Corowa
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Corowa's population was approximately 5,636 as of August 2025, an increase of 41 people from the 2021 Census figure of 5,595. This change is inferred from ABS estimates: 5,546 in June 2024 and 28 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was around 73 persons per square kilometer. Interstate migration contributed approximately 58.7% of recent population gains. AreaSearch used ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for SA2 areas, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For uncovered areas, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections were utilized, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. These projections indicate a population decline by 628 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are expected to grow; notably, the 85 and over group is projected to increase by 178 people.

The level of residential development activity in Corowa is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Corowa has recorded approximately 12 residential properties granted approval each year. Development approval data is provided by the ABS on a financial year basis, totalling 64 approvals over the past five financial years from FY-20 to FY-25. As of FY-26, there have been 3 approvals so far. Despite population decline in recent years, development activity has been adequate relative to demand, maintaining a balanced housing supply and good buyer choice.

The average construction value for new properties is $684,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This financial year has seen $12.6 million in commercial development approvals, reflecting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Rest of NSW, Corowa records notably lower building activity, 67.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Building activity is also lower than nationally, suggesting market maturity and potential development constraints.

All recent building activity comprises detached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. Developers are constructing more detached housing than implied by the existing pattern at Census (84.0%), reflecting persistent strong demand for family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 704 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment. With population expected to remain stable or decline, Corowa should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Corowa has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 37thth percentile nationally

Four projects identified by AreaSearch may impact the local area: JBS Rivalea Corowa Grower Farm, Corowa Battery, Corowa Regional Saleyards Redevelopment Project, and Corowa Solar Farm.

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

Employment conditions in Corowa remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Corowa has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar employment. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are strongly represented.

The unemployment rate was 3.9% in the past year. Employment growth was estimated at 4.2%. As of June 2025, there were 2,846 residents employed. The unemployment rate was 0.2% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation lagged significantly at 51.3%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading employment industries among residents comprise manufacturing, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Manufacturing has a particularly high presence with an employment share of 3.3 times the regional level. Health care & social assistance, however, has limited presence at 13.3% compared to the regional average of 16.9%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work, as indicated by the count of Census working population to local population. In the 12-month period ending in June 2025, employment increased by 4.2%, while the labour force grew by 4.4%, resulting in a rise in unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of NSW where employment contracted by 0.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, but lags behind national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with significant variations between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Corowa's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.1% over five years and 11.7% over ten years.

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

Corowa's income level is below the national average according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. Corowa's median income among taxpayers is $47,077 and the average income stands at $55,888. These figures compare to those of Rest of NSW which are $49,459 (median) and $62,998 (average). Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Corowa would be approximately $52,067 (median) and $61,812 (average) as of March 2025. Census data reveals household, family, and personal incomes in Corowa all fall between the 9th and 16th percentiles nationally. The data shows that the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket dominates with 27.8% of residents (1,566 people). This is consistent with broader trends across the region showing 29.9% in the same category. While housing costs are modest with 88.0% of income retained, the total disposable income ranks at just the 13th percentile nationally.

Corowa is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Corowa's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 83.7% houses and 16.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 89.8% houses and 10.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Corowa was 47.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.0% and rented dwellings at 24.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Corowa was $1,213, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,285. The median weekly rent figure in Corowa was $230, similar to Non-Metro NSW's $235. Nationally, Corowa's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 62.0% of all households, consisting of 18.7% couples with children, 32.3% couples without children, and 10.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 38.0%, with lone person households at 35.8% and group households making up 2.1% of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

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

The area faces educational challenges with university qualification rates at 12.0%, significantly below the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 8.6%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.8%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.6%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 40.9% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 9.1% and certificates at 31.8%.

A substantial 22.9% of the population is actively pursuing formal education. This includes 8.3% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 1.6% pursuing tertiary education. Corowa's 4 schools have a combined enrollment reaching 657 students as of the latest data. The area demonstrates typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 973) with balanced educational opportunities. Education provision is balanced with 3 primary and 1 secondary school serving distinct age groups. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 11.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 9.4, indicating that the area serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Corowa has 83 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 25 different routes that together offer 265 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 163 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 37 trips per day across all routes, which works out to approximately 3 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Corowa faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. The rate of private health cover in Corowa stands at approximately 48%, covering around 2,705 people, which is lower than the national average of 55.3%.

Arthritis and mental health issues are the most prevalent medical conditions, impacting 12.1% and 9.3% of residents respectively. However, 57.2% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 60.6% in the Rest of NSW. The area has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over, with 32.4%, or around 1,827 people, compared to the 30.5% average in the Rest of NSW.

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

Corowa has a cultural diversity level below the average, with 92.0% of its population being citizens, 91.6% born in Australia, and 97.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Corowa, comprising 59.3% of the population, compared to 58.1% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups in Corowa are English (33.5%), Australian (33.2%), and Irish (9.9%).

Notably, Scottish ancestry is overrepresented at 9.0%, compared to 9.2% regionally, while German is at 3.3% (vs 3.0%) and Welsh at 0.5% (vs 0.3%).

Corowa ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Corowa is 52 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and well above the national norm of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of NSW average, the cohort aged 75-84 is notably over-represented in Corowa at 12.4%, while those aged 35-44 are under-represented at 8.5%. This concentration of the 75-84 age group is well above the national average of 6.0%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of the population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 10.8% to 12.4%, while the cohort aged 5 to 14 has declined from 10.3% to 9.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes, with the cohort aged 85 and above showing the strongest projected growth at 68%, adding 167 residents to reach 414. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive all population growth, underscoring trends towards demographic aging. Conversely, both cohorts aged 35-44 and 0-4 are expected to decrease in numbers.