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 Nov 2025, the estimated population for the Coogee (NSW) statistical area (Lv2) is around 15,466, reflecting an increase of 832 people since the 2021 Census. This growth represents a 5.7% rise from the previous population count of 14,634. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 15,377, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), and an additional 94 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 8,055 persons per square kilometer, placing Coogee (NSW) within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 5.7% since the census is competitive with its SA4 region, which reported a growth rate of 7.2%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 68.0% of overall population gains during recent periods in Coogee (NSW).

For future projections until 2041, AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia's SA2-level projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by the first data set. Based on these aggregations, Coogee (NSW) is expected to expand by 654 persons by 2041, reflecting an increase of 3.6% 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

Coogee has seen approximately 29 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis. Between FY-21 and FY-25, about 145 homes were approved, with an additional 3 approved so far in FY-26. Despite recent population decline, development activity has been relatively adequate.

The average construction value of new properties is $1,807,000, indicating a focus on premium segment dwellings. In FY-26, commercial approvals totalled $1.8 million, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Coogee's building activity per person is about three-quarters the average, placing it in the 23rd percentile nationally for assessed areas. This limited choice for buyers supports demand for existing dwellings and reflects the area's maturity and potential planning constraints. New developments consist of 29.0% detached houses and 71.0% attached dwellings, favouring higher-density living which creates more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers.

Notably, developers are constructing more detached housing than previously indicated (11.0% at Census), reflecting strong demand for family homes amidst densification trends. Coogee has approximately 694 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market. AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects a resident increase of 565 by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and 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 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. In the technology sector, representation is notably high, with an unemployment rate of 2.3%.

Over the past year, estimated employment growth was 2.9%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, 11,073 residents are employed, while the unemployment rate is 1.9% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Coogee stands at 75.1%, surpassing Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in professional & technical services, health care & social assistance, and education & training.

The area exhibits strong specialization in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level. Retail trade has limited presence, employing 5.2% of residents compared to the regional average of 9.3%. Local employment opportunities appear limited, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population counts. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 2.9%, while labour force grew by a similar margin, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.1%, labour force expansion of 2.4%, and a slight rise in unemployment to 4.3%. State-level data up to 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted slightly by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate stands at 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall 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, though these estimates are illustrative and do 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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released on June 30, 2023, Coogee suburb had a median income among taxpayers of $76,278. The average income stood at $126,838. This places Coogee in the top percentile nationally, compared to Greater Sydney's levels of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since June 30, 2023, current estimates for median income are approximately $83,036 and average income is around $138,076 as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows Coogee's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 96th and 98th percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 34.8% of residents (5,382 people) fall into the $4000+ bracket, differing from metropolitan patterns where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates with 30.9%. Economic strength is evident through 49.7% of households achieving high weekly earnings 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 nationally. The area'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 recorded in the latest Census, 10.6% of dwellings were houses while 89.4% were other types such as semi-detached homes and apartments. This differs from Sydney metropolitan areas where 26.9% of dwellings are houses and 73.1% are other types. Home ownership in Coogee stood at 23.5%, with mortgaged properties making up 20.9% and rented dwellings accounting for 55.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,226 compared to Sydney metro's average of $3,033. Weekly rent in Coogee was $650, higher than Sydney metro's figure of $550. Nationally, Coogee's median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,226 compared to the Australian average of $1,863. Similarly, weekly rents in Coogee were substantially above the national average 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, including 21.3% couples with children, 30.0% couples without children, and 6.5% single parent families. Non-family households constitute 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 2.4.

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

Coogee's educational attainment significantly exceeds national and state averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 59.7% have university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. This high level of educational attainment positions Coogee favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common (38.9%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.9%).

Vocational pathways account for 21.8% of qualifications, 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 45 active transport stops operating within Coogee. These are served by a mix of buses, with 32 individual routes providing service. Collectively, these routes facilitate 8,751 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 120 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 1,250 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 194 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 data shows excellent results across all age groups, with very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 77% of the total population (11,884 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 70.1%. Nationally, this figure stands at 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in Coogee are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 6.4% and 6.2% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 78.9%, report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 76.0%. As of a recent study (date not specified), Coogee has 11.4% of its population aged 65 and over (1,763 people). This is lower than the 15.1% figure for Greater Sydney. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Coogee are particularly strong, broadly aligning with the general population's health 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 cultural diversity exceeds most local markets, with 16.9% speaking a language other than English at home and 40.9% born overseas. Christianity is the primary religion in Coogee, comprising 43.0%. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented at 2.6%, compared to Greater Sydney's 4.4%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (26.2%), Australian (16.5%), and Irish (14.1%). French (1.6%) is notably overrepresented compared to the regional average of 1.5%. Hungarian representation is equal at 0.6%, while Spanish is slightly overrepresented at 1.0% versus 0.9%.

Coogee's population is younger than the national pattern

Coogee's median age is 35 years, which is slightly younger than Greater Sydney's 37 years and somewhat younger than the national average of 38 years. The 25-34 age group comprises 28.0% of Coogee's population compared to Greater Sydney, while the 5-14 age group makes up 7.1%. This concentration in the 25-34 age group is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 8.5% to 9.9% of Coogee's population. Conversely, the 45-54 age group has decreased from 12.0% to 10.7%, and the 5-14 age group has dropped from 8.3% to 7.1%. By 2041, significant demographic changes are forecasted for Coogee. The 85+ age cohort is projected to grow by 273 people (136%) from 201 to 475. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 58% of total population growth, indicating an aging demographic profile in the area. In contrast, both the 45-54 and 0-4 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.