Coolah

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

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

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends indicate a decline overall, with a projected reduction of 114 persons by 2041. However, growth is anticipated in specific age cohorts, 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 two new dwellings approved annually over the past five years, totalling 13. This low level of development is typical in rural areas due to modest housing needs and limited construction activity influenced by local demand and infrastructure capacity. Notably, the small number of approvals can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics.

Coolah's construction activity is considerably lower than that of Rest of NSW and below national averages. New developments consist of 50% detached houses and 50% townhouses or apartments, marking a shift from the current housing pattern of 96% houses. This trend may indicate decreasing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With approximately 282 people per dwelling approval, Coolah's market is developing. Given the expected stable or declining population, housing pressure in Coolah should remain relatively low, potentially presenting buying opportunities.

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 affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects expected 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.

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 maintains a balanced workforce with diverse sector representation, having an unemployment rate of 2.0% as per AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation. As of September 2025551 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.9% lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Coolah stands at 49.3%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries employing residents include agriculture, forestry & fishing, education & training, and retail trade. Coolah specializes in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 6.4 times the regional level. Conversely, health care & social assistance is under-represented, comprising only 8.4% of Coolah's workforce compared to Rest of NSW's 16.9%.

The area may offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, the labour force decreased by 4.1%, with employment decreasing by 4.5%, leading to a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw an employment decline of 0.5% and labour force decline of 0.1%, with a 0.4 percentage point increase in unemployment rate. State-level data up to 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, losing 2,260 jobs, with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate stands at 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Coolah's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.0% over five years and 11.1% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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

Coolah's suburb income level is lower than average nationally according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. Coolah's median income among taxpayers is $43,249 and average income stands at $53,155, compared to Rest of NSW's figures of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates 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 the predominant cohort spans 27.9% of locals (464 people) in the $400 - $799 category, contrasting with metropolitan region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket leads at 29.9%. Housing costs are modest with 91.3% of income retained, however 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

The dwelling structure in Coolah, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.5% houses and 3.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had 88.0% houses and 12.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coolah was at 50.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.2% and rented ones at 22.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,000, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,450. The median weekly rent figure in Coolah was recorded at $170, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $280. Nationally, Coolah's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while 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 make up the remaining 33.7%, consisting of 31.1% lone person households and 2.1% group households. 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 the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 12.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are held by 41.5% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 9.9% and certificates at 31.6%. Educational participation is high, with 33.4% currently enrolled in formal education: 13.0% in secondary, 11.2% in primary, and 2.2% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 33.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.0% in secondary education, 11.2% in primary education, and 2.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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 stops are served by 9 different routes that together offer 77 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in Coolah is rated as good, with residents typically living 214 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 11 trips per day across all routes, which equates 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 are arthritis and asthma, impacting 10.0 and 8.5% of residents respectively. 62.7% of residents declare 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 cultural diversity level below average, with 82.2% citizens, 93.2% born in Australia, and 98.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, 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% compared to the regional average of 11.5%. Maltese and Maori populations also differed significantly with 0.5% and 0.4%, respectively, against regional averages of 0.2% each.

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 those aged 25-34 years are comparatively smaller at 8.8% than in Rest of NSW. This concentration of the 75-84 age group is well above the national average of 6.0%. Between 2021 and the present, the population share of those aged 35 to 44 has grown from 8.8% to 10.0%, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 10.1% to 11.2%. Conversely, the population share of those aged 45 to 54 has declined from 12.1% to 10.5%. By 2041, Coolah is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. The demographic shift will be led by the 85+ group, which will grow by -2%, reaching 54 people from a current population of 54. Meanwhile, both the 85+ and 0 to 4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.