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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
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Cook has an estimated 2,966 residents. That puts 1,877 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
As of Aug 2026, the suburb of Cook has an estimated population of around 2,966, according to AreaSearch assessments of broader ABS demographic data and post-Census validated addresses. This indicates an increase of 1 people (virtually no percentage growth) since the 2021 Census, which recorded 2,965 people. This figure is derived from an estimated resident population of 2,962 established from the June 2025 ABS ERP figures, combined with 17 validated new addresses registered after the Census. The suburb of Cook registers a population density of 1,877 persons per square kilometer, sitting above the national average evaluated by AreaSearch.
Recent population gains were driven primarily by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 69.0% of overall growth. Demographic forecasting for the suburb of Cook incorporates ABS/Geoscience Australia SA2 projections published in 2024 with 2022 as a base year, supplemented post-2032 or where unavailable by ACT Government SA2 models also utilizing 2022 as a baseline. Across this timeframe, the suburb of Cook is projected to experience an overall population contraction of 193 persons by 2041. Despite this overall reduction, certain demographic brackets are expected to grow, most notably the 85 and over age cohort, which is forecast to increase by 54 people.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
Detail
Analysis of ABS building approvals by AreaSearch indicates that Cook records approximately 3 approved dwellings annually, with 18 homes approved across the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 14 approved during FY-25 to date. Between FY-21 and FY-25, an average of 1.6 people entered the suburb annually per completed dwelling, reflecting stable market conditions; over the past 2 financial years, however, this metric rose to 3.3 people per dwelling, signaling growing demand and potential development constraints. Development projects in the area represent an average expected construction value of $390,000.
Relative to the Australian Capital Territory, residential construction in Cook remains considerably lower, running 66.0% below the per-capita regional benchmark. This constrained delivery of new housing has historically supported established home values, even as building activity has picked up recently. New residential development is evenly divided between standalone houses (50.0%) and attached dwellings (50.0%), offering accessible medium-density options for downsizers and new entrants. Reflecting an established residential profile, Cook registers approximately 366 people per dwelling approval. With demographic forecasts pointing to a stable or decreasing population, housing pressure in Cook is likely to ease, presenting favorable conditions for prospective purchasers.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Cook
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 45 current infrastructure and development projects close to Cook, worth an estimated $18.3 billion. 11 are already under construction and 19 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, communities, precincts & urban renewal and sports & recreation. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Capital investments, public works, and planning initiatives significantly shape suburban growth and demand. AreaSearch has identified no direct major projects within the boundary; however, significant surrounding developments of high relevance include Bruce Precinct (Section 15), Bruce Residential Development Zone, New Northside Hospital (North Canberra Hospital Redevelopment), and Belconnen Town Centre East Precinct.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
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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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Ethos Belconnen
Ethos is the second stage of Per Se Developments' Cirrus lakeside precinct at Belconnen. The project comprises 88 premium apartments with ground floor commercial tenancies overlooking Lake Ginninderra. Construction is well advanced with display apartments open and commercial space being marketed ahead of expected completion in 2026.
Radford College Master Plan Implementation
Ongoing implementation of the Radford College Master Plan at the Bruce campus. Major recent works include the completed Collegians Centre (multi-purpose hall) and the Boorer Family Cricket Centre. As of mid-2025 the College Board confirmed the final stage of works was progressing, comprising the completion of the school ovals, presentation upgrades to the Haydon Drive and College Street boundaries, a new Foundation Walk, and a feature pedestrian entrance and path linking College Street to the Collegians Centre with shelter, seating, lighting and an avenue of trees.The College anticipated the design becoming visible by the end of Term 3 2025 following earthworks and landscaping across multiple worksites.
Bruce Precinct (Section 15)
A masterplanned mixed-use urban precinct and residential land release located centrally in Bruce, adjacent to the AIS and Bruce Ridge Nature Reserve. The project aligns with the Bruce Sports, Health and Education Precinct masterplan, delivering approximately 250-500 new dwellings, including affordable housing options, alongside commercial, hospitality, and retail opportunities.
New Northside Hospital
The ACT Government is developing the New Northside Hospital on the existing North Canberra Hospital campus in Bruce to replace the ageing Calvary Public Hospital infrastructure. The project encompasses a state-of-the-art main acute services building, expanded emergency department, expanded mental health facility, a 600-space multi-storey car park, and upgraded site services. Multiplex was appointed as the Early Contractor Involvement delivery partner, with early works progressing ahead of expected completion by 2031.
