Morisset - Cooranbong

Morisset - Cooranbong lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Morisset-Cooranbong's population is around 21,485 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 3,356 people (18.5%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 18,129 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 21,067 from the ABS as of June 2025 and an additional 1,916 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 65 persons per square kilometer. Morisset-Cooranbong's growth exceeded Rest of NSW (4.9%) and its SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the area. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 91.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts 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 from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering projected demographic shifts, exceptional growth is predicted over the period, with the area expected to increase by 9,133 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 40.6% in total over the 16 years.

The level of residential development activity in Morisset - Cooranbong was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Morisset-Cooranbong has seen approximately 342 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 1713 homes. As of FY26350 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.9 new residents arrive per new home built each year between FY21 and FY25. The average construction cost value for new homes is $296,000.

This financial year has seen $52.7 million in commercial approvals, indicating high local commercial activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Morisset-Cooranbong has 107% more new home approvals per person, offering buyers greater choice and suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. New building activity consists of 76% detached dwellings and 24% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's low density nature while attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 59 people per approval, Morisset-Cooranbong reflects a developing area. Future projections estimate an addition of 8715 residents by 2041.

Present construction rates appear balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

Morisset - Cooranbong has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 39 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Life & Home Bulky Goods Centre in Morisset, Trinity Point Marina & Resort Development at Cedar Mill Lake Macquarie, and Mandalong Road Upgrade in Morisset. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Morisset - Cooranbong recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Morisset-Cooranbong has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 4.7% as of December 2025. The area showed employment stability over the past year, with 8,894 residents in work and an unemployment rate of 5.6%.

This rate is higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%, while workforce participation stands at 54.1% compared to Regional NSW's 60.5%. According to Census responses, 23.8% of residents worked from home in Morisset-Cooranbong. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. The area specializes strongly in construction with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing has limited presence at 1.7% compared to Regional NSW's 5.3%.

Labour force levels increased by 1.6% over the 12 months to December 2025, but employment declined by 0.1%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 1.6 percentage points. In comparison, Regional NSW saw employment fall by 1.2%, labour force contract by 0.8%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Morisset-Cooranbong's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by the same rates, assuming no changes in population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that income in Morisset - Cooranbong SA2 is lower than average nationally. The median income was $52,764 and the average was $63,567. In contrast, Regional NSW had a median income of $52,390 and an average of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Morisset - Cooranbong would be approximately $58,209 (median) and $70,127 (average) as of March 2026. Census data reveals that household, family, and personal incomes in Morisset - Cooranbong all fall between the 20th and 26th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 28.7% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999, which is similar to the broader area where this cohort represents 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 81.4% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 23rd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

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

Dwelling structure in Morisset-Cooranbong, as per the latest Census, consisted of 84.4% houses and 15.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Regional NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Morisset-Cooranbong was 40.3%, similar to Regional NSW's figure. Mortgaged dwellings made up 35.8% and rented dwellings were 23.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,000, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Morisset-Cooranbong was $380, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Morisset-Cooranbong's median monthly mortgage repayment exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while median weekly rent surpassed the national figure of $375.

Morisset - Cooranbong has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 69.8% of all households, including 27.9% couples with children, 29.7% couples without children, and 11.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 30.2%, with lone person households at 27.0% and group households comprising 3.1%. The median household size is 2.5 people, larger than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

Educational outcomes in Morisset - Cooranbong fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 18.2%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 12.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 42.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.4%) and certificates (31.7%).

Educational participation is high, with 25.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.1% in primary education, 6.3% in secondary education, and 4.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Morisset-Cooranbong has 174 active public transport stops. These include train and bus services operating along 88 routes, providing a total of 2,250 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated good, with residents typically living within 340 meters of the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area, with car being the dominant mode at 94%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.6 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 23.8% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 321 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 12 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

Health performance in Morisset - Cooranbong is well below average with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Morisset-Cooranbong faces significant health challenges according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are substantial, impacting both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 50% of the total population (~10,849 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.1%) and mental health issues (10.3%), while 58.4% of residents report no medical ailments, lower than the Regional NSW average of 63.3%. Working-age population health is notably challenging with high chronic condition rates. The area has 24.3% of residents aged 65 and over (5,212 people), with senior health outcomes broadly in line with national rankings.

Morisset - Cooranbong is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Morisset-Cooranbong had a cultural diversity score below average, with 85.9% of its population born in Australia, 92.2% being citizens, and 95.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 59.9% of the population, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (32.9%), Australian (30.4%), and Scottish (7.9%).

Notably, Samoan (0.4%) and Maltese (0.7%) groups were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.1% and 0.4%, respectively. However, the Australian Aboriginal population was underrepresented at 3.8%, compared to the regional average of 4.6%.

Morisset - Cooranbong hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Morisset-Cooranbong's median age of 45 years is slightly higher than Regional NSW's average of 43 years, and considerably older than Australia's national norm of 38 years. Compared to the regional average, Morisset-Cooranbong has a notably higher proportion of residents aged 85 and above (4.2%), while those aged 45-54 are under-represented (10.0%). Between 2021 and present, the median age has decreased by 1.2 years to 45 due to an increase in younger residents. Specifically, the proportion of residents aged 35-44 has grown from 10.2% to 12.2%, and those aged 25-34 increased from 11.1% to 12.4%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 65-74 decreased from 12.5% to 11.2%, and those aged 45-54 dropped from 11.1% to 10.0%. Population forecasts for Morisset-Cooranbong indicate significant demographic changes by 2041, with the 25-34 age cohort projected to grow by 54%, adding 1,440 residents to reach a total of 4,109.