Coombs

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Coombs's population is around 6,433 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,582 people (32.6%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,851 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,872 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 684 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,772 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Coombs's 32.6% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the state (6.7%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed 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, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections, with 2022 as a base, are adopted. Anticipating future population dynamics, a significant population increase in the top quartile of statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch is forecast, with the area expected to increase by 2,790 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 34.6% 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 averaged around 141 new dwelling approvals each year, totalling 706 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 93 approvals have been recorded. With an average of 3 people per year moving to the area per new home constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), reflecting robust demand that underpins property values, new homes are being built at an average construction cost of $162,000—below the regional average—suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. There have also been $1.8 million in commercial approvals this financial year, demonstrating the area's residential nature.

When measured against the Australian Capital Territory, Coombs has significantly less development activity (62.0% below regional average per person). This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. This is substantially higher than nationally, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. New development consists of 4.0% detached dwellings and 96.0% townhouses or apartments. This trend toward denser development provides accessible entry options and appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This shows a considerable change from the current housing mix (currently 38.0% houses), reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. At around 215 people per approval, Coombs reflects a transitioning market.

Future projections show Coombs adding 2,229 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). 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 emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 33rdth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 2 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Molonglo Group Centre to Town Centre Transition, Molonglo Town Centre, Molonglo River Bridge and John Gorton Drive Extension, and Fetherston Weston, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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AreaSearch assessment positions Coombs ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Coombs features a highly educated workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, an unemployment rate of only 3.1%, and 1.3% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 3,680 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.7% below the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.8%, and workforce participation is well beyond standard (85.7% compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 72.6%). Based on Census responses, a low 10.3% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in health care & social assistance, with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average. Meanwhile, construction has a limited presence with 5.2% employment compared to 6.8% regionally. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 1.3% while the labour force increased by 1.4%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. This contrasts with the Australian Capital Territory, where employment rose by 0.9%, the labour force grew by 1.2%, and unemployment rose 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Coombs. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Coombs's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Coombs SA2's median income among taxpayers is $79,493, with an average of $92,556. This is among the highest in Australia, and compares to the Australian Capital Territory's median of $72,206 and average of $85,981. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.26% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $86,854 (median) and $101,127 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Coombs, between the 93rd and 96th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 38.6% of residents (2,483 people), reflecting patterns seen in the surrounding region where 34.3% similarly occupy this range. The area demonstrates considerable affluence with 42.1% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 16.4% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 92nd percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Coombs displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dwelling structure within Coombs, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 37.5% houses and 62.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to the Australian Capital Territory's 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Coombs was lagging that of the Australian Capital Territory, at 7.6%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (64.0%) or rented (28.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Australian Capital Territory average at $2,000, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $480, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $2,080 and $450. Nationally, Coombs's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Coombs features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 74.0% of all households, comprising 39.2% couples with children, 22.9% couples without children, and 10.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 26.0%, with lone person households at 20.4% and group households comprising 5.5% of the total. The median household size of 2.7 people is larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

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

Educational attainment in Coombs significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 57.7% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 46.8% in the SA4 region. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead 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+ - advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (10.0%).

Educational participation is notably high, 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.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 13 active transport stops operating within Coombs, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 65 individual routes, collectively providing 4,528 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 231 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 88%, with 8% by bus. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling. A relatively low 10.3% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 646 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 348 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 demonstrates outstanding results across Coombs, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 67% of the total population (4,297 people). This compares to 62.4% across the Australian Capital Territory. The national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.4% and 6.1% of residents, respectively, while 81.5% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 70.2% across the Australian Capital Territory. The area has 3.9% of residents aged 65 and over (252 people), which is lower than the 14.3% in the Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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 scores highly on cultural diversity, with 43.8% of its population born overseas and 48.1% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Coombs is Christianity, which makes up 33.7% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Hinduism, which comprises 12.2% of the population, substantially higher than the Australian Capital Territory average of 4.8%.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Coombs are Other, comprising 23.5% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 12.2%, Australian, comprising 16.9% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 23.0%, and English, comprising 16.2% of the population, which is notably lower than the regional average of 23.3%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Indian is notably overrepresented at 8.2% of Coombs (vs 3.3% regionally), Korean at 1.4% (vs 0.6%) and Filipino at 3.1% (vs 1.2%).

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

With a median age of 31, Coombs is materially younger than the Australian Capital Territory figure of 35 and substantially under the Australian median of 38. Relative to the Australian Capital Territory, Coombs has a higher concentration of 35 - 44 residents (22.2%) but fewer 65 - 74 year-olds (2.7%). This 35 - 44 concentration is well above the national 14.3%. In the period since 2021, the median age has increased by 1.4 years from 30 to 31, reflecting an aging population. Key changes show the 45 to 54 age group has grown from 9.5% to 12.3% of the population, while the 5 to 14 cohort increased from 15.0% to 16.3%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 25.9% to 20.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Coombs. The 45 to 54 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 70%, adding 553 residents to reach 1,347. In contrast, the 75 to 84 cohort shows minimal growth of just 10% (4 people).