Perth (Tas.).
- Median weekly rent
- $280
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,317
- Average household size
- 2.4 people
- Median weekly family income
- $1,782
- Median weekly personal income
- $759
Community and culture
- Born overseas
- 275 (8%)
- Speaks a language other than English at home
- 73 (2%)
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- 103 (3%)
Work and education
- Completed Year 12
- 1,008 (37%)
- Labour-force participation
- 64.1%
- Unemployment rate
- 3.7%
- Employed full-time
- 1,036
- Employed part-time
- 595
Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing, 2021 (General Community Profile, by Suburb and Locality). © Australian Bureau of Statistics, released under CC BY 4.0. How we group bands and derive each share is set out on our methodology page.
Weather and climate in Perth (Tas.)
Based on 2014–2023 records, the warmest month in Perth (Tas.) is January (average daytime high around 24.2°C) and the coolest is July (around 11.2°C). The area receives roughly 787 mm of rain across the year.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24.2°C | 12.6°C | 59 mm |
| Feb | 22.9°C | 12°C | 52 mm |
| Mar | 21°C | 10.8°C | 64 mm |
| Apr | 17.4°C | 8.1°C | 54 mm |
| May | 13.8°C | 6°C | 73 mm |
| Jun | 11.7°C | 4.3°C | 71 mm |
| Jul | 11.2°C | 3.8°C | 89 mm |
| Aug | 12°C | 3.6°C | 66 mm |
| Sep | 14.3°C | 5°C | 60 mm |
| Oct | 16.6°C | 6.6°C | 80 mm |
| Nov | 19.2°C | 8.7°C | 55 mm |
| Dec | 21.8°C | 10.6°C | 64 mm |
Climate normals, 2014–2023 (Open-Meteo, ERA5 reanalysis).
Common questions about Perth (Tas.)
Where is Perth (Tas.)?
Perth (Tas.) is a suburb of Tasmania, Australia.
What is the population of Perth (Tas.)?
At the 2021 Census, Perth (Tas.) had a population of about 3,472.
Is Perth (Tas.) an advantaged area?
Perth (Tas.) has an ABS SEIFA score of 936, where about 1000 is the national average — higher scores indicate greater relative socio-economic advantage. That gives it a Suburb Score of 23 out of 100 — more socio-economically advantaged than about 23% of Australian suburbs.
What is the weather like in Perth (Tas.)?
Perth (Tas.) has average daytime highs of about 17.2°C and overnight lows of about 7.7°C, with roughly 787 mm of rain across the year (based on 2014–2023 climate normals).
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