The Coorong
Statistical Area - sa2

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

As of Aug 2025, The Coorong's population is approximately 5648, marking a rise of 175 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 5473. This increase reflects an estimated resident population of 5618 in June 2024 and the validation of 27 new addresses post-census. The population density stands at 0.70 persons per square kilometer, indicating ample space per person. The Coorong's growth rate of 3.2% since the census places it within 2.5 percentage points of the SA3 area's 5.7%, suggesting competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration accounted for approximately 66.7% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted, adjusted using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels based on 2021 data released in 2023. Future demographic trends project a decline in overall population to 5651 by 2041, with specific age cohorts expected to grow; notably, the 85 and over age group is projected to expand by 186 individuals.

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

The Coorong has averaged approximately 29 new dwelling approvals annually. Development approval data, produced by the ABS on a financial year basis, totals 147 approvals across the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, with six approvals so far in FY-26. Over these five years, an average of only 0.4 people moved to the area annually for each dwelling built, indicating that new construction is matching or exceeding demand and offering more housing options while enabling population growth. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $312,000, below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers.

This financial year has seen $7.8 million in commercial approvals registered, reflecting the area's residential character. Compared to the Rest of SA, The Coorong maintains similar construction rates per person, supporting market stability aligned with regional patterns. Recent development has consisted entirely of detached houses, preserving the area's traditional low-density character and appealing to those seeking space, with around 225 people per dwelling approval.

Given population expectations remaining stable or declining, The Coorong may experience reduced housing pressure, potentially presenting opportunities for buyers.

The Coorong has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 21stth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 14 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones are Summerfield Battery, Gifford Hill, Murray Bridge Residential Growth Areas, and Murray Bridge Soldiers Memorial Hospital Emergency Department Redevelopment. The following list details those most relevant.

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

Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.5%, The Coorong has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

The Coorong's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs with diverse sector representation and an unemployment rate of 3.5% as of June 2025. There are 2,691 residents employed while the unemployment rate is 1.0% lower than Rest of SA's rate of 4.6%.

Workforce participation is similar to Rest of SA at 54.1%. Key industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Agriculture, forestry & fishing has particularly high employment levels, at 2.7 times the regional average. Manufacturing employs just 5.0% of local workers compared to Rest of SA's 9.3%.

Residents may commute elsewhere for work based on Census data comparisons. Over the year to June 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.3%, employment declined by 3.3%, and unemployment rose by 1.0 percentage points in The Coorong, contrasting with Rest of SA's 1.2% employment decline and 0.1% labour force growth. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years nationally. Applying these projections to The Coorong's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 4.6% over five years and 10.7% over ten years, though this is an illustrative extrapolation not accounting for localised population projections.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

The Coorong's median income among taxpayers was $42,191 in financial year 2022, according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This figure is lower than the national average of $46,889 for Rest of SA. The average income in The Coorong stood at $53,292 compared to $56,582 for Rest of SA during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.83% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest median income would be approximately $46,760 and average income around $59,064 by March 2025. The 2021 Census revealed that household, family, and personal incomes in The Coorong all fall between the 7th and 12th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 31% of the community (1,750 individuals) earn within the $800 - $1,499 range, unlike metropolitan regions where 27.5% fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket. Housing costs are modest in The Coorong, with 90.5% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at just the 13th percentile nationally.

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

The Coorong's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 96.7% houses and 3.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro SA had 89.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in The Coorong stood at 47.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.3% and rented ones at 25.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $879, below Non-Metro SA's average of $1,083. Weekly rent in the area averaged $190, compared to Non-Metro SA's $220. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $879 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 63.6% of all households, including 20.7% couples with children, 33.1% couples without children, and 8.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 36.4%, with lone person households at 33.8% and group households comprising 2.7% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of SA average of 2.3.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 11.9%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 8.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 39.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.8%) and certificates (30.8%). Educational participation is high at 26.5%, comprising 12.5% in primary, 7.5% in secondary, and 1.9% in tertiary education.

The Coorong's 5 schools have a combined enrollment of 534 students. School places per 100 residents (9.4) are below the regional average (13.6), with some students possibly attending schools in nearby areas.

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

Transport analysis indicates seven active stops operating within The Coorong, consisting of buses. These stops are serviced by six individual routes, collectively offering forty weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as limited, with residents typically located 14663 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages five trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately five weekly trips per stop.

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

Health data indicates significant issues affecting The Coorong region. Both younger and older age groups exhibit high prevalence rates for common health conditions.

Private health insurance coverage is notably low, with approximately 47% of the total population (~2,637 people) having it, compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.4%) and asthma (8.4%). A majority, 61.7%, report being free from medical ailments, similar to the Rest of SA's 61.8%. The region has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 28.0% (1,581 people), compared to Rest of SA's 26.2%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges despite performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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

The Coorong had a cultural diversity index below the average, with 86.9% of its residents being citizens and 90.3% born in Australia. English was spoken at home by 95.9%. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 46.4%.

The category 'Other' made up 0.9%, compared to 1.5% regionally. Ancestry-wise, Australian (32.8%), English (32.4%), and German (9.4%) were the most represented groups. Notably, Dutch (1.7%) was overrepresented compared to regional figures (1.1%), as were Australian Aboriginal (4.3%, vs 3.0%) and Filipino (0.8%, vs 1.0%).

The Coorong hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in The Coorong is 48 years, similar to the Rest of SA average of 47 years but above the national norm of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of SA average, the 75-84 age cohort is notably over-represented at 10.5% locally while the 15-24 year-olds are under-represented at 8.5%. Between 2021 and now, the 75-84 age group has grown from 8.9% to 10.5% of the population. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 16.8% to 14.9%. By 2041, The Coorong's demographic is projected to change significantly. The 85+ age group is expected to grow by 108%, adding 183 residents to reach a total of 353. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive all population growth, indicating demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, both the 35-44 and 45-54 age groups are projected to decrease in numbers.