Cooks Hill

Population growth drivers in Cooks Hill are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Cooks Hill's population is estimated at 4,196 as of Nov 2025, reflecting an increase of 422 people since the 2021 Census. The ABS ERP estimate for surrounding areas applied to Cooks Hill by AreaSearch in Jun 2024 was 4,126 residents. This includes 53 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is 5,827 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Cooks Hill's growth of 11.2% since the 2021 Census exceeded the non-metro area's 5.1%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 56% to overall population gains recently.

Future projections, based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data (released in 2024 with a 2022 base year) and NSW State Government SA2-level projections (released in 2022 with a 2021 base year), show exceptional growth for Cooks Hill. By 2041, the suburb is expected to increase by 1,953 persons, reflecting a gain of 46.2% over the 17 years.

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

Cooks Hill has seen approximately 40 residential properties approved annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Between financial years FY21 to FY25, around 203 homes were approved, with no approvals recorded so far in FY26. On average, 2.7 people have moved into the area per new home constructed over these five years, reflecting strong demand that supports property values.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $679,000, indicating a focus on premium properties by developers. This financial year has seen $1.3 million in commercial approvals, suggesting limited commercial development activity compared to residential. Relative to the Rest of NSW, Cooks Hill exhibits 84.0% higher building activity per person. Recent construction comprises 2.0% detached houses and 98.0% attached dwellings, creating more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift from the area's existing housing composition (currently 18.0% houses) suggests decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles requiring diverse housing options. The location has approximately 42 people per dwelling approval, indicating a growing market.

By 2041, Cooks Hill is projected to gain 1,937 residents according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. If current development rates persist, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and bolstering price growth.

Cooks Hill 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 has identified 18 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones 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 exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Cooks Hill has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.4% as of June 2025.

The area saw an estimated employment growth of 2.7% over the past year. Residents' unemployment rate is 1.2% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Cooks Hill is higher at 68.4%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services.

The area specializes particularly in professional & technical services with an employment share 2.3 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented at 0.6% compared to Rest of NSW's 5.3%. There are substantial local employment opportunities as indicated by a ratio of 0.9 workers per resident in the Census. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 2.7% while labour force grew by 3.1%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced employment decline of 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%, with a similar unemployment rate increase. For future insights, Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 15.2% over ten years when applied to Cooks Hill's employment mix.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ending June 2022 shows Cooks Hill had a median income among taxpayers of $53,403. The average income stood at $83,258, which is among the highest in Australia. This compares to levels of $49,459 and $62,998 across Rest of NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year ending June 2022, current estimates would be approximately $60,137 (median) and $93,757 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals individual earnings stand out at the 81st percentile nationally with a weekly income of $1,025. Income brackets indicate that 31.8% of locals (1,334 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category. High housing costs consume 18.7% of income. Despite this, 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, consisted of 17.5% houses and 82.5% other dwellings (including semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Non-Metro NSW had 70.5% houses and 29.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cooks Hill stood at 23.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.7% and rented ones at 56.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,297, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,962. Median weekly rent in Cooks Hill was $430, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $400. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,297 versus the Australian 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 account for 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 constitute 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, which is 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. 45.7% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in Rest of NSW and 26.1% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most common at 29.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.1%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 26.4% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (16.2%).

Educational participation is high, 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. Educational provision includes Alesco Secondary College and Newcastle Grammar Park School Campus, serving a total of 664 students. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 953) with balanced educational opportunities. There is one primary and one secondary institution providing education in the area.

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

The analysis of public transport in Cooks Hill indicates that there are currently 15 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 15 individual routes providing service. Collectively, these routes facilitate 1,015 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport in Cooks Hill is rated as excellent, with residents typically located an average of 123 meters from the nearest transport stop. Service frequency across all routes averages 145 trips per day, which equates to approximately 67 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 align with national benchmarks, showing a typical mix of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% (2,508 people), compared to 55.6% across the Rest of NSW.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions, affecting 12.8 and 8.2% of residents respectively. A total of 67.1% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 64.9% across the Rest of NSW. The area has 16.7% (700 people) of residents aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, outperforming 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, according to a study, had lower cultural diversity compared to the average. It was reported that 85.0% of its residents were born in Australia, with 90.6% being citizens, and 92.8% speaking English exclusively at home. Christianity was found to be the dominant religion in Cooks Hill, accounting for 35.9% of the population.

While Judaism made up only 0.1% of the population in Cooks Hill, this figure was similar to the regional average. The top three parental ancestry groups were English (31.1%), Australian (24.1%), and Irish (11.5%). Notably, Welsh (0.8%) and Scottish (9.5%) populations were higher than the regional averages of 0.8% and 8.4%, respectively. Polish population at 0.9% was also slightly higher than the regional average of 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 in Cooks Hill at 23.3%, compared to the Rest of NSW average, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 6.0%. This concentration of the 25-34 age group 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 Cooks Hill's population. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort has declined from 7.3% to 6.0%, and the 45-54 group has dropped from 12.2% to 10.9%. Demographic modeling suggests that Cooks Hill's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041, with the 25-34 cohort projected to grow strongly at 63%, adding 611 residents to reach a total of 1,589.