Cooks Hill

Population growth drivers in Cooks Hill are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Nov 2025, the estimated population for the Cooks Hill statistical area (Lv2) is around 4,098, reflecting an increase of 324 people since the 2021 Census. This growth represents an 8.6% rise from the previous population count of 3,774. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of a resident population of 4,059 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), along with validation of an additional 53 new addresses since the Census date. This level of population density equates to 5,691 persons per square kilometer, placing Cooks Hill in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate exceeded both the non-metro area (5.7%) and its SA3 area since the 2021 Census. Overseas migration contributed approximately 56% to overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth being positive factors.

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 utilized, 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 Cooks Hill (SA2) is projected to increase by 1,915 persons, reflecting a total gain of 48.7% over the 17-year period, placing it in the top 10 percent of regional areas nationally for population growth.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Cooks Hill among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Cooks Hill has recorded approximately 22 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25, around 112 homes were approved, with none so far in FY-26. On average, 4.8 new residents arrive per year for each dwelling constructed during this period.

This demand significantly exceeds new supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. New properties are constructed at an average value of $678,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. In FY-26, commercial approvals totaling $100.3 million have been registered, suggesting strong commercial development momentum. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Cooks Hill demonstrates comparable building activity per person, maintaining market balance consistent with the broader area.

Recent construction comprises 4.0% detached houses and 96.0% attached dwellings, promoting higher-density living which creates more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. With around 83 people per dwelling approval, Cooks Hill exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Cooks Hill is projected to grow by 1,997 residents through to 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 18 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Dairy Farmers Towers, The Store Newcastle, Sovereign Park | The Hill, and Newcastle Art Gallery Expansion. The following list details 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.

Employment conditions in Cooks Hill demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Cooks Hill has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.6% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 3.9%.

As of September 2025, 2,843 residents are employed at a rate 1.2% below Rest of NSW's 3.8%, and participation is high at 68.4% compared to 56.4%. Leading industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical, with the latter being particularly strong at 2.3 times the regional level. Agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 0.6%, versus 5.3% in Rest of NSW. The worker-to-resident ratio of 0.9 indicates substantial local employment opportunities.

Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.9% while labour force rose by 4.5%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment decline of 0.5% and labour force decline of 0.1%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. National forecasts project employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local projections suggest Cooks Hill's employment could increase by 7.4% over five years and 15.2% over ten years based on its industry mix.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on June 30, 2023, Cooks Hill had a median taxpayer income of $53,402 and an average income of $83,256. These figures are among the highest in Australia, compared to $52,390 and $65,215 respectively for Rest of NSW. By September 2025, estimated median and average incomes would be approximately $58,133 and $90,632 based on an 8.86% Wage Price Index growth since June 2023. Census data shows individual earnings at the 81st percentile nationally, with a weekly income of $1,025. Income brackets indicate that 31.8% of locals (1,303 people) predominantly fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 category. High housing costs consume 18.7% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 55th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Cooks Hill displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Cooks Hill's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 17.5% houses and 82.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's 70.5% houses and 29.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cooks Hill was at 23.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.7% and rented ones at 56.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,297, above Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,962. Weekly rent in Cooks Hill was $430, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $400. Nationally, Cooks Hill's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,297 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Cooks Hill features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 49.4% of all households, including 14.3% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 8.5% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 50.6%, with lone person households at 37.1% and group households comprising 13.7%. The median household size is 2.0 people, smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

Educational outcomes in Cooks Hill fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Educational attainment in Cooks Hill is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Specifically, 45.7% of residents aged 15 years and over hold university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the Rest of NSW and 26.1% in the SA4 region. This notable educational advantage positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 29.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.1%).

Trade and technical skills are also prominent, with 26.4% of residents aged 15 years and over holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (16.2%). Educational participation is notably high in the area, with 29.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.7% in tertiary education, 5.6% in primary education, and 4.9% pursuing secondary education.

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

Cooks Hill has 16 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 15 different routes that together facilitate 1,044 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 123 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 149 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 65 weekly trips per individual stop.

Cooks Hill's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Cooks Hill's health metrics closely match national benchmarks. Common health conditions are seen across both young and old age cohorts.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (2,450 people), compared to 56.7% across Rest of NSW. Mental health issues impact 12.8% of residents, while asthma impacts 8.2%. A total of 67.1% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 64.9% across Rest of NSW. The area has 16.5% of residents aged 65 and over (676 people). Health outcomes among seniors are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

Cooks Hill ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Cooks Hill had a cultural diversity below average, with 85.0% of its population born in Australia, 90.6% being citizens, and 92.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 35.9% of people in Cooks Hill. Judaism, however, was overrepresented at 0.1%, compared to 0.1% across Rest of NSW.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (31.1%), Australian (24.1%), and Irish (11.5%). Other notable divergences included Welsh at 0.8% (vs 0.8% regionally), Scottish at 9.5% (vs 8.4%), and Polish at 0.9% (vs 0.8%).

Cooks Hill's population is younger than the national pattern

Cooks Hill's median age is 35 years, which is significantly below the Rest of NSW average of 43 and somewhat younger than the Australian median of 38. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented at 23.3% locally compared to the Rest of NSW average, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 6.0%. This 25-34 concentration is well above the national average of 14.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 21.6% to 23.3% of the population. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 7.3% to 6.0%, and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 12.2% to 10.9%. Demographic modeling suggests Cooks Hill's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041, with the 25-34 cohort projected to grow by 66%, adding 626 residents to reach a total of 1,581.