Cooma Surrounds

Cooma Surrounds has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Cooma Surrounds's population is around 3,588 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 116 people (3.3%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,472 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,554 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 91 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 0.60 persons per square kilometer, providing ample space per person. Cooma Surrounds's 3.3% growth since the census positions it within 1.9 percentage points of the SA4 region (5.2%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed approximately 84.6% 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. Looking at population projections moving forward, an above-median population growth for Australia's regional areas is projected, with the area expected to grow by 498 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, recording a gain of 12.9% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Cooma Surrounds recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Cooma Surrounds has experienced around 12 dwellings receiving development approval annually, totalling 60 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 3 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), suggesting solid demand that supports property values, new homes are being built at an average value of $413,000—somewhat higher than regional norms—reflecting quality-focused development. Additionally, $3.5 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, demonstrating the area's primarily residential nature.

When measured against the Rest of NSW, Cooma Surrounds shows approximately 68% of the construction activity per person while it places among the 53rd percentile of areas assessed nationally. This activity is likewise lower than the national average, reflecting market maturity and pointing to possible development constraints. New building activity consists of 90.0% standalone homes and 10.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's low-density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. The location has approximately 298 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low-density market.

Population forecasts indicate Cooma Surrounds will gain 464 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Construction is maintaining a reasonable pace with projected growth, although buyers could encounter growing competition as population increases.

Cooma Surrounds has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total 28 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Cooma Solar Farm, Monaro High School Upgrade, Polo Flat Road Roundabout, and Cooma Festival Swimming Pool Upgrades, 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.

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.

Employment conditions in Cooma Surrounds demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Cooma Surrounds has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation and an unemployment rate of just 1.5%. As of December 2025, 1,978 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 2.4% below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%, and workforce participation is fairly standard (65.6% compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%). Based on Census responses, a moderate 19.0% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are agriculture, forestry & fishing, public administration & safety, and construction. The area shows particularly strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share of 3.6 times the regional level. On the other hand, health care & social assistance is under-represented, with only 7.0% of Cooma Surrounds's workforce compared to 16.9% in Regional NSW. The area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, the 12-month period saw the labour force decrease by 4.6% combined with employment decreasing by 4.2%, resulting in the unemployment rate falling by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW experienced an employment decline of 1.2% and a labour force decline of 0.8%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Cooma Surrounds. 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 Cooma Surrounds's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.4% over five years and 11.5% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Cooma Surrounds SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $52,283 with the average level standing at $63,067. This is below the national average and compares to levels of $52,390 and $65,215 across Regional NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $56,915 (median) and $68,655 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Cooma Surrounds, between the 41st and 48th percentiles. Distribution data shows 30.1% of the population (1,079 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income range, mirroring regional levels where 29.9% occupy this bracket. Housing costs are manageable with 89.5% retained, though disposable income sits below average at the 47th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Cooma Surrounds is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Cooma Surrounds, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 98.7% houses and 1.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Cooma Surrounds was well beyond that of Regional NSW, at 53.3%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (36.7%) or rented (10.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Regional NSW average at $1,627, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $290, compared to Regional NSW's $1,733 and $330. Nationally, Cooma Surrounds's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially below the national figure of $375.

Cooma Surrounds has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households dominate at 72.1% of all households, comprising 27.8% couples with children, 37.2% couples without children, and 6.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 27.9%, with lone person households at 26.7% and group households comprising 1.1% of the total. The median household size of 2.4 people matches the Regional NSW average.

Educational outcomes in Cooma Surrounds fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Educational qualifications in Cooma Surrounds trail regional benchmarks, with 22.6% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 32.2% in NSW. This gap highlights potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees lead at 15.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 42.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (10.9%) and certificates (31.4%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.8% of residents aged 15+ currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 9.6% in secondary education, and 2.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 116 active transport stops operating within Cooma Surrounds, comprising a mix of trains and buses. These stops are serviced by 23 individual routes, collectively providing 169 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as limited, with residents typically located 1368 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 92%, with 5% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 1.9 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. Some 19.0% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 24 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 1 weekly trip per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

The level of general health in Cooma Surrounds is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Cooma Surrounds demonstrates above-average health outcomes, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts show a low prevalence of common health conditions, while the rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~1,808 people). The national average is 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 10.9% and 8.1% of residents, respectively, while 64.6% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 26.1% of residents aged 65 and over (937 people), which is higher than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than those of the general population.

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

Cooma Surrounds was found to be below average in terms of cultural diversity, with 88.4% of its population being citizens, 87.2% born in Australia, and 95.5% speaking English only at home. The main religion in Cooma Surrounds is Christianity, which makes up 58.6% of the population, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Cooma Surrounds are English, comprising 30.7% of the population, Australian, comprising 28.9% of the population, and Irish, comprising 11.4% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Scottish is notably overrepresented at 10.1% of Cooma Surrounds (vs 8.0% regionally), German at 4.1% (vs 3.1%), and Lebanese at 0.4% (vs 0.2%).

Cooma Surrounds ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

With a median age of 49, Cooma Surrounds notably exceeds the Regional NSW figure of 43 and is well above Australia's 38 years. Compared to the Regional NSW average, the 55 - 64 cohort is notably over-represented (16.3% locally), while 5 - 14 year-olds are under-represented (9.6%). This 55 - 64 concentration is well above the national 11.2%. Since 2021, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 8.2% to 10.2% of the population, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 9.1% to 10.6%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 16.1% to 13.1% and the 5 to 14 group dropped from 11.7% to 9.6%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Cooma Surrounds's age structure. The 35 to 44 age cohort is projected to experience strong growth, expanding by 119 people (34%) from 354 to 474. In contrast, numbers in the 45 to 54 age range are expected to fall by 13.