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 Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Coogee (NSW) is around 15,479. This reflects an increase since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,634 people. The growth is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 15,377 in June 2024, along with 92 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 8,062 persons per square kilometer, placing Coogee in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 5.8% growth since census is within 1.5 percentage points of its SA4 region (7.3%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 68.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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 are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the suburb is expected to expand by 667 persons based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 3.6% in total over the 17 years.

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

Coogee has seen approximately 27 dwelling approvals annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Around 139 homes were approved between financial years FY-21 to FY-25, with an additional 4 approved in FY-26 so far. Despite population decline in recent years, development activity has been adequate relative to other areas.

New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost of $1,807,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment. Commercial approvals registered this financial year totalled $1.8 million, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Coogee records about 69% of building activity per person and ranks in the 21st percentile nationally for dwelling choices, supporting demand for existing dwellings due to limited new supply. This is reflective of the area's maturity and possible planning constraints. New development consists of 30.0% detached houses and 70.0% attached dwellings, creating more affordable entry points and suiting downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

Notably, developers are constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies (11.0% at Census), reflecting strong demand for family homes amid densification trends. The location has approximately 784 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. Future projections estimate Coogee adding 565 residents by 2041 based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current 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. Notable ones include Coogee Bay Hotel Redevelopment, Coogee Beach Water Quality Improvement Project, Stan Windon Memorial Playground Upgrade, and The Carrington Coogee. Below is a list of most relevant projects.

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 well-represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.2% in an unspecified past year. Employment grew by 3.3% during this period, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of December 2025, 11,149 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 2.0%, lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Workforce participation was high at 84.7% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. Census responses indicated that 59.2% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training sectors.

Coogee has a strong specialization in professional & technical employment, with a share 1.6 times the regional level. Retail trade employment was limited at 5.2% compared to the regional average of 9.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities due to its predominantly residential nature. In the 12-month period ending unspecified, employment increased by 3.3% while labour force grew by 3.4%, with unemployment remaining largely unchanged. This compares to Greater Sydney's employment growth of 2.2%, labour force expansion of 2.3%, and a marginal rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project total 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 could increase by 7.5% over five years and 14.9% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not account for localized population projections.

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

AreaSearch reports that Coogee had a median taxpayer income of $76,278 and an average income of $126,838 in financial year 2023. Nationally, these figures rank among the top percentile. In Greater Sydney, the median was $60,817 and the average was $83,003. By September 2025, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 8.86%, Coogee's estimated median income would be approximately $83,036 and the average would be around $138,076. Census 2021 data shows Coogee's household, family, and personal incomes rank between the 96th and 98th percentiles nationally. The $4000+ income bracket dominates in Coogee with 34.8% of residents (5,386 people), unlike metropolitan Sydney where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket is dominant at 30.9%. High weekly earnings exceeding $3,000 are achieved by 49.7% of households, indicating strong consumer spending despite high housing costs consuming 17.4% of income. Disposable income ranks at the 95th percentile and 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

In Coogee, as per the latest Census evaluation, 10.6% of dwellings were houses while 89.4% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is in contrast to Sydney metropolitan area's dwelling composition of 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coogee stood at 23.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.9% and rented ones at 55.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,226, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent figure for Coogee was $650, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Coogee's median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,226 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 59.2% of all households, consisting of 21.3% couples with children, 30.0% couples without children, and 6.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 40.8%, with lone person households at 28.5% and group households comprising 12.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Coogee has a notably high level of educational attainment among residents aged 15 and above, with 59.7% holding university qualifications compared to the national average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. This indicates a significant educational advantage for the area, which is beneficial for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 38.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 16.9% and graduate diplomas at 3.9%. Vocational pathways account for 21.8% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 10.1% and certificates at 11.7%.

Educational participation is notably high in Coogee, with 26.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 7.7% in tertiary education, 6.9% in primary education, and 5.0% pursuing secondary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows 44 active transport stops in Coogee, with a mix of bus services. These stops are served by 32 individual routes, collectively providing 8751 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 120 meters from the nearest stop. In this primarily residential area, most residents commute outward. Car remains the dominant mode at 64%, with 14% by bus and 11% walking. Vehicle ownership averages 0.8 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 59.2% of residents work from home, possibly due to COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1250 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 198 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's health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Approximately 77% of Coogee's total population (11,894 people) has private health cover, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues affect 6.4% of residents, while asthma impacts 6.2%. A total of 78.9% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Coogee has 12.0% of its population aged 65 and over (1,857 people), lower than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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 showed high cultural diversity, with 16.9% speaking a language other than English at home and 40.9% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 43.0%. Judaism stood out as overrepresented, comprising 2.6%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.8%.

In ancestry, English (26.2%) and Irish (14.1%) were significantly higher than regional averages of 19.0% and 6.1% respectively. French (1.6%), Hungarian (0.6%), and Spanish (1.0%) groups also showed notable divergences from regional figures of 0.5%, 0.3%, and 0.6% respectively.

Coogee's population is younger than the national pattern

Coogee's median age is 35 years, slightly younger than Greater Sydney's 37 years and the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group represents 27.6% of Coogee's population, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage but lower than the national average of 14.4%. The 5-14 age group makes up 7.0% of Coogee's population, less prevalent than both Greater Sydney and the national average. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 8.5% to 10.2%, while the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 12.0% to 10.6%. The 5-14 age group has also dropped, from 8.3% to 7.0%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes in Coogee. The 25-34 age cohort is projected to increase by 306 people (7%), from 4,272 to 4,579. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 54% 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.