Australia is full of amazing cities, but it is not always the size of the city that draws people in. Launceston is located in Tasmania and is not the largest city in the country, but it is ranked 2nd in the region for population growth year after year. It is the only inland city within Tasmania and is ranked as the 12th most popular city in the whole of Australia. For a bit of interesting green history, Launceston was the first city to be lit by hydroelectric power in the country.
The most recent survey performed in Launceston was in 2016, and at that time the population was 80,916 people. Females in the city outnumber males with 38,434 women and 35,651 men. The average age of a Launceston resident is 38, and there are 19,259 families within the city. The average size of a Launceston family is 2.3 people, and the average number of children within a family is 1.8. The median age of residents of the city is 38.
The city of Launceston covers a considerable area which comes to a total of 435.4 square kilometers (168.1 square miles). When we combine this area amount with the growing number of residents, we come to a population density of 193.27 residents per square kilometer (500.59 individuals per square mile).
The majority of the population of Launceston are married. According to the 2011 census, 26,511 couples live within the city limits making up 43.9% of the population. Those that are separated make up 3.2% of the population with 1,918 people, and divorced couples come in at 9.8% or 5,893 people. The second largest segment of the population has never been married making up 36.1% of the population or, in terms of numbers, 21,804 people. Those that have been widowed are 4,243 or 7% of the total population.
Currently, there are 22,024 school age children within Launceston, many of which attend some form of formal school made available in the area. Of this number, those that are in preschool make up 2.9% of the total or 645 children. The primary schools in the city are divided into three different sectors: government, Catholic (parochial), and other non-government facilities. Government facilities account for 19.6%, Catholic 4.6%, and other non-government facilities total 3.5%. Secondary school children fall under the same categories with 12.8% in government schools, 3.8% in Catholic schools, and 4.4% in other non-government institutions. After completing school, students are given the opportunity to attend either a university or technical school. Those currently in technical school account for 10% of the population while those who have chosen a university are slightly higher at 16.6%.
The majority of the population of Launceston was born in Australia. 83.8% of the total population falls into that category. The second largest country of origin in Launceston is England, making up 3% of the population. The remaining countries of origin are New Zealand with .9%, Scotland with .5%, Netherlands at .55% and China at .4% of the total population.
Australia is not a religious country according to history and Launceston seems to follow suit with this trend. 27.5% of the country claims that they have no religion. The second largest group in terms of religion are Anglicans, making up 25.5% of the population. Catholics come in third with 17.3% and the remaining two religions represented in Launceston are the Uniting Church at 5.1% and Presbyterians at 3.5% of the population.
| City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Melbourne | 5,464,920 | 1.35% |
| Sydney | 5,312,640 | 1.22% |
| Brisbane | 2,599,740 | 1.23% |
| Perth | 2,195,090 | 1.19% |
| Adelaide | 1,407,600 | 1.05% |
| Gold Coast | 762,290 | 1.29% |
| Canberra | 488,541 | 1.15% |
| Newcastle | 474,766 | 1.06% |
| Wollongong | 321,908 | 1.06% |
| Hobart | 178,009 | 1.01% |
| Townsville | 168,729 | 1.01% |
| Geelong | 157,104 | 1.02% |
| Cairns | 144,730 | 1.02% |
| Darwin | 118,456 | 1.03% |
| Toowoomba | 100,032 | 1.01% |
| Ballarat | 93,759 | 1.02% |
| Bendigo | 92,379 | 1.02% |
| Maitland | 78,015 | 1.03% |
| Mackay | 75,710 | 1% |
| Bunbury | 71,090 | 1.02% |
| Rockhampton | 61,214 | 1% |
| Melton | 54,456 | 1.04% |
| Hervey Bay | 52,073 | 1.01% |
| Bundaberg | 50,148 | 1% |
| Wagga Wagga | 48,263 | 1.01% |
| Coffs Harbour | 48,225 | 1.01% |
| Albury | 47,974 | 1.01% |
| Port Macquarie | 44,814 | 1.02% |
| Orange | 37,182 | 1.01% |
| Queanbeyan | 36,248 | 1% |
| Wodonga | 35,130 | 1.02% |
| Sunbury | 34,425 | 1.01% |
| Dubbo | 34,339 | 1.01% |
| Tamworth | 33,885 | 0.99% |
| Bathurst | 33,587 | 1.01% |
| Mildura | 33,444 | 1.01% |
| Gladstone | 33,418 | 1.01% |
| Geraldton | 31,982 | 1% |
| Warrnambool | 30,709 | 1.01% |
| Albany | 29,373 | 1.02% |
| Lismore | 27,569 | 1% |
| Gawler | 26,472 | 1.02% |