Belconnen Mixed-Use Towers (40 Cameron Avenue)
RF Corval has proposed a major mixed-use redevelopment at 40 Cameron Avenue comprising two towers of 24 and 27 storeys. The proposal includes 407 residential apartments, ground-floor commercial and office tenancies, and structured basement and podium parking. The project replaces an existing low-rise commercial building situated within the Belconnen Town Centre precinct.
Belconnen Basketball Stadium Expansion
The ACT Government is progressing planning for the expansion and modernisation of the Belconnen Basketball Stadium. The project encompasses additional indoor multi-sport courts, upgraded spectator seating, enhanced accessibility features, and improved administrative and changeroom amenities to meet rising regional community demand. Works are managed under the ACT Government's community sports infrastructure investment program.
New Northside Hospital (North Canberra Hospital Redevelopment)
The New Northside Hospital is a landmark $1+ billion health infrastructure project delivering a modern acute hospital campus to replace aging facilities at North Canberra Hospital in Bruce. The project delivers a new state-of-the-art seven-storey clinical services building featuring over 200 acute inpatient beds, 14 intensive care beds, 8 modern operating theatres, expanded emergency facilities, and multi-deck parking. Delivered by Major Projects Canberra for Canberra Health Services with early site works commencing in mid-2026, the new hospital is slated for completion in 2032.
Belconnen Community Hub Upgrade
Comprehensive upgrade of existing community facilities including expanded library services, community meeting spaces, youth programs area, seniors center, and childcare facilities. Improved accessibility and technology integration throughout.
1,590 residents of Cook are employed, from a labour force of 1,645. Unemployment sits at 3.3%, with participation at 65.6%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.6% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 2,261, about 76% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Cook features a highly educated workforce with substantial white-collar and professional representation, recording an unemployment rate of 3.3% and estimated annual employment growth of 0.5% based on AreaSearch figures. As of March 2026, employed residents count 1,590, while the local jobless rate sits 0.7% below the Australian Capital Territory average of 4.1%. Workforce participation stands at 65.6%, compared with 70.6% across the Australian Capital Territory. At the Census, 15.3% of workers indicated they worked from home, a proportion subject to Covid-19 restrictions at the time. The primary employment sectors for resident workers are public administration & safety, education & training, and professional & technical.
The suburb displays a notable specialization in education & training, holding a workforce share 1.6 times the regional benchmark. Conversely, accommodation & food accounts for only 4.3% of resident employment compared to 6.5% regionally. The disparity between resident workers and local employment figures indicates that Cook functions mainly as a residential suburb with limited internal commercial positions. Over a 12-month period, AreaSearch analysis of ABS and SALM data shows a 0.5% rise in local employment alongside a 1.4% expansion in the labour pool, lifting the unemployment rate by 0.8 percentage points. Across the Australian Capital Territory, employment increased by 0.3%, the labour force expanded by 1.1%, and unemployment grew by 0.7 percentage points. Looking ahead, Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts from Mar-26 project national employment expansion of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Extrapolating these industry-level projections against Cook's workforce composition suggests local job growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, based on sectoral weighting rather than localized demographic modeling.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Cook is $2,269 a week (about $118,000 a year), with median personal income at $1,288 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $71,967 a year against an average of $90,314. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
ATO postcode data compiled by AreaSearch for financial year 2023 indicates a median taxpayer income of $71,967 and an average of $90,314 in Cook, compared to the Australian Capital Territory median of $72,206 and average of $85,981. Factoring in a 10.44% increase in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023, updated estimates as of March 2026 reach approximately $79,480 for median income and $99,743 for average income. In the 2021 Census, personal, family, and household earnings in Cook ranked between the 81st and 94th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows 31.7% of residents (940 individuals) earning between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, close to the regional level of 34.3%.
