Cooma

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

Cooma's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, is approximately 6,724 as of November 2025. This figure represents a decrease of 37 people, a 0.5% decline from the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 6,761. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,720 in June 2024 and an additional 51 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 64 persons per square kilometer, indicating ample space per person. Overseas migration contributed approximately 96.8% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth for the area.

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, AreaSearch uses NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, demographic trends indicate an overall population decline over this period. According to the methodology used, Cooma's population is expected to decrease by 239 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are anticipated to grow, notably the 85 and over age group which is projected to increase by 103 people.

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

Cooma has seen approximately 14 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 71 homes. As of FY-26, 13 approvals have been recorded. Despite population decline in the area, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. The average value of new dwellings is $196,000, which is under regional levels, indicating more affordable housing options for buyers.

This financial year has seen $105.2 million in commercial development approvals, suggesting strong local business investment. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Cooma records significantly lower building activity, at 59.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. The area's activity is also below the national average, reflecting its established nature and potentially suggesting planning limitations. All new construction in the area has been standalone homes, maintaining Cooma's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1604 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment. With population expected to remain stable or decline, Cooma should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially presenting buying opportunities for buyers.

Cooma has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 39thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 11 projects that may impact the region. Notable initiatives include Alpine Rise, Cooma Crown Land Housing Development, 3 Thurrung Street Residential Subdivision, and Cooma Festival Swimming Pool Upgrades. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

The employment landscape in Cooma presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 2.9%, yet recent job losses have affected its comparative national standing

Cooma has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 2.9%.

As of September 2025, 3157 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.0% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in Cooma is similar to Rest of NSW at 56.4%. Leading employment industries include retail trade, construction, and health care & social assistance. Notably, electricity, gas, water & waste services have employment levels at 5.1 times the regional average, while health care & social assistance employs 11.3% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 16.9%.

The ratio of 0.6 workers per resident indicates a higher level of local employment opportunities than usual. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Cooma's labour force decreased by 5.7%, alongside a 5.9% decline in employment, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.5%, labour force fall by 0.1%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Cooma's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 6.3% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows median income in Cooma SA2 is $51,670 and average income is $63,060. This is lower than national averages of $54,679 (median) and $68,555 (average). Rest of NSW has a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Cooma SA2 are approximately $58,186 (median) and $71,012 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census ranks personal income at the 42nd percentile ($771 weekly) and household income at the 26th percentile in Cooma SA2. Income analysis shows that 29.7% of locals fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, aligning with surrounding regions where this cohort also represents approximately 30%. Housing costs allow for retention of 87.1% of income, but disposable income is below average at the 31st percentile.

Cooma is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Cooma's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, comprised 88.5% houses and 11.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 87.0% houses and 13.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cooma stood at 39.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.8% and rented ones at 30.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,408. Median weekly rent in Cooma was $290, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $300. Nationally, Cooma's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,300 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Cooma features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 62.2% of all households, including 22.3% couples with children, 28.5% couples without children, and 10.8% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 37.8%, with lone person households at 34.4% and group households comprising 3.2%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

Educational attainment in Cooma aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area has university qualification rates of 21.3%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 14.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 40.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 10.5% and certificates at 30.1%. Educational participation is high, with 28.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.2% in primary education, 6.9% in secondary education, and 3.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Cooma has 155 active public transport stops, including train and bus services. These stops are served by 28 routes offering a total of 307 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent accessibility to these stops, with an average distance of 157 meters to the nearest one.

The service frequency is 43 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately one weekly trip per stop.

Health performance in Cooma is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Cooma faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover stands at approximately 51%, slightly lower than the average SA2 area's rate. The most frequent medical issues are arthritis (affecting 11.3% of residents) and mental health concerns (9.8%). Notably, 62.2% report no medical ailments, compared to 67.2% in Rest of NSW. Cooma has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 23.2% (1,560 people), compared to the state's average of 20.6%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are challenging but perform better than the general population in certain metrics.

Cooma ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Cooma's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 84.9% of its population being Australian citizens, 82.7% born in Australia, and 90.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Cooma, comprising 54.9% of people, compared to 51.3% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (29.9%), English (26.8%), and Irish (9.1%).

Notably, Hungarian (0.5% vs regional 0.3%) and German (4.5% vs 4.0%) were overrepresented, while Lebanese (0.6% vs 0.4%) showed a notable divergence in representation compared to the region.

Cooma hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Cooma's median age is 44 years, comparable to Rest of NSW's 43 and higher than the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Cooma has a greater proportion of residents aged 35-44 (13.8%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (9.6%). Between the 2021 Census and the present, the 35-44 age group has increased from 12.1% to 13.8%, while the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 12.3% to 10.5%. By 2041, Cooma's age composition is expected to change significantly. The 85+ group will grow by 46%, reaching 316 from 215. Residents aged 65 and older will represent 75% of the anticipated population growth. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 25-34 age groups are expected to decrease in number.