Cobar

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the Cobar statistical area's population is estimated at around 3,572 as of Nov 2025. This reflects a decrease of 31 people (0.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,603 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 3,568, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS on Jun 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1.6 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth that contributed approximately 71.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Over this period, projections indicate a decline in overall population, with the Cobar (SA2)'s population expected to contract by 813 persons by 2041 according to this methodology. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 85 and over age group, which is projected to increase by 27 people.

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

Cobar experiences very limited development activity, averaging less than one approval per year over the five-year period from 2016 to 2020. This low level of development is typical in rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is constrained by local demand and infrastructure capacity. It should be noted that the small sample size means individual development projects can significantly influence annual growth and relativity statistics.

Cobar's development levels are substantially lower than those of the Rest of NSW, with this activity level also below national patterns. Given stable or declining population forecasts until 2036, as projected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Cobar may experience less housing pressure, potentially creating favourable conditions for buyers in the long term.

Given stable or declining population forecasts, Cobar may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Cobar has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 44thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified six projects likely to impact the region. 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.

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.

AreaSearch analysis places Cobar well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Cobar's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs, with significant representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate was 2.3% as of September 2025, according to AreaSearch aggregated statistical area data.

In that month, 1,750 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.5% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in Cobar was 58.6%, slightly higher than Rest of NSW's 56.4%. The leading employment industries among residents are mining, retail trade, and education & training. Mining particularly stands out with employment levels at 14.1 times the regional average.

However, health care & social assistance is under-represented, comprising only 6.6% of Cobar's workforce compared to 16.9% in Rest of NSW. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.7% in Cobar, accompanied by a 5.4% decrease in employment, leading to an unemployment rate increase of 0.7 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.5%, labour force contract by 0.1%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Cobar's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 4.5% over five years and 10.8% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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 of $75,331 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is higher than national averages, with Rest of NSW having a median income of $52,390 and an average income of $65,215. By September 2025, based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86%, estimated incomes would be approximately $67,331 (median) and $82,005 (average). According to Census 2021 income data, personal income ranks at the 71st percentile ($937 weekly), while household income is at the 54th percentile. Income analysis shows that 32.5% of Cobar residents earn between $1,500 and $2,999 (1,160 individuals). 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

In Cobar, as per the latest Census evaluation, 90.0% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 10.0% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. This distribution mirrors that of Non-Metro NSW. Home ownership in Cobar stood at 34.6%, compared to Non-Metro NSW's higher rate. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 29.1%, while rented properties made up 36.3% of the total. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Cobar was $1,109, surpassing Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,000. The median weekly rent in Cobar was $200, higher than Non-Metro NSW's figure of $180. Nationally, Cobar's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while 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 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 make up 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 matches the average for the Rest of NSW.

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 disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 43.8% of residents aged 15 and above holding them, including advanced diplomas (7.3%) and certificates (36.5%).

Educational participation is high, with 35.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (14.6%), secondary education (9.3%), and tertiary education (3.1%).

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, offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 7 different routes that together provide 79 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 131 meters, indicating excellent transport accessibility.

On average, there are 11 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. Common health conditions are somewhat typical but higher than national averages among older residents.

Private health cover is very high at approximately 57%, compared to 49.5% in Rest of NSW (around 2,024 people). The most common conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 8.8 and 7.8% respectively, with 68.5% reporting no medical ailments, compared to 65.9% in Rest of NSW. The area has 17.0% residents aged 65 and over (607 people), lower than the 20.2% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention.

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

Cobar has a lower than average cultural diversity, 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 is Christianity, comprising 64.1%, compared to 67.2% across the Rest of NSW. In terms of ancestry, the top groups are Australian (35.4%), English (26.9%), and Australian Aboriginal (10.9%), which is lower than the regional average of 18.4%.

Notably, Samoan (0.4%) and New Zealand (0.7%) ethnicities are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.1% and 0.3%, respectively, while Maori is also slightly higher at 0.5% versus the regional average of 0.2%.

Cobar's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Cobar is 36 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 years, and somewhat younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group comprises 14.3% of Cobar's population, compared to the Rest of NSW figure, while the 65-74 cohort makes up 9.2%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 15-24 age group has increased from 11.5% to 12.3%, but the 55-64 cohort has decreased from 13.0% to 11.1%, and the 45-54 group has dropped from 10.6% to 9.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes in Cobar. The 85+ age group is expected to grow by 32% (adding 27 people), reaching a total of 113. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for all of the total population growth, reflecting Cobar's aging demographic trend. Conversely, the 0-4 and 25-34 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.