Cobar

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

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Cobar is around 3,564 people, a decrease of 39 individuals from the 2021 Census figure of 3,603. This decline reflects a change inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 3,555 based on their examination of the latest ERP data release by ABS in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. The population density is approximately 1.6 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed about 71.0% to recent overall population gains. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for SA2 areas, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021.

By 2041, the suburb's population is projected to decrease by 813 persons due to demographic trends, though specific age cohorts like those aged 85 and over are expected to grow, particularly by an increase of 27 people in this group.

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

Development activity data is being compiled for this area.

Cobar has substantially lower development levels than Rest of NSW. This activity level is similarly below national patterns.

With population expected to remain stable or decline, Cobar should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified six projects likely impacting the area. Key projects include Grand Central Precinct Planning and Design Project, Federation Mine, Old Hospital Site Residential Estate, and Great Cobar Museum Coach House and Underground Mine Experience. 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.

The employment environment in Cobar shows above-average strength when compared nationally

Cobar has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, particularly in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 2.3% as of June 2025, lower than Rest of NSW's 3.7%.

In Cobar, 1,790 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.3% below the regional average. Key industries included mining, retail trade, and education & training, with mining being particularly prominent at 14.1 times the regional level. Conversely, health care & social assistance employed only 6.6% of local workers, compared to Rest of NSW's 16.9%. The area may have limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by Census data showing fewer working residents than expected based on population.

Between June 2024 and June 2025, Cobar's labour force decreased by 2.0%, with employment down by 3.1%, leading to a 1.1 percentage point rise in unemployment. This contrasted with Rest of NSW, where employment contracted slightly, but the labour force grew, and unemployment rose moderately. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but industry-specific projections suggest Cobar's employment could increase by 4.5% over five years and 10.8% over ten years.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

Cobar's median taxpayer income was $61,851 and average was $75,331 in the financial year 2022. This is higher than national averages, contrasting with Rest of NSW's median income of $49,459 and average income of $62,998. As of September 2025, estimated incomes are approximately $69,650 (median) and $84,830 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Census data shows personal income ranks at the 71st percentile ($937 weekly) and household income at the 54th percentile. The largest income segment comprises 32.5% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (1,158 residents), aligning with regional trends where this cohort also represents 29.9%. After housing costs, residents retain 91.9% of their income.

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

The dwelling structure in Cobar, as per the latest Census, consisted of 90.0% houses and 10.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), mirroring Non-Metro NSW's distribution of 90.0% houses and 10.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cobar stood at 34.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.1% and rented ones at 36.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,109, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,000. The median weekly rent figure for Cobar was $200, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $180. Nationally, Cobar's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Cobar features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households compose 64.5% of all households, including 25.5% couples with children, 26.5% couples without children, and 11.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 35.5%, with lone person households at 33.2% and group households comprising 2.2%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which aligns with the Rest of NSW average.

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

Cobar faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 14.7%, significantly below the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives in the area. Bachelor degrees are the most common qualification, held by 11.2% of residents, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 43.8% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (7.3%) and certificates (36.5%).

Educational participation is high, with 35.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.6% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 3.1% pursuing tertiary education. Cobar's 3 schools have a combined enrollment of 553 students as of the latest data. The area has varied educational conditions, with an ICSEA score of 880. Education provision is balanced, with 2 primary and 1 secondary school serving distinct age groups.

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

Cobar has 90 active public transport stops, consisting of a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 6 different routes, offering a total of 59 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as excellent, with residents on average located just 132 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 8 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 0 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health outcomes in Cobar are marginally below the national average with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

Cobar's health indicators show below-average results compared to national averages. Common health conditions are somewhat typical but higher among older residents.

Private health cover is very high at approximately 57%, with about 2,020 people covered, compared to 50.1% in Rest of NSW. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 8.8 and 7.8% respectively. 68.5% of residents reported no medical ailments, slightly higher than the 65.9% across Rest of NSW. As of July 2021, 17.0% of Cobar's population is aged 65 and over (605 people), lower than the state average of 20.2%. Health outcomes for seniors require more attention due to presenting challenges beyond those faced by the broader population.

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

Cobar's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 80.0% of its population being Australian citizens, 90.7% born in Australia, and 94.3% speaking English only at home. The predominant religion in Cobar is Christianity, which accounts for 64.1% of the population, compared to 67.2% across the Rest of NSW. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are Australian (35.4%), English (26.9%), and Australian Aboriginal (10.9%), which is lower than the regional average of 18.4%.

Notably, certain ethnic groups have divergent representations: Samoan at 0.4% in Cobar compared to 0.1% regionally, New Zealand at 0.7% versus 0.3%, and Maori at 0.5% against 0.2%.

Cobar's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Cobar is 36 years, significantly below Rest of NSW's average of 43 years, and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group constitutes 14.3% of Cobar's population, higher than Rest of NSW, while the 65-74 cohort makes up 9.2%, which is less prevalent compared to Rest of NSW. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 11.5% to 12.4% of Cobar's population. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 13.0% to 11.1%, and the 45 to 54 group has dropped from 10.6% to 9.3%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Cobar, with the 85+ age group expected to grow by 32 people, reaching 113 from 85. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for all of Cobar's total population growth, reflecting an aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0 to 4 and 25 to 34 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.