TAS Childcare Supply & Demand — 2024
Market Snapshot | 2023–2024
Tasmania’s childcare market recorded only modest supply growth during 2023–2024, while the underlying child population declined at a faster rate.
As at 2024, Tasmania had approximately 132 Centre-Based Day Care (CBDC) centres, providing around 9,000 places for an estimated 29,000 children aged 0–4.
TAS at a Glance
| Indicator | 2024 | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| Population aged 0–4 | 29K | -1.9% |
| CBDC centres | 132 | +1.5% |
| Approved places | 9K | +1.3% |
| Places per 100 children | 31.1 | +3.3% |
Provision improves despite limited new supply
Tasmania’s population aged 0–4 declined by 1.9% during 2023–2024. Over the same period, the number of CBDC centres increased by just 1.5%, while approved places grew by 1.3%.
Despite relatively limited growth in childcare capacity, the decline in the underlying child population lifted the statewide supply ratio from approximately 30.1 places per 100 children in 2023 to 31.1 in 2024, representing a 3.3% year-on-year increase.
Tasmania therefore differs from states where rapidly expanding new capacity is driving changes in supply conditions. In TAS, the improvement in provision reflects a combination of modest supply growth and a contracting population of children aged 0–4.
Local conditions tell a more complex story
Tasmania’s statewide figures mask substantial differences between individual childcare markets. Population trends and changes in available capacity vary considerably across local areas.
Some catchments are experiencing population growth while others are contracting, and changes in childcare supply do not always move in the same direction as local demand. As a result, provision levels can differ significantly even between markets within the same state.
For developers, operators and investors, understanding local demographic trends, existing capacity and changes in supply-demand balance remains essential. Tasmania’s statewide average of 31.1 places per 100 children does not capture the very different conditions within individual catchments.
Want to see what’s happening at the local level?
The full TAS Supply & Demand Report provides deeper analysis across individual areas, including:
- Local child population and YoY growth
- Centre and approved-place growth
- Places per 100 children by area
- Changes in local supply-demand balance
- Identification of relatively under- and over-supplied markets
- Areas where competitive pressure may be increasing
