There were 42,010 small businesses in Tasmania, representing 2% of Australian small businesses on 30 June 2023. This is in proportion to the 2% of Australians living in Tasmania1.

1 Australian Bureau of Statistics, Regional Population, 2021-22, Accessed 15 January 2024


Table 1: Small businesses in Tasmania, 30 June 2023

Source: Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics, customised data, 2023.

As shown above, 56% of Tasmania’s small businesses were in the rest of Tasmanian areas on 30 June 2023. This aligns with the population distribution, with 56% of the population living outside the greater capital city area of Tasmania.


Table 2: Businesses in Tasmania by size, 30 June 2023

* Includes businesses where information is only available at the state/territory level.

1 This includes a small number of businesses which have income tax withholding roles for purposes other than withholding amounts from wages and salaries (and as such have zero employment).

2Calculated by ASBFEO based on the ABS definition of small business of 0-19 employees.

Source: Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics, customised data, 2023.


Changes in small businesses numbers for Tasmania
 
Chart 1: Annual change in the number of small businesses in Tasmania
Greater Hobart Rest of Tas Tasmania Total
2019 4.7 1.2 2.7
2020 6.4 2.3 4.1
2021 4.6 3.2 3.8
2022 4.0 5.2 4.6
2023 3.0 0.6 1.7

Total includes a small number of businesses where information is only available at the state/territory level.

Source: Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics, customised data, 2023.

The number of small businesses in Tasmania increased 2% over the year to 30 June 2023. They increased by 533 (3%) in Greater Hobart. The areas with the largest increase in the number of small businesses were:

  • Rokeby (increased by 59 small businesses)
  • Glenorchy (increased by 52 small businesses)
  • Sorell - Richmond (increased by 47 small businesses)
  • Bellerive – Rosny (increased by 47 small businesses).

The areas with the largest percentage increase from the previous year were:

  • Rokeby (increased by 24%)
  • New Norfolk (increased by 20%)
  • Austins Ferry – Granton (increased by 13%).

The number of small businesses in the rest of Tasmania increased by 152 (1%) over the year to 30 June 2023. The areas with the largest increase in the number of small businesses were:

  • Riverside (increased by 31 small businesses)
  • Legana (increased by 28 small businesses)
  • St Helens - Scamander (increased by 27 small businesses).

The areas with the largest percentage increase from the previous year were:

  • Ravenswood (increased by 31%, to 68 small businesses)
  • Romaine - Havenview (increased by 14%, to 96 small businesses)
  • Legana  (increased by 10%, to 298 small businesses).