Cooma Surrounds
Statistical Area - sa2

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, is approximately 3,598 as of August 2025. This figure represents an increase of 126 individuals, a 3.6% rise from the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,472 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 3,555 in June 2024 and an additional 82 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 0.60 persons per square kilometer. Cooma Surrounds' growth rate of 3.6% since the census is within 0.8 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 4.4%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Interstate migration contributed approximately 84.6% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth in the area.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics project an above median growth for Australia's non-metropolitan areas, with Cooma Surrounds expected to increase by 498 persons by 2041, representing a total increase of 12.6% 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 granted around 12 residential approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 60 homes. As of FY-26, one approval has been recorded. On average, three people moved to the area per new home constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, reflecting robust demand that supports property values. New homes are being built at an average construction cost value of $514,000.

This financial year, $3.5 million in commercial approvals have been registered. Cooma Surrounds records around 68% of the building activity per person compared to the Rest of NSW, placing it among the 54th percentile nationally. This activity reflects market maturity and possible development constraints. New development consists of 90.0% standalone homes and 10.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

Cooma Surrounds reflects a low density area with around 298 people per approval. Future projections show Cooma Surrounds adding 454 residents by 2041. Development is keeping pace with projected growth, though buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

Cooma Surrounds has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 24thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 28 projects likely to impact the region. Key initiatives include Cooma Solar Farm, Polo Flat Road Roundabout, Monaro High School upgrade, 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.

The labour market in Cooma Surrounds shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Cooma Surrounds has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation and an unemployment rate of 2.1% as of June 2025. It has 2,005 residents in work, with an unemployment rate 1.6% lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation is at 60.5%, similar to the Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, public administration & safety, and construction. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has a notable concentration with employment levels at 3.6 times the regional average. Health care & social assistance has limited presence with 7.0% employment compared to 16.9% regionally.

The area may offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, labour force decreased by 3.6%, while employment declined by 4.3%, increasing the unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.1%, labour force growth of 0.3%, and a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Cooma Surrounds' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.4% over five years and 11.5% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

Cooma Surrounds' median income among taxpayers was $49,932 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $60,967 during the same period. This compares to Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. Based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated median income would be approximately $56,228 as of September 2025, with the average income being around $68,655 during that period. According to the 2021 Census, household incomes in Cooma Surrounds rank between the 41st and 48th percentiles. For personal incomes, 30.1% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999, which aligns with the metropolitan region where this cohort also represents approximately 29.9%. Housing costs are manageable in Cooma Surrounds, with 89.5% retained by residents. However, disposable income ranks below average at the 48th 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

Cooma Surrounds' dwellings, as per the latest Census, were 98.7% houses and 1.2% other types (semi-detached, apartments, others). Non-Metro NSW had 87.0% houses and 13.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cooma Surrounds was 53.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.7% and rented ones at 10.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,627, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,408. Median weekly rent in Cooma Surrounds was $290, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $300. Nationally, Cooma Surrounds' mortgage repayments were lower at $1,627 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were lower at $290 compared to the national figure of $375.

Cooma Surrounds has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 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%, comprising 26.7% lone person households and 1.1% group households. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

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; 22.6% of residents aged 15+ hold 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 – advanced diplomas (10.9%) and certificates (31.4%).

Educational participation is notably high; 27.8% of residents are currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.3% in primary education, 9.6% in secondary education, and 2.4% pursuing tertiary education. Cooma Surrounds's three schools have a combined enrollment reaching 35 students while the area demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 950) with balanced educational opportunities. The three schools focus exclusively on primary education, with secondary options available in surrounding areas. Limited local school capacity (1.0 places per 100 residents vs 13.3 regionally) means many families travel to nearby areas for schooling.

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

The analysis of public transport in Cooma Surrounds shows that there are currently 118 active transport stops operating. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 24 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 178 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as limited; residents typically live 1368 meters away from the nearest transport stop. On average, there are 25 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

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

Cooma Surrounds faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~1,799 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 10.9 and 8.1% of residents respectively. A total of 64.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.2% across Rest of NSW. As of 2021, the area has 26.0% of residents aged 65 and over (935 people), which is higher than the 20.6% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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, as per the census conducted on 27 June 2016, exhibited lower cultural diversity compared to average figures. The population was predominantly Australian citizens at 88.4%, with 87.2% born in Australia and 95.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 58.6% of Cooma Surrounds' population, which is higher than the regional average of 51.3%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (30.7%), Australian (28.9%), and Irish (11.4%). Notable differences in ethnic group representation included Scottish at 10.1% compared to the regional figure of 9.4%, German at 4.1% versus 4.0%, and Lebanese at 0.4% each for Cooma Surrounds and its region.

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 well above Australia's median age of 38. The 55-64 cohort is notably over-represented in Cooma Surrounds at 16.2%, compared to the Rest of NSW average of 15.7% and the national average of 11.2%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group is under-represented at 9.7%. Between 2021 and the present, the population aged 15-24 has increased from 9.1% to 10.6%, while the 25-34 cohort has risen from 8.2% to 9.7%. However, the 45-54 age group has declined from 16.1% to 13.8%, and the 5-14 age group has dropped from 11.7% to 9.7%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Cooma Surrounds' age structure. The 35-44 age cohort is projected to grow by 121 people (35%), from 352 to 474. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 15-24 and 45-54 cohorts.