Coolah

Coolah has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Based on analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) population updates for the broader area, the estimated population of the suburb of Coolah is around 1,665 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 403 people, a rise of 31.9%, since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 1,262. The change is inferred from the resident population of 1,652 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional eight validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1.0 persons per square kilometer. Coolah's growth since the 2021 census exceeded that of the SA4 region (3.4%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Over this period, projections indicate a decline in overall population, with the area's population expected to reduce by 114 persons by 2041 according to this methodology. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 85 and over age group, which is projected to increase by 12 people.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Coolah, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Coolah has seen minimal construction activity with an average of 2 new dwellings approved annually over the past five years (2016 to 2020 inclusive), totalling 14 approvals. This low level of development is characteristic of rural areas where housing needs are modest and construction activity is limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity. It's important to note that due to the small number of approvals, individual projects can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics.

Coolah shows less construction activity than Rest of NSW and this activity level is below national patterns. New development consists of 50% detached houses and 50% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from existing housing patterns which are currently 96% houses. This trend may be due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With around 254 people per dwelling approval, Coolah shows signs of a developing market. However, with population expected to remain stable or decline, there should be reduced pressure on housing in the area, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

With population expected to remain stable or decline, Coolah should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Coolah has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely to impact the region: Liverpool Range Wind Farm, Coolah Multipurpose Service, Valley of the Winds Wind Farm, and Narragamba Solar Farm. The following details these key projects in order of relevance.

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.

AreaSearch analysis places Coolah well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Coolah has a balanced workforce with diverse sector representation and an unemployment rate of 1.9% as of June 2025, according to AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. In June 2025556 residents were employed, which is 1.7% below the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%.

Workforce participation was at 49.3%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries for employment among residents are agriculture, forestry & fishing, education & training, and retail trade. Coolah has a particular specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 6.4 times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance is under-represented, with only 8.4% of Coolah's workforce compared to 16.9% in Rest of NSW.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 1.7%, while employment decreased by 2.5%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW experienced an employment decline of 0.1% and labour force growth of 0.3%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest potential future demand within Coolah. These projections estimate local employment should increase by 5.0% over five years and 11.1% over ten years, based on industry-specific growth rates applied to Coolah's employment mix.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

Coolah's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2022 was $43,249. The average income stood at $53,155 during the same period. These figures compare to Rest of NSW's median and average incomes of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Coolah would be approximately $48,703 (median) and $59,858 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Coolah all fall between the 10th and 11th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows that 27.9% of locals (464 people) have incomes in the $400 - $799 category, contrasting with metropolitan regions where the $1500 - $2999 bracket leads at 29.9%. Housing costs are modest, with 91.3% of income retained, but total disposable income ranks at just the 18th percentile nationally.

Coolah is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Coolah, as per the latest Census, 96.5% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 3.5% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This compares to Non-Metro NSW's 88.0% houses and 12.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coolah stood at 50.1%, with mortgaged properties at 27.2% and rented ones at 22.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,000, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,450. The median weekly rent in Coolah was $170, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $280. Nationally, Coolah's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863 and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Coolah features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 66.3% of all households, including 25.9% couples with children, 31.8% couples without children, and 7.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 33.7%, with lone person households at 31.1% and group households making up 2.1% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.5.

Coolah faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 16.0%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.9%) and certificates (31.6%). Educational participation is high at 33.4%, comprising secondary education (13.0%), primary education (11.2%), and tertiary education (2.2%).

The area has two schools serving 198 students: Coolah Central School and Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, with an ICSEA score of 927. It offers varied educational conditions, including one primary and one K-12 school. There are 11.9 school places per 100 residents, below the regional average of 16.1, indicating some students may attend schools in nearby areas.

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

Coolah has 83 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 9 different routes that together offer 77 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated good with residents typically living 214 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 11 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 0 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Coolah is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Coolah faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very low at approximately 48% of the total population (~799 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis, impacting 10.0% of residents, and asthma, impacting 8.5%. A total of 62.7% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 64.1% across Rest of NSW. As of 2021, the area has 27.1% of residents aged 65 and over (451 people), which is higher than the 19.5% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

The latest Census data sees Coolah placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Coolah had a lower than average cultural diversity, with 82.2% of its population being citizens, 93.2% born in Australia, and 98.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Coolah, comprising 75.9%, compared to 65.6% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (35.9%), Australian (33.8%), and Irish (7.9%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal representation was higher at 6.2% (vs regional average of 11.5%), Maltese at 0.5% (vs 0.2%), and Maori at 0.4% (vs 0.2%).

Coolah hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Coolah's median age is 47 years, which is significantly higher than the Rest of NSW average of 43 years and substantially exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 75-84 years make up a particularly prominent group at 11.5%, while the 25-34 year-olds are comparatively smaller at 8.8%. This concentration of 75-84 year-olds is well above the national average of 6.0%. Between 2021 and present, the 35 to 44 age group has grown from 8.8% to 10.0%, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 10.1% to 11.2%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 age group has declined from 12.1% to 10.5%. By 2041, Coolah is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. The 85+ group is expected to grow by -2%, reaching a population of 54 from the current 54. Meanwhile, both the 85+ and 0 to 4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.