A new UTAS report highlights the Northern Tasmanian municipalities that are in decline.
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Regional population trends in Tasmania: Issues and options by demographer Lisa Denny and researched Nyree Pisanu provided a demographic profile for each of the state's 29 local government areas.
Dr Denny and Ms Pisanu said in the report that the often-overlooked reality was the best population projections suggested the number of people living in the state would decline by mid-century.
"Population change is already uneven across the state," they said. "Migration from interstate and overseas has helped drive an overall increase in recent years, but this has overwhelmingly favoured the major cities.
"More than half of the state's 29 local government areas are already losing population and decline is projected for most of the remaining areas over the next 25 years."
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Ageing populations heralded end of population growth and the start of depopulation, they wrote.
According to the report, Dorset will be in absolute decline; Break O'Day, Glamorgan Spring Bay, and Flinders in a natural decline; George Town and Meander Valley on the cusp of decline; Launceston in recovery; and West Tamar and the Northern Midlands in migration-led growth.
A median age or older of 42.3 years is usual in 20 municipalities. 16 areas are experiencing hyperageing, where 20 per cent of the population is aged over 65 years old.
Dr Denny and Ms Pisanu said there were three broad types of policy responses to this: countering strategies, acceptance strategies to manage the decline and its consequences, or doing nothing.
To see the report, visit utas.edu.au/socia-change/publications.