A substantial 37.1% earn more than $3,000 per week, while residents retain 87.6% of income after housing expenses, placing the suburb in the 9th decile on the SEIFA index.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Cook had 1,237 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 61% detached houses and 3% apartments. 35% are owned with a mortgage, 24% rented and 41% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $440 a week and the median mortgage repayment $2,167 a month. Rent absorbs 19.4% of household income here and mortgage repayments 22.0%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
At the latest Census, Cook's dwelling profile comprised 60.7% standalone houses and 39.3% other dwellings including townhouses and apartments, compared to 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings across the Australian Capital Territory. Outright home ownership is high at 40.9%, well above the territory level, while 35.0% of homes carry a mortgage and 24.1% are rented. Median monthly mortgage repayments stand at $2,167 against the Australian Capital Territory figure of $2,080 and the Australian average of $1,863. Median weekly rents of $440 sit just under the territory figure of $450 while substantially exceeding the national benchmark of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Cook counted 1,237 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.3 people each. 27% are couples with children, against 27% couples without children. 31% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.3 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Family households represent 65.2% of occupied residences in Cook, split evenly between couples with children (27.0%) and couples without children (27.0%), with single parent families making up 9.8%. Non-family living arrangements account for the remaining 34.8%, comprising lone person households at 31.0% and group households at 3.6%. The typical household size is 2.3 people, tracking slightly lower than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
60.8% of adults in Cook hold a university qualification, including 31.5% with a bachelor degree and 22.4% with postgraduate qualifications, higher than 96% of areas nationally. A further 10.1% hold a vocational qualification. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Educational attainment in Cook is exceptionally high, with 60.8% of residents aged 15+ holding tertiary degrees compared to 30.4% across Australia and 43.8% across the SA3 area. Among adults aged 15+, bachelor degrees are held by 31.5%, postgraduate degrees by 22.4%, and graduate diplomas by 6.9%. Vocational education accounts for 18.5% of qualifications among residents aged 15+, comprising advanced diplomas (8.4%) and certificates (10.1%). Formal study participation is widespread throughout Cook, with 28.7% of residents currently enrolled in an educational program. By sector, 8.4% of the population is enrolled in primary education, 7.7% in tertiary education, and 7.5% in secondary education.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Cook reaches 9 stops on 29 routes, timetabled for about 1,700 services a week. The typical home sits about 250 m from its nearest stop. Buses carry the largest share of public transport commuters. Households keep an average of 1.1 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Public transport connectivity in Cook includes 9 active bus stops serviced by 29 separate routes, delivering 1,733 weekly passenger trips. Access to transit is convenient, with residents residing an average of 249 meters from the closest stop. Outward commuting dominates, with private vehicles accounting for 76% of travel, bus transit capturing 10%, and cycling making up 9%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling, below the regional benchmark, while 15.3% of workers worked from home at the 2021 Census during COVID-19. Across all operating routes, transit frequency averages 247 trips per day, providing approximately 192 weekly services per individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
64.0% of residents in Cook report no long-term health condition. 4.5% need daily assistance with core activities, and 62.9% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 5.5 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health metrics in Cook align closely with national averages across mortality and chronic condition indicators, showing standard rates of illness across age demographics. However, private health insurance coverage is notably elevated, covering approximately 63% of residents (1,864 people) compared to the Australian benchmark of 55.7%. The most prevalent diagnosed conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 10.6 and 9.3% of residents, respectively. Across the community, 64.0% reported no long-term medical conditions, compared to 70.2% across the Australian Capital Territory. Chronic condition rates are somewhat higher among working-age cohorts, while health outcomes for seniors remain robust.
Residents aged 65 and over comprise 21.1% of the population (625 people), notably above the Australian Capital Territory proportion of 14.2%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Cook is largely Australian-born, at 75.1% of residents, with 15.7% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (27.2%) and Australian (23.4%). Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural diversity in Cook is higher than typical benchmarks, with 24.9% of the population born overseas and 15.7% using a non-English language at home. Christianity is the predominant religious affiliation, representing 32.9% of residents. Judaism accounts for 0.1% of the local population, compared to 0.2% across the Australian Capital Territory. Regarding parental ancestry, English heritage leads local representation at 27.2%, followed by Australian at 23.4% and Irish at 10.5%. Other notable European ancestries with above-average representation include Welsh at 0.9% of Cook (vs 0.6% regionally), French at 0.9% (vs 0.5%), and Hungarian at 0.5% (vs 0.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Cook is 42. 22.8% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The suburb of Cook exhibits an older demographic distribution. Updated estimates as of August 2026 indicate that 21.1% of residents belong to retiree and elderly brackets (65+), compared with 14.2% across the Australian Capital Territory, while young to middle aged adults (25 - 44) account for 25.7% versus 32.8% territory-wide. AreaSearch estimates the median age at 42 as at August 2026, unchanged from the 2021 Census and 7 years above the Australian Capital Territory median of 35 from that Census. The proportion of young to middle aged adults has decreased from 27.7% at the Census to 25.7%.
By 2041, retiree and elderly cohorts are forecast to absorb most population expansion, increasing by 50 residents (8%) to reach 676, while younger adult and child cohorts are expected to contract.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Cook
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, Local governments Daily | May 2026 5 months ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 17 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (2,965 at the 2021 Census → 2,966 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL80040). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.