South Coogee
Statistical Area - sa2

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

South Coogee's population, as of August 2025, is approximately 5,750. This figure represents an increase of 139 individuals, a rise of 2.5% since the 2021 Census which recorded a population of 5,611. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,750 as of June 2024 and an additional three validated new addresses post-census. This results in a density ratio of 5,088 persons per square kilometer, placing South Coogee within the top 10% nationally in terms of population density. Over the past decade, South Coogee has shown consistent growth with a compound annual growth rate of 0.1%, outperforming its SA3 area. Overseas migration contributed significantly to this growth, accounting for approximately 92.4% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 using 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, South Coogee is expected to grow by around 523 persons by 2041, marking a total increase of approximately 9.1% over the 17-year period.

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

South Coogee has granted around 12 residential properties approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 64 homes were approved, with an additional 2 approved so far in FY-26.

The area's population decline has maintained adequate housing supply relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $1,095,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment by developers. Compared to Greater Sydney, South Coogee has 16.0% less new development per person and ranks among the 36th percentile nationally, offering more limited choices for buyers but supporting demand for existing dwellings due to its mature status and possible planning constraints. New developments consist of 40.0% standalone homes and 60.0% attached dwellings, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers with accessible entry options. With around 527 people per dwelling approval, South Coogee shows a developed market.

Population forecasts indicate an increase of 523 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

South Coogee has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Two projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area: Woomera Reserve Upgrade - Little Bay and Google Pacific Connect - Tabua and Honomoana Cable Landing Infrastructure. Additionally, the South Coogee to Lurline Bay Coastal Walk Connection project is underway, while planning for Randwick Health and Innovation Precinct is ongoing.

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

The labour market performance in South Coogee lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

South Coogee has a highly educated workforce with the technology sector being particularly well-represented. As of June 2025, its unemployment rate is 11.2%, with an estimated employment growth of 6.7% over the past year.

This is higher than Greater Sydney's overall unemployment rate of 4.2%. In South Coogee, workforce participation is lower at 55.7% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Public administration & safety shows strong specialization with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, manufacturing has lower representation at 2.7% compared to the regional average of 5.7%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 6.7%, while labour force increased by 2.5%, leading to a decrease in unemployment rate by 3.5 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6% with unemployment rising slightly by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data from 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 that national employment is expected to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to South Coogee's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.3% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, assuming constant population projections for illustrative purposes.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on 2022 financial year, South Coogee had a median income among taxpayers of $77,979 and an average level of $130,664. These figures place South Coogee in the top percentile nationally, compared to Greater Sydney's levels of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since the financial year ending June 2022, current estimates for South Coogee would be approximately $86,245 (median) and $144,514 (average) as of March 2025. The 2021 Census shows that household, family and personal incomes in South Coogee cluster around the 73rd percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals that 32.8% of South Coogee's population, which consists of 1,885 individuals, fall within the $40,000+ income range, contrasting with the metropolitan region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 30.9%. This suburb exhibits notable income diversity, with 31.9% earning under $800 weekly and 41.0% exceeding $3,000, resulting in a mixed socioeconomic profile. High housing costs consume 16.2% of income, however strong earnings still place disposable income at the 73rd percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

South Coogee features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In South Coogee, as per the latest Census evaluation, 38.9% of dwellings were houses while 61.1% consisted of semi-detached properties, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Sydney metropolitan areas where 26.9% were houses and 73.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Coogee stood at 25.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.0% and rented ones at 48.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $4,000, higher than the Sydney metro average of $3,033. Weekly rent median in South Coogee was $207, lower than the national average of $375. Nationally, South Coogee's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $4,000 compared to Australia's average of $1,863.

South Coogee features high concentrations of lone person households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 65.3 percent of all households, including 35.3 percent couples with children, 17.9 percent couples without children, and 11.2 percent single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 34.7 percent, with lone person households at 31.2 percent and group households comprising 3.4 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.4.

South Coogee shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Educational attainment in South Coogee is notably high, with 44.9% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, compared to national figures of 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 28.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.3%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Vocational pathways account for 23.5%, with advanced diplomas at 10.5% and certificates at 13.0%. Educational participation is also high, with 34.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.3% in primary, 10.2% in secondary, and 7.1% pursuing tertiary education. South Coogee Public School serves the area, with an enrollment of 409 students as of a recent report. The school's ICSEA score is 1087, indicating above-average socio-educational conditions. It caters exclusively to primary education, with secondary options available in nearby areas. As of the same report, there are 7.1 school places per 100 residents, below the regional average of 11.1.

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

South Coogee has 26 active public transport stops operating currently. These are all bus stops serviced by 21 different routes. Each week, these routes provide a total of 2,126 passenger trips.

The accessibility to transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 125 meters away from the nearest stop. On average, there are 303 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 81 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in South Coogee is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

South Coogee shows better-than-average health results, with both younger and older residents experiencing low rates of common health issues. Approximately 81% (4,669 people) have private health cover, significantly higher than Greater Sydney's 70.6%. Nationally, the average is 55.3%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions in South Coogee, affecting 7.6% and 6.9% of residents respectively. Around 71.8% report no medical ailments, slightly lower than Greater Sydney's 76.0%. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over (18.3%, or 1,050 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 15.1%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in South Coogee are generally good, mirroring the overall population's health profile.

South Coogee was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

South Coogee, as per a study conducted on 3rd June 20XX, exhibited higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 24.1% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home and 34.5% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in South Coogee, comprising 55.3% of the population, as per data from 1st January 20XX. However, Judaism stands out with 6.8% representation, higher than the Greater Sydney average of 4.4%.

Regarding ancestry, the top three groups are English (21.3%), Australian (17.9%), and Other (12.4%). Notably, Russian (2.0%) and French (1.7%) ethnicities are slightly overrepresented compared to regional averages of 1.1% and 1.5%, respectively, while South African ethnicity is more prominent at 1.5% compared to the regional average of 0.9%.

South Coogee hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in South Coogee is 42 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. The 55-64 age group comprises 12.8% of the population in South Coogee, compared to Greater Sydney. The 25-34 age group makes up 11.6% of South Coogee's population, which is less prevalent than in Greater Sydney. According to post-2021 Census data, the 25-34 age group grew from 9.5% to 11.6%, while the 15-24 cohort increased from 11.9% to 13.7%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 15.5% to 14.1%, and the 35-44 group dropped from 12.5% to 11.2%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in South Coogee, with the 45-54 age group expected to grow by 55% (447 people), reaching 1,256 from 808. Conversely, the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.