Cooma Surrounds

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

Cooma Surrounds' population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, stands at approximately 3,588 as of February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 116 individuals, a rise of 3.3%, since the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 3,472. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,554 in June 2024 and the addition of 91 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a population density ratio of 0.60 persons per square kilometer. Cooma Surrounds' growth rate of 3.3% since the Census places it within 1.9 percentage points of its SA4 region's growth rate of 5.2%. Interstate migration accounted for approximately 84.6% of overall population gains in recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are utilised. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, based on latest annual ERP population numbers, Cooma Surrounds is projected to grow by 498 persons, reflecting a total gain of 12.9% over the 17-year period.

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 received approximately 12 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 60 homes. In FY-26 so far, three approvals have been recorded. On average, around three people move to the area each year with every new home constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating steady demand that supports property values. The average construction cost of new homes is $413,000, which is higher than regional norms due to quality-focused development.

This financial year has seen $3.5 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Rest of NSW, Cooma Surrounds shows approximately 68% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 53rd percentile nationally, suggesting market maturity and potential 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 and attracting space-seeking buyers with an average of approximately 298 people per dwelling approval. Population forecasts indicate Cooma Surrounds will gain 464 residents by 2041, maintaining a reasonable pace of construction growth despite potential increasing competition among buyers as population increases.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 28 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Cooma Solar Farm, Monaro High School Upgrade, Polo Flat Road Roundabout, and Cooma Festival Swimming Pool Upgrades. The following list details those most 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.

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 1.7% as of September 2025. It has 1,982 residents in work, with an unemployment rate 2.1% lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation is at 65.9%, slightly higher than the Rest of NSW's 61.5%.

According to Census responses, 19.0% of residents work from home. Key industries for employment are agriculture, forestry & fishing, public administration & safety, and construction. The area has a strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 3.6 times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance is under-represented, with only 7.0% of Cooma Surrounds's workforce compared to 16.9% in Rest of NSW.

The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, labour force decreased by 5.5% and employment decreased by 5.7%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.5% and labour force decline of 0.1%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment rate over the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Cooma Surrounds's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.4% over five years and 11.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023, Cooma Surrounds SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $52,283 with an average level of $63,067. This is below the national average and compares to levels of $52,390 and $65,215 across Rest of NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, 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 in Cooma Surrounds, as per the latest Census, consisted of 98.7% houses and 1.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Non-Metro NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cooma Surrounds stood at 53.3%, with the rest being mortgaged (36.7%) or rented (10.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,627, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Cooma Surrounds was $290, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Cooma Surrounds' mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,627 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 72.1% of all households, including 27.8% couples with children, 37.2% couples without children, and 6.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 27.9%, with lone person households at 26.7% and group households comprising 1.1%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which matches the average in the Rest of NSW.

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

Cooma Surrounds' residents aged 15+ have lower university degree holders (22.6%) compared to NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common (15.7%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 42.3% of residents holding them: advanced diplomas at 10.9%, certificates at 31.4%. Educational participation is high, with 27.8% currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.3% in primary, 9.6% in secondary, and 2.4% in tertiary education.

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

Cooma Surrounds has 116 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 23 individual routes that provide a total of 169 weekly passenger trips. Residents have limited accessibility to these stops, with an average distance of 1368 meters to the nearest one. The area is predominantly residential, with most residents commuting outward using private cars (92%), while 5% walk. Vehicle ownership averages 1.9 per dwelling, higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 19% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

On average, there are 24 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's 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 shows superior health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts exhibit low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~1,808 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (10.9%) and mental health issues (8.1%). A majority, 64.6%, report being completely free from medical ailments, slightly higher than the Rest of NSW's 63.3%. The working-age population faces significant health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 26.1% (937 people), compared to Rest of NSW's 23.4%. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, ranking even higher than the general population nationally.

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 have a below-average level of cultural diversity, with 88.4% of its population being Australian citizens, 87.2% born in Australia, and 95.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Cooma Surrounds, making up 58.6% of the population, compared to 55.9% across the Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups are English (30.7%), Australian (28.9%), and Irish (11.4%).

Notably, certain ethnic groups have different representations: Scottish at 10.1% in Cooma Surrounds compared to 8.0% regionally, German at 4.1% versus 3.1%, and Lebanese at 0.4% compared to 0.2%.

Cooma Surrounds ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Cooma Surrounds has a median age of 49, which is higher than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the age group 55-64 is notably over-represented in Cooma Surrounds at 16.3%, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 9.6%. This concentration of the 55-64 age group is well above the national average of 11.2%. Between 2021 and the present, the population aged 25 to 34 has grown from 8.2% to 10.2%, while those aged 15 to 24 have increased from 9.1% to 10.6%. Conversely, the age group 45 to 54 has declined from 16.1% to 13.1%, and the 5-14 year-olds have dropped from 11.7% to 9.6%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Cooma Surrounds's age structure. The age cohort of 35 to 44 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.