Cobar

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

The estimated population of the suburb of Cobar was around 3,572 as of February 2026, based on analysis of ABS population updates and new addresses validated by AreaSearch. This figure reflects a decrease of 31 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,603. The current resident population is estimated at 3,568 by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 1.6 persons per square kilometer. Natural growth contributed approximately 71.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

For future projections, 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, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Over this period, the suburb's population is expected to contract by 820 persons by 2041. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, with the 85 and over age group projected to expand by 26 people.

Residential dwelling approval activity has been practically non-existent in Cobar

Cobar has seen minimal residential development since 2016. Over this period, fewer than one new dwelling was approved annually, with only one approval recorded in total. This low level of construction activity reflects the area's rural nature, where housing development is primarily driven by specific local needs rather than broader market demand.

Due to these low approval numbers, yearly growth figures and relativities may vary significantly based on individual projects. Compared to other regions in NSW, Cobar has noticeably lower levels of residential development.

Nationally, its development activity also falls below average. With stable or declining population forecasts for the area, housing pressure is expected to remain relatively low, potentially creating favourable conditions for property buyers.

Cobar has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 42ndth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects likely to impact the area. Key projects are 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.

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Employment conditions in Cobar demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Cobar has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue collar jobs, with manufacturing and industrial sectors well-represented. Its unemployment rate as of September 2025 is 2.3%, lower than the Rest of NSW's 3.8%. In this period, 1,751 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.5% below the regional average.

Workforce participation in Cobar is 65.2%, slightly higher than the Rest of NSW's 61.5%. According to Census data, only 4.5% of residents work from home. Dominant employment sectors include mining, retail trade, and education & training. Mining employs 14.1 times more people than the regional average, while health care & social assistance employs 6.6% of local workers, below the Rest of NSW's 16.9%.

Between September 2024 and September 2025, Cobar's labour force decreased by 4.6%, with employment declining by 5.3%, leading to a 0.7 percentage point rise in unemployment. In contrast, the Rest of NSW saw a 0.5% employment fall, a 0.1% labour force contraction, and a 0.4 percentage point increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Cobar's employment mix indicates local employment should grow by 4.5% over five years and 10.8% over ten years, although these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only and do not account for localised population projections.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

The suburb of Cobar had a median taxpayer income of $61,851 and an average income of $75,331 in the financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This was higher than the national averages of $52,390 (median) and $65,215 (average). Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86%, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $67,331 (median) and $82,005 (average). Census data from 2021 showed personal income ranked at the 71st percentile ($937 weekly), with household income at the 54th percentile. In Cobar, 32.5% of individuals earned between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, similar to the regional average of 29.9%. After housing costs, residents retained 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

Cobar's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 90.0% houses and 10.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cobar stood at 34.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.1% and rented dwellings at 36.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,109, below Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Cobar was $200, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Cobar's mortgage repayments were 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 lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 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 constitute the remaining 35.5%, with lone person households at 33.2% and group households comprising 2.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 14.7%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives in the region. Bachelor degrees are the most common, with 11.2% of residents holding one, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 2.2% and graduate diplomas at 1.3%. Vocational credentials are prevalent among residents aged 15 and above, with 43.8% possessing them.

This includes advanced diplomas (7.3%) and certificates (36.5%). Educational participation is notably 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.

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

Cobar has 91 active public transport stops, consisting of both train and bus services. These are served by 7 different routes that together offer 79 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these stops is rated as excellent, with residents typically living just 131 meters from the nearest one. As a predominantly residential area, most people commute outwards. Cars remain the primary mode of transport for 90% of residents, while 8% walk. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 4.5% of residents work from home, which may be due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 11 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately 0 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Cobar faces significant health challenges, according to AreaSearch's assessment as of June 2021. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are notable across both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover is high at approximately 57% (around 2,024 people), compared to 51.9% in the rest of NSW. The most common conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 8.8 and 7.8% respectively, while 68.5% report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in the rest of NSW. Working-age health outcomes are generally typical. 17.3% of residents are aged 65 and over (617 people), lower than the 23.4% in the rest of NSW. Senior health outcomes present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general 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, born in Australia (90.7%), and speaking English only at home (94.3%). The predominant religion in Cobar is Christianity, accounting for 64.1% of the population, compared to 55.9% across Rest of NSW. In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups in Cobar are Australian (35.4%), English (26.9%), and Australian Aboriginal (10.9%).

Notably, Samoan representation is higher than regional averages at 0.4%, New Zealand at 0.7%, and Maori at 0.5%.

Cobar's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Cobar's median age is 35 years, which is significantly below the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and somewhat younger than the Australian median of 38 years. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented in Cobar at 14.5%, compared to the Rest of NSW average, while the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 9.4%. According to the 2021 Census, the 0-4 age group has grown from 7.2% to 8.1% of Cobar's population, while the 55-64 cohort has declined from 13.0% to 10.5%, and the 45-54 group has dropped from 10.6% to 9.2%. Demographic modeling suggests that by 2041, Cobar's age profile will evolve significantly. The 85+ cohort is projected to show the strongest growth at 33%, adding 28 residents to reach 114. This demographic aging continues as residents aged 65 and older represent 100% of anticipated population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 45-54 cohorts.