Cowra Surrounds
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Cowra Surrounds reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Cowra Surrounds' population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, is approximately 5,879 as of November 2025. This figure represents a growth of 163 people, marking a 2.9% increase since the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 5,716. The increase was inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,778 in June 2024 and an additional 99 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a population density ratio of 1.9 persons per square kilometer. Cowra Surrounds' growth rate exceeded that of its SA3 area (0.4%), positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 63.2% to overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch's projections for each SA2 area are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia estimates released in 2024, with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 (base year: 2021) are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population dynamics anticipate an increase just below the median of regional areas nationwide, with Cowra Surrounds expected to add 486 persons by 2041 based on current trends. This translates to a total increase of 6.5% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Cowra Surrounds according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Cowra Surrounds averaged approximately 19 new dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, 95 homes were approved, with an additional 3 approved so far in FY26. On average, 1.6 people moved to the area per year for each dwelling built during this period, indicating balanced supply and demand creating stable market conditions.

The average construction value of new properties was $318,000. In FY26, $4.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting the area's predominantly residential nature. Comparatively, Cowra Surrounds recorded 18.0% higher construction activity than the regional average per person over the past five years. However, this activity has recently eased and is below the national average, suggesting possible planning constraints or maturity of the area.

The dwelling approvals consisted of 93.0% standalone homes and 7.0% attached dwellings, maintaining Cowra Surrounds' traditional low-density character focused on family homes. As of FY25, there were an estimated 442 people per dwelling approval in the area, reflecting its quiet development environment. Future projections estimate that Cowra Surrounds will add 379 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply is expected to meet demand, offering favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond current projections.

Cowra Surrounds has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 17thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 15 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones include Cowra High School Adjacent Residential Subdivision, Chardonnay Hills Estate, Bonsai Gardens Estate, and Cowra Drought Security Project. 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.

While Cowra Surrounds retains a healthy unemployment rate of 2.5%, recent employment declines have impacted its national performance ranking

Cowra Surrounds has an employment mix that spans white and blue collar jobs across various sectors, with an unemployment rate of 2.5% as of June 2025. In this month, 2,924 residents were employed while the area's unemployment rate was 1.1% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation in Cowra Surrounds was somewhat below standard at 51.6%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries for employment among residents are agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area shows strong specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing with an employment share 6.0 times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance is under-represented at 12.3% of Cowra Surrounds' workforce compared to Rest of NSW's 16.9%.

Over the 12 months to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.3% while employment declined by 3.4%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 1.0 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.1%, labour force expand by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Cowra Surrounds' employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.1% over five years and 11.6% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Cowra Surrounds has lower income compared to national averages. The median income is $43,389 and the average is $54,018. This contrasts with Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Cowra Surrounds would be approximately $48,860 (median) and $60,830 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Cowra Surrounds fall between the 11th and 12th percentiles nationally. Income brackets show that 27.7% of the population (1,628 individuals) earn within the $400 - $799 range, differing from metropolitan regions where the $1,500 - $2,999 category is predominant at 29.9%. Housing costs are modest with 90.0% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at just the 17th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

Cowra Surrounds' dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.9% houses and 3.1% other types (semi-detached, apartments, 'other'). Non-Metro NSW had 92.0% houses and 8.0% others. Home ownership in Cowra Surrounds was 53.1%, with mortgages at 30.3% and rentals at 16.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,164, below Non-Metro NSW's $1,200 average. Median weekly rent in Cowra Surrounds was $210, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $220. Nationally, mortgage repayments were lower at $1,863 and rents were substantially lower at $375.

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

Family households account for 68.6 percent of all households, including 23.7 percent couples with children, 34.5 percent couples without children, and 9.3 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 31.4 percent, with lone person households at 28.1 percent and group households comprising 3.3 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of NSW.

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

Cowra Surrounds has lower university qualification rates at 16.0% compared to NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are held by 41.6% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.1% and certificates at 30.5%. Educational participation is high, with 27.7% currently enrolled in formal education: primary (10.5%), secondary (9.3%), and tertiary (2.0%).

Six schools operate within Cowra Surrounds, educating approximately 599 students. There are five primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School places per 100 residents stand at 10.2, below the regional average of 16.0, indicating some students may attend schools in nearby areas.

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

Transport analysis in Cowra Surrounds indicates 457 active public transport stops, all of which are bus services. These stops are served by 41 unique routes, collectively offering 349 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as good, with residents typically located 301 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 49 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately zero weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Cowra Surrounds is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Cowra Surrounds faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 47% (around 2,763 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common conditions are arthritis (13.0%) and mental health issues (8.8%). About 60.5% of residents report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of NSW's 62.4%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 28.0% (1,647 people), compared to Rest of NSW's 23.8%. Health outcomes among seniors show some challenges but perform better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Cowra Surrounds had a lower than average cultural diversity, with 87.5% of its population being citizens, 92.5% born in Australia, and 97.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 68.9% of people, compared to 70.4% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (33.2%), English (32.7%), and Irish (10.3%).

Notably, Maltese were overrepresented at 0.9%, Australian Aboriginal were underrepresented at 3.4%, and Scottish were slightly overrepresented at 8.2%.

Cowra Surrounds ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Cowra Surrounds has a median age of 50, which is higher than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and the national average of 38. The 55-64 age group comprises 16.4% of its population, compared to 12.9% in Rest of NSW and 11.2% nationally. Conversely, the 25-34 age group makes up 8.2%, lower than the national average of 14.7%. Post the 2021 Census, the 75-84 age group grew from 9.2% to 10.9%, while the 15-24 cohort increased from 9.9% to 11.3%. Meanwhile, the 65-74 group decreased from 15.7% to 14.0% and the 45-54 group dropped from 13.4% to 11.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Cowra Surrounds' age profile. The 85+ cohort is expected to increase by 183 people (99%), from 186 to 370. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are projected to account for 63% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic trend. Conversely, population declines are forecasted for the 5-14 and 15-24 cohorts.