Cooma
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Cooma's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, was approximately 6,718 as of August 2025. This figure represents a decrease of 43 individuals, equating to a 0.6% reduction since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 6,761 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,716 reported by the ABS as of June 2024, along with an additional 50 validated new addresses identified after the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 64 persons per square kilometer, indicating ample space per person. Population growth in the area was predominantly driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 96.8% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the 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 in the area over this period. According to AreaSearch's methodology, the population is projected to decrease by 239 persons by 2041. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, notably within the 85 and over age group, which is expected to grow by 103 people during this time frame.

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 18 new homes approved annually. Development approval data, produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, totals 93 approvals from FY20 to FY25, with 0 recorded so far in FY26. Despite population decline, development activity has been adequate relative to demand, maintaining a well-balanced market with good buyer choice. New properties are constructed at an average value of $859,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment.

This financial year, $105.2 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Rest of NSW, Cooma shows substantially reduced construction (61.0% below regional average per person), which typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Recent development has consisted entirely of standalone homes, preserving the area's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 1604 people, reflecting its quiet, low activity development environment. With stable or declining population forecasts, Cooma may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Given stable or declining population forecasts, Cooma may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Cooma has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 19thth percentile nationally

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

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

The employment landscape in Cooma presents a mixed picture: unemployment remains low at 3.2%, 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 3.2%.

As of June 2025, 3,238 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.5% lower than Rest of NSW's 3.7%. Workforce participation in Cooma is similar to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The dominant employment sectors include retail trade, construction, and health care & social assistance. Cooma has a particular specialization in electricity, gas, water & waste services with an employment share 5.1 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance employs only 11.3% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 16.9%. The ratio of 0.6 workers per resident indicates a higher-than-average level of local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 3.6%, with employment decreasing by 4.6%, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 1.0 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced a 0.1% employment decline and 0.3% labour force growth, with a 0.4 percentage point increase in unemployment rate. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41%, losing 19,270 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Cooma's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Cooma's median taxpayer income was $51,670 with an average of $63,060 in financial year 2022. This is slightly below the national average. In comparison, Rest of NSW had a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, estimated median income for Cooma as of March 2025 is approximately $57,147, with an average of $69,744. According to the 2021 Census, personal income in Cooma ranks at the 43rd percentile ($771 weekly), while household income sits at the 26th percentile. The largest income segment comprises 29.7% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (1,995 residents). Housing costs are manageable with 87.1% retained, 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

In Cooma, as per the latest Census evaluation, 88.5% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 11.5% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This compares to Non-Metro NSW where 87.0% were houses and 13.0% were other dwellings. Home ownership in Cooma was at 39.8%, lower than Non-Metro NSW's figure. Mortgaged dwellings made up 29.8% while rented ones accounted for 30.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,300, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,408 and significantly lower than the national average of $1,863 as per the latest available data. The median weekly rent figure in Cooma was recorded at $290, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $300 and 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 comprise the remaining 37.8%, with lone person households at 34.4% and group households making up 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 at 21.3%, which is substantially below 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 prominent, 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. Cooma operates a robust network of 8 schools educating approximately 1,411 students. These schools demonstrate typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 994) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 3 primary, 2 secondary, and 3 K-12 schools. Cooma functions as an education hub with 21.0 school places per 100 residents – significantly above the regional average of 13.4 – attracting students from surrounding communities.

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. These comprise a mix of trains and buses, served by 28 routes offering 307 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is excellent, with residents located an average of 157 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 43 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately one weekly trip per individual 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 substantial health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is held by approximately 51% of Cooma's total population (~3,432 people), slightly lower than the average SA2 area. The most frequent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 11.3% of residents) and mental health issues (9.8%), while 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%, with 1,559 people, than the 20.6% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges despite performing better than the general population in health 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. Its population composition was as follows: 84.9% citizens, 82.7% born in Australia, and 90.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, with 54.9%, 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, German, and Lebanese ethnicities had higher representations than the regional averages: Hungarian at 0.5% vs 0.3%, German at 4.5% vs 4.0%, and Lebanese at 0.6% vs 0.4%.

Cooma hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Cooma's median age is 44 years, similar to Rest of NSW at 43, and higher than the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Cooma has a higher percentage of residents aged 35-44 (13.8%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 (9.6%). In the period from the 2021 Census to present, the age group 35 to 44 has increased from 12.1% to 13.8%, while the age group 45 to 54 has decreased from 12.3% to 10.5%. By the year 2041, Cooma's population is expected to experience significant shifts in its age composition. The number of residents aged 85 and over is projected to grow by 47%, increasing from 215 to 316. This demographic aging trend is driven by residents aged 65 and older contributing to 74% of the anticipated population growth. Conversely, both the age groups 0-4 and 25-34 are expected to decrease in number.