Cootamundra

Cootamundra is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Cootamundra's population is 7,744 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 39 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,705. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 7,722 in June 2024 and an additional 18 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 4.7 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Anticipated demographic trends suggest lower quartile growth of regional areas nationally, with Cootamundra expected to expand by 299 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 3.6% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Cootamundra, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Cootamundra has seen approximately 21 new homes approved annually. From FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 109 homes were approved, with an additional 6 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, over the past five financial years, only 0.2 people moved to the area for each dwelling built.

This suggests that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $293,000. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $7.0 million, indicating the area's primarily residential nature. Comparatively, Cootamundra shows around 57% of the construction activity per person compared to Rest of NSW and ranks among the 18th percentile nationally for areas assessed, suggesting more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing dwellings.

This is reflective of the area's maturity and may indicate possible planning constraints. New development in Cootamundra consists predominantly of detached dwellings (93.0%) with a smaller proportion of attached dwellings (7.0%), maintaining its traditional low density character focused on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 815 people, reflecting its quiet and low activity development environment. Looking ahead, Cootamundra is projected to grow by 277 residents by 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects likely affecting the region: The Wired Lab - The Church (Muttama Cultural Tourism Project), Inland Rail from Illabo to Stockinbingal, Smart Water Meter Replacement Program, and Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council Single Local Environmental Plan Development.

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

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The employment landscape in Cootamundra shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Cootamundra has a balanced workforce encompassing white and blue collar jobs with well-represented essential services sectors. The unemployment rate in the area was 3.6% as of September 2025, which is 0.2% lower than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.0%. There are 3,016 residents currently employed, but workforce participation lags behind the rest of NSW at 46.7%, compared to the regional average of 56.4%. The dominant employment sectors among Cootamundra's residents include health care & social assistance, agriculture, forestry & fishing, and retail trade. Notably, agriculture, forestry & fishing has a high concentration with employment levels at 2.5 times the regional average.

Conversely, accommodation & food services have limited presence with 5.1% employment compared to the regional average of 7.8%. Employment opportunities in Cootamundra appear limited locally, as indicated by the difference between the Census working population and resident population counts. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 4.0%, while the labour force grew by 4.8%. This resulted in an unemployment rate rise of 0.7 percentage points. Conversely, in the Rest of NSW, employment contracted by 0.5%, the labour force fell by 0.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points during this period. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows that NSW's employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Cootamundra's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by approximately 6.0% over five years and 12.7% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

The Cootamundra SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $46,642 and an average of $59,925 in the financial year 2022. This is lower than national averages, with Rest of NSW having a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. By September 2025, based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61%, estimated incomes would be approximately $52,524 (median) and $67,482 (average). According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Cootamundra fall between the 5th and 10th percentiles nationally for households, families, and individuals. Income distribution shows that 29.6% of locals (2,292 people) earn between $400 - 799, contrasting with the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 29.9%. Despite modest housing costs allowing for 88.8% income retention, total disposable income ranks at just the 10th percentile nationally.

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

The dwelling structure in Cootamundra, as per the latest Census, consisted of 92.4% houses and 7.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro NSW's figures of 88.4% houses and 11.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cootamundra stood at 50.7%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (25.9%) or rented (23.4%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,111, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,430. The median weekly rent figure in Cootamundra was recorded at $219, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $280. Nationally, Cootamundra's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 65.9 percent of all households, including 20.4 percent couples with children, 34.7 percent couples without children, and 10.1 percent single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 34.1 percent, with lone person households at 32.3 percent and group households comprising 1.7 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Cootamundra faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 13.4%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 10.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 40.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 10.4% and certificates for 30.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 25.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.0% in primary education, 8.1% in secondary education, and 1.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Cootamundra has 262 active public transport stops, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 51 individual routes, facilitating 937 weekly passenger trips in total. The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 189 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

On average, there are 133 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately three weekly trips per stop.

Health performance in Cootamundra is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Cootamundra faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. Approximately half (50%) of its total population (~3,833 people) has private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (12.9% of residents) and mental health issues (9.4%). Conversely, 56.5% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 64.5% in Rest of NSW. Cootamundra has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 32.8% (~2,536 people), compared to 19.6% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors generally align with the broader population's health profile.

The latest Census data sees Cootamundra placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Cootamundra, as per the 2016 Census, had a cultural diversity index of below average. Its population was predominantly Australian-born citizens with English spoken at home: 91.5%, 92.6%, and 97.4% respectively. Christianity was the dominant religion in Cootamundra, practiced by 69.0% of residents, slightly higher than the Rest of NSW's 64.3%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (33.5%), Australian (32.9%), and Irish (10.7%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal was proportionally higher in Cootamundra at 4.9% compared to the regional average of 4.5%, while Scottish was slightly lower at 7.6% versus 8.0%. German ancestry was also relatively lower at 3.2% compared to the regional figure of 3.9%.

Cootamundra ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Cootamundra's median age at 51 years is significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 and considerably older than Australia's median age of 38. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Cootamundra has a notably over-represented 75-84 cohort (12.1%) and under-represented 35-44 year-olds (7.9%). This concentration in the 75-84 age group is well above the national average of 6%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75-84 cohort has grown from 10.5% to 12.1%, while the 15-24 cohort increased from 9.2% to 10.4%. Conversely, the 35-44 age group has declined from 8.9% to 7.9%. By 2041, Cootamundra's demographic is expected to shift significantly. Leading this change, the 85+ group will grow by 57%, reaching 522 people from 332. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 57% of projected growth. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 15-24 age groups are expected to decrease in number.