Cobar
Statistical Area - sa2

Cobar has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Cobar's population is around 4,112 as of August 2025. This reflects a decrease of 17 people (0.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,129 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,101 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 20 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 0.10 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth that contributed approximately 71.2% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering the projected demographic shifts, over this period, projections indicate a decline in overall population, with the area's population expected to decline by 950 persons by 2041 according to this methodology. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 85 and over age group, which is projected to grow by 34 people.

The level of residential development activity in Cobar is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Cobar has seen limited development activity over the past five years, averaging approximately three approvals per year. This totals 16 approvals since 2017. The rural nature of Cobar drives its development, which is typically influenced by local housing needs rather than broader market demand.

Note that the small sample size can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics. Cobar has shown notably less construction activity compared to the Rest of NSW and national averages. Recent building activity in Cobar has consisted solely of detached dwellings, maintaining its rural character with an emphasis on space. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 720 people, reflecting its quiet, low-activity development environment.

With a stable or declining population expected, Cobar may experience reduced housing pressure, potentially presenting buying opportunities.

Cobar has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 14thth percentile nationally

Eleven projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to influence the local area's performance significantly. Notable ones include Great Cobar Museum Coach House and Underground Mine Experience, Grand Central Precinct Planning and Design Project, Federation Mine, and Old Hospital Site Residential Estate. The following list details those likely to have the most relevance.

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

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

Cobar has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar employment. The manufacturing and industrial sectors are strongly represented, and the unemployment rate is 2.4%.

As of June 2025, there are 2,040 residents in work, with an unemployment rate of 1.2%, which is below Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation is similar to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Employment among residents is concentrated in mining, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and retail trade. Mining employment levels are particularly notable at 12.7 times the regional average.

Health care & social assistance employs only 6.3% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 16.9%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census working population data to local population count. During the year to June 2025, Cobar's labour force decreased by 2.0%, while employment declined by 3.0%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.0 percentage points. Rest of NSW recorded an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, but lags behind national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest potential future demand within Cobar. These projections estimate national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with significant variations between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Cobar's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 4.4% over five years and 10.6% over ten years.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for the financial year ended June 30, 2022, Cobar had a median income among taxpayers of $58,089 and an average income of $70,749. These figures are higher than the national averages of $49,459 and $62,998 for Rest of NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% between June 30, 2022 and March 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $64,246 and average income $78,248 by the latter date. In the 2021 Census, personal income ranked at the 64th percentile with a weekly earning of $880, while household income sat at the 47th percentile. Distribution data showed that the largest segment comprised 31.1% of residents earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (1,278 residents), consistent with broader trends across metropolitan regions showing 29.9% in the same category. After accounting for housing costs, residents retained 92.0% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power.

Cobar is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dwelling structure in Cobar, as evaluated at the latest Census in September 2016, comprised 90.9% houses and 9.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 90.0% houses and 10.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cobar was at 37.2%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (28.1%) or rented (34.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Cobar was $1,098, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $190. Nationally, Cobar's mortgage repayments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863 as of June 2021, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Cobar features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 64.2% of all households, including 25.7% couples with children, 26.7% couples without children, and 10.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 35.8%, with lone person households at 33.5% and group households comprising 2.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which matches the average for the Rest of NSW.

Cobar faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 14.0%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 10.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 1.9% and graduate diplomas at 1.2%. Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 42.6% of residents aged 15 and above holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 7.4% and certificates at 35.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 34.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.3% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 2.8% pursuing tertiary education. Cobar's four schools have a combined enrollment of 568 students. The area demonstrates varied educational conditions across Cobar, with education provision balanced by three primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups.

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

Analysis of public transport in Cobar shows 130 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops offer a mix of train and bus services. The stops are serviced by 15 individual routes which collectively provide 227 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 232 meters from their nearest transport stop. Service frequency averages 32 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

Health performance in Cobar is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Cobar faces significant health challenges, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 55% of the total population (around 2,261 people), compared to 50.1% across the Rest of NSW.

The most common medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, impacting 8.9 and 8.1% of residents respectively. A total of 67.8% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 65.9% across the Rest of NSW. As of June 2021, 17.9% of residents are aged 65 and over (734 people), which is lower than the 20.2% in the Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Cobar is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Cobar's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with its population being primarily Australian citizens (80.9%), born in Australia (91.3%), and speaking English only at home (94.9%). Christianity is the predominant religion in Cobar, practiced by 65.2% of residents, compared to 67.2% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (35.3%), English (27.2%), and Australian Aboriginal (11.3%), which is lower than the regional average of 18.4%.

Notably, Samoan, New Zealand, and Sri Lankan ethnicities have higher representations in Cobar compared to regional averages: Samoan at 0.4% vs 0.1%, New Zealand at 0.7% vs 0.3%, and Sri Lankan at 0.2% vs 0%.

Cobar's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Cobar is 36 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years, and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 0-4 age group makes up 7.8% of the population in Cobar, compared to Rest of NSW, while the 65-74 cohort is less prevalent at 9.9%. According to data from the 2021 Census, the 0-4 age group has increased from 6.8% to 7.8% of the population. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 13.7% to 11.5%, and the 25-34 group has decreased from 14.6% to 13.5%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate significant demographic changes for Cobar. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 34%, reaching 129 people from 96, leading the demographic shift. Notably, all population growth will come from the combined 65+ age groups, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0-4 and 25-34 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.