Coombs
Statistical Area - sa2

Coombs lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Coombs' population is approximately 6,482 as of Nov 2025. This figure represents an increase of 1,631 people (33.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,851. The change is inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 5,872 in June 2024 and an additional 684 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,794 persons per square kilometer, placing Coombs in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Coombs' growth of 33.6% since the 2021 census exceeded the state's (5.9%) and SA4 region's average. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 57.3% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and overseas migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections, also using 2022 as a base, are adopted. Future population trends predict exceptional growth, placing Coombs in the top 10 percent of Australian statistical areas. The area is expected to expand by 2,790 persons to 2041 based on the latest population numbers, with an increase of 33.6% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Coombs was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Coombs has seen approximately 141 dwelling approvals annually. From FY2021 to FY2025706 homes were approved, with 93 more approved in FY2026 by June. Each dwelling built over these years attracted an average of 3 new residents per year, indicating strong demand that supports property values.

The average construction cost value for new homes was $162,000, lower than regional levels, offering accessible housing choices. In FY2026, $1.8 million in commercial development approvals were recorded, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Coombs has 62.0% lower building activity per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing properties. Recent construction comprised 4.0% detached dwellings and 96.0% attached dwellings, reflecting a shift towards compact living that attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This marks a significant change from the current housing mix of 38.0% houses, likely due to reduced development site availability and shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. With around 215 people per approval, Coombs reflects a transitioning market.

Looking ahead, Coombs is projected to grow by 2,180 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Coombs has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 45thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects likely impacting the area: Molonglo Group Centre to Town Centre Transition, Molonglo Town Centre, Molonglo River Bridge and John Gorton Drive Extension, Fetherston Weston.

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Employment performance in Coombs exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Coombs has an educated workforce with prominent representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 3.1%, with estimated employment growth of 1.7% over the past year as of June 2025.

During this period, 3,494 residents were employed, and the unemployment rate was 0.3% lower than the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.4%. Workforce participation in Coombs is high at 82.1%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 69.6%. The dominant employment sectors are public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. Notably, health care & social assistance has a concentration level of 1.4 times the regional average.

However, construction has limited presence with only 5.2% employment compared to the regional average of 6.8%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data analysis. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.7%, labour force grew by 1.6%, and unemployment fell by 0.1 percentage points. In comparison, the Australian Capital Territory saw employment growth of 1.9% and a reduction in unemployment of 0.3 percentage points over the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Coombs' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9%% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 30, 2022 shows Coombs' median income at $76,864 and average income at $91,441. This contrasts with Australian Capital Territory's median income of $68,678 and average income of $83,634. Based on Wage Price Index growth rate of 13.6% from June 2022 to September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $87,318 (median) and $103,877 (average). According to the 2021 Census, Coombs' household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 93rd and 96th percentiles. Income analysis shows that the largest segment comprises 38.6% of residents earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly. A substantial proportion, 42.1%, earns above $3,000 weekly, indicating strong economic capacity in the suburb. High housing costs consume 16.4% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 92nd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Coombs displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Coombs' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 37.5% houses and 62.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). In comparison, Australian Capital Territory had 40.9% houses and 59.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coombs was at 7.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 64.0% and rented ones at 28.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, lower than the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,099. Median weekly rent in Coombs was $480, compared to Australian Capital Territory's $472. Nationally, Coombs' mortgage repayments were higher at $1,863 and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Coombs features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 74.0% of all households, including 39.2% couples with children, 22.9% couples without children, and 10.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 26.0%, with lone person households at 20.4% and group households comprising 5.5%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which aligns with the Australian Capital Territory average.

Coombs demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Coombs has a significantly higher educational attainment than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 57.7% hold university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 46.8% in the SA4 region. This advantage positions Coombs strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 33.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (20.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.2%).

Vocational pathways account for 20.2% of qualifications among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas making up 10.2% and certificates, 10.0%. Educational participation is notably high in Coombs, with 35.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.7% in primary education, 8.7% in tertiary education, and 6.0% pursuing secondary education. Charles Weston School provides local educational services within Coombs as of the current data available. It has an enrollment of 460 students and demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages with an ICSEA score of 1100. The school focuses exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas.

Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Coombs has 13 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by a mix of buses running on two individual routes. Together, these routes provide 697 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of the transport system is rated as good, with residents typically located 231 meters away from the nearest stop. On average, there are 99 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 53 weekly trips per individual stop.

Coombs's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results in Coombs, with a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 67% of the total population (4,349 people), compared to 70.6% across the Australian Capital Territory and the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 7.4 and 6.1% of residents respectively, while 81.5% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 80.0% across the Australian Capital Territory.

As of March 2021, 3.8% of residents are aged 65 and over (244 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Coombs is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Coombs has a high cultural diversity, with 43.8% of its population born overseas and 48.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Coombs, comprising 33.7% of its population. Hinduism is overrepresented, making up 12.2% compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 12.7%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (23.5%), Australian (16.9%), and English (16.2%). Notably, Indian (8.2%) and Korean (1.4%) ethnicities are overrepresented in Coombs compared to regional averages of 9.0% and 1.1%, respectively. Filipino ethnicity is also notably present at 3.1%.

Coombs hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Coombs has a median age of 31, which is younger than both the Australian Capital Territory figure of 35 and the national median of 38. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Coombs has a higher percentage of residents aged 35-44 (22.0%), but fewer residents aged 65-74 (2.6%). This concentration of residents aged 35-44 is significantly higher than the national average of 14.2%. Between 2021 and present, the median age in Coombs has increased by 1.1 years from 30 to 31, indicating an aging population. During this period, notable changes include the growth of the 45-54 age group from 9.5% to 11.8%, and the increase of the 5-14 cohort from 15.0% to 16.2%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 25-34 has declined from 25.9% to 21.4%. By 2041, population forecasts suggest significant demographic shifts in Coombs. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 75%, adding 578 residents to reach a total of 1,347. However, the number of residents aged 75-84 is expected to decrease.