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, reflecting an increase of 845 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 14,634. This change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 15,377 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 92 validated new addresses since the Census date. The current population density is 8,062 persons per square kilometer, placing Coogee within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Between Feb 2021 and Feb 2026, Coogee's population grew by 5.8%, compared to the SA4 region's growth of 7.3%. This growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 68.0% of overall population gains during this period. AreaSearch is using 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 664 persons to reach 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

Based on AreaSearch analysis using ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, Coogee has experienced approximately 29 dwellings receiving development approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 145 homes were approved, with another 3 approved so far in FY-26. Despite population decline in recent years, development activity has been adequate relative to population changes, which could be beneficial for buyers.

New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $1,807,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. This financial year, $1.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting minimal commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Coogee records about three-quarters the building activity per person and ranks among the 23rd percentile of areas assessed nationally, offering more limited choices for buyers but supporting demand for existing dwellings due to its mature market status and possible planning constraints. New development consists of 29.0% detached houses and 71.0% attached dwellings, creating more affordable entry points and suiting downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers while also reflecting strong demand for family homes amid densification trends. The location has approximately 694 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market.

Future projections estimate Coogee adding 571 residents by 2041 based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts and creating favourable conditions for buyers.

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

The performance of a region is significantly impacted by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 17 such projects that could affect this area. Notable projects include the Coogee Bay Hotel Redevelopment, the Coogee Beach Water Quality Improvement Project, the Stan Windon Memorial Playground Upgrade, and The Carrington Coogee. The following list provides details on those considered 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 significant representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate was 2.3% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 3.0% over the past year based on AreaSearch data aggregation from statistical areas. In September 2025, there were 11,088 residents employed in Coogee, which had an unemployment rate of 1.9%, below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation was high at 84.7% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. According to Census responses, 59.2% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment in Coogee is concentrated in professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training sectors. The area has a particularly strong specialization in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level, while retail trade has limited presence at 5.2% compared to the regional average of 9.3%.

The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the ratio of Census working population to resident population. Over a 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 3.0%, labour force grew by 3.0%, and unemployment remained essentially unchanged compared to Greater Sydney's growth rates of 2.1% for employment and 2.4% for labour force, with a 0.2 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall 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, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes 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

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Coogee had a median taxpayer income of $76,278 and an average income of $126,838. Nationally, these figures are in the top percentile. Compared to Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,038, Coogee's incomes are higher. Considering Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Coogee would be approximately $83,036 (median) and $138,076 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data ranks Coogee's household, family, and personal incomes highly, between the 96th and 98th percentiles nationally. The $4000+ income bracket dominates in Coogee with 34.8% of residents, differing from metropolitan patterns where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket is most common 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 in Coogee ranks at the 95th percentile, and its 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

The dwelling structure in Coogee, as per the latest Census, consisted of 10.6% houses and 89.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coogee was 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. Median weekly rent in Coogee was recorded at $650, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Coogee's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than 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, 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%. 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's educational attainment significantly exceeds national averages. Among residents aged 15+, 59.7% hold 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 among those aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 10.1% and certificates at 11.7%. Educational participation is notably high, 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

Coogee has 44 active public transport stops operating within its boundaries. These stops are served by a mix of buses along 32 individual routes, collectively facilitating 8,751 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically situated 120 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward. Car remains the primary mode of transport at 64%, followed by bus at 14% and walking at 11%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.8 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 59.2% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,250 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 and asthma are the most common conditions, affecting 6.4% and 6.2% of residents respectively. 78.9% of residents report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. As of 11th June 2021, Coogee has 11.7% (1,811 people) of its population aged 65 and over, lower than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, generally 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, as of the 2016 Census, showed higher cultural diversity than most local areas with 16.9% speaking a language other than English at home and 40.9% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Coogee, accounting for 43.0%. Notably, Judaism was overrepresented in Coogee at 2.6%, compared to 0.8% across Greater Sydney.

Regarding ancestry, the top three groups were English (26.2%), Australian (16.5%), and Irish (14.1%), all higher than regional averages of 19.0% and 6.1% respectively. Other ethnic groups with notable divergences included French at 1.6% versus 0.5%, Hungarian at 0.6% versus 0.3%, and Spanish at 1.0% versus 0.6%.

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 makes up 27.5% of Coogee's population, higher than Greater Sydney but lower than the national average of 14.4%. The 5-14 age group is less prevalent at 6.9%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 8.5% to 10.1%, while the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 12.0% to 10.5%. The 5-14 group has also dropped from 8.3% to 6.9%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate that the 25-34 age group will increase by 317 people (7%), from 4,256 to 4,574. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are projected to account for 55% of total population growth, reflecting Coogee's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 45-54 and 5-14 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.