Coogee (NSW)

Coogee is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of the suburb of Coogee (NSW) is around 15,453. This figure reflects an increase of 819 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,634. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 15,397 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024, and an additional 94 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 8,048 persons per square kilometer, placing Coogee in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 5.6% since the census is within 1.1 percentage points of the state's growth rate of 6.7%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 68.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth for the area.

AreaSearch adopts 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 utilised. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to expand by 654 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 3.7% in total over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis indicates Coogee had approximately 29 dwelling approvals per year. From FY-21 to FY-25, about 146 homes were approved, with 3 more in FY-26 as of now. Despite population decline, development activity has been adequate relative to other areas.

New properties are valued at around $1,807,000 on average, indicating a focus on premium segment. In FY-26, $1.4 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney and nationally, Coogee has lower building activity per person, placing it among the 21st percentile of areas assessed, which may limit choices for buyers but support demand for existing dwellings. New development consists of 29.0% detached houses and 71.0% attached dwellings, creating more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. The location has about 745 people per dwelling approval, showing an established market.

Future projections estimate Coogee to add 578 residents by 2041, with current construction levels likely meeting demand and potentially enabling growth exceeding forecasts.

Coogee has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 17 projects likely impacting the area. Key projects are Coogee Bay Hotel Redevelopment, Coogee Beach Water Quality Improvement Project, Stan Windon Memorial Playground Upgrade, and The Carrington Coogee. Below is a list of 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 exceptional employment performance in Coogee places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Coogee has a highly educated workforce with the technology sector prominently represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.2% in an unspecified past year.

Employment growth during this period was estimated at 2.6%. As of June 2025, 11,311 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.0%, below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is high at 75.1% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training sectors.

Coogee shows strong specialization in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share of 1.6 times the regional level. Retail trade has limited presence at 5.2% compared to the regional average of 9.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparison of working population and resident population. In the year ending June 2025, employment increased by 2.6% while labour force grew by 2.5%, reducing unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Sydney where employment grew by 2.6%, but unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Coogee's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 14.9% over ten years, assuming constant population proportions.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Coogee had a median taxpayer income of $76,278 and an average income of $126,838. These figures place Coogee in the top percentile nationally, compared to Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes for September 2025 are approximately $85,897 (median) and $142,832 (average). Census 2021 data ranks Coogee's household, family, and personal incomes highly, between the 96th and 98th percentiles nationally. The income bracket of $4000+ dominates in Coogee with 34.8% of residents (5,377 people), unlike metropolitan patterns where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 30.9%. Economic strength is evident through 49.7% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 17.4% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 95th percentile. Coogee's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

As per the latest Census evaluation, dwelling structures in Coogee consisted of 10.6% houses and 89.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 26.9% houses and 73.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coogee was at 23.5%, with the rest either mortgaged (20.9%) or rented (55.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Coogee was $3,226, higher than Sydney metro's average of $3,033. The median weekly rent figure in Coogee was recorded at $650, compared to Sydney metro's $550. Nationally, Coogee's median monthly mortgage repayment is significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

Coogee features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 59.2% of all households, including 21.3% couples with children, 30.0% couples without children, and 6.5% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 40.8%, with lone person households at 28.5% and group households making up 12.3%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.4.

Coogee demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Coogee is notably high, with 59.7% of residents aged 15 years and over holding university qualifications. This exceeds the national average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 38.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.9%). Vocational pathways account for 21.8% of qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.1%) and certificates (11.7%).

Educational participation is high, with 26.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, comprising 7.7% in tertiary education, 6.9% in primary education, and 5.0% pursuing secondary education. Coogee has two schools: St Brigid's Catholic Primary School and Coogee Public School, serving a total of 617 students. The area demonstrates high educational performance (ICSEA score: 1154), placing its schools among the most advantaged nationally. Both primary schools have limited capacity (4.0 places per 100 residents vs regional average of 11.1), leading many families to seek schooling in nearby areas.

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

The analysis of public transport in Coogee shows that there are currently 42 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 26 individual routes in operation. The combined weekly passenger trips facilitated by these routes amount to 6,553.

The accessibility of transport is rated as excellent, with residents on average located just 119 meters from their nearest transport stop. The service frequency across all routes averages out to 936 trips per day, which translates to approximately 156 weekly trips per individual stop.

Coogee's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Coogee shows excellent health outcomes, with very low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Private health cover stands at approximately 77% (11,874 people), compared to 70.6% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 6.4% and 6.2% respectively.

78.9% report no medical ailments, higher than Greater Sydney's 76.0%. Coogee has 11.4% (1,761 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Sydney's 15.1%. Seniors' health outcomes align with the general population's profile.

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

Coogee's population shows higher linguistic diversity than most local areas, with 16.9% speaking a language other than English at home and 40.9% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Coogee, practiced by 43.0%. Notably, Judaism is more prevalent in Coogee at 2.6%, compared to Greater Sydney's average of 4.4%.

In terms of ancestry, English (26.2%) and Australian (16.5%) are the top groups, with Irish following at 14.1%. Some ethnic groups have notable representation: French (1.6%), Hungarian (0.6%), and Spanish (1.0%).

Coogee's population is younger than the national pattern

Coogee's median age is 35 years, slightly younger than Greater Sydney's 37 and the national average of 38. The 25-34 age group comprises 28.0%, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage but lower than the national average of 14.5%. The 5-14 cohort is less prevalent at 7.1%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 8.5% to 9.9%, while the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 12.0% to 10.7% and the 5-14 group has dropped from 8.3% to 7.1%. By 2041, Coogee's population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow exceptionally, increasing by 275 people (137%) from 200 to 476. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 58% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 45-54 and 5-14 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.