Coombs

Coombs lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the suburb of Coombs had an estimated population of around 6,817 as of May 2026. This reflects a growth of 1,966 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,851. The increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 6,159 residents following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2025 and an additional 684 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,938 persons per square kilometer, placing Coombs in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 40.5% since the 2021 census exceeded both the state (8.3%) and SA4 region averages. Interstate migration contributed approximately 56.99999999999999% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and overseas migration were positive factors.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections are adopted. Based on demographic trends and aggregated SA2-level projections, Coombs is forecast to have a significant population increase in the top quartile of national areas, with an expected growth of 2,550 persons by 2041, reflecting an overall increase of 27.8% over the 16 years.

The level of residential development activity in Coombs was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

AreaSearch analysis shows Coombs recorded around 102 residential property approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 512 homes. As of FY-26, 94 approvals have been recorded. The average population growth for each dwelling built in the area between FY-21 and FY-25 was 4.1 people per year, indicating demand outpaces supply, which typically increases competition among buyers and puts upward pressure on prices. New homes are being built at an average construction cost of $197,000, below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers.

This financial year has seen $34,000 in commercial approvals registered, demonstrating Coombs' residential nature. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Coombs records significantly lower building activity, at 71.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction usually reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings. New building activity shows 7.0% standalone homes and 93.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a focus on higher-density living to create more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a considerable change from the current housing mix of 38.0% houses. The location has approximately 160 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. Population forecasts indicate Coombs will gain 1,892 residents through to 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate.

Current development patterns suggest new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Coombs has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects likely to impact this area: Molonglo Group Centre to Town Centre Transition, Molonglo Town Centre, Molonglo River Bridge and John Gorton Drive Extension, Fetherston Weston. The following details those most relevant.

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

Coombs has an educated workforce with key sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 3.1% as of AreaSearch data from the past year, showing a 1.3% employment growth. As of December 2025, 3680 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 0.7%, below the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation in Coombs was 81.2%, higher than ACT's 70.5%. According to Census responses, 10.3% of residents worked from home. Key industries for employment were public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and professional & technical services. Health care & social assistance had particularly high representation at 1.4 times the regional average, while construction showed lower representation at 5.2%.

The area offered limited local employment opportunities. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 1.3% and labour force by 1.4%, leading to a 0.2 percentage point rise in unemployment. In comparison, ACT recorded employment growth of 0.9%, labour force growth of 1.2%, and an unemployment increase of 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May-25, project national employment to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Coombs's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

The suburb of Coombs has an exceptionally high income level nationally, per latest Australian Taxation Office data compiled by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Coombs stands at $76,864, with the average income being $91,441. These figures compare to the Australian Capital Territory's median and average incomes of $72,206 and $85,981 respectively. Based on a 10.44% growth in wages since financial year 2023, current estimates suggest the median income would be approximately $84,889 and the average income around $100,987 by March 2026. According to the 2021 Census figures, incomes in Coombs rank highly nationally, between the 93rd and 96th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. Income distribution data shows that the majority of residents, 38.6% (2,631 people), fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income bracket, which is slightly higher than the regional level of 34.3%. Coombs exhibits significant affluence with 42.1% of residents earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings in the area. Despite high housing costs consuming 16.4% of income, disposable income still ranks at the 92nd percentile nationally. The suburb's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Coombs displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Coombs' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 37.5% houses and 62.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coombs stood at 7.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 64.0% and rented dwellings at 28.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, below the Australian Capital Territory average of $2,080. Median weekly rent in Coombs was $480, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $450. Nationally, Coombs' mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Coombs features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 74.0% of all households, including 39.2% couples with children, 22.9% couples without children, and 10.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 26.0%, with lone person households at 20.4% and group households making up 5.5%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

Coombs demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Coombs has a notably high educational attainment, with 57.7% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications. This figure exceeds the national average of 30.4% and the SA4 region average of 46.8%. The area's educational advantage is reflected in its strong showing for Bachelor degrees (33.0%), postgraduate qualifications (20.5%), and graduate diplomas (4.2%). Vocational pathways are also well-represented, with advanced diplomas accounting for 10.2% and certificates for 10.0%.

Educational participation is significantly high in Coombs, with 35.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.7% in primary education, 8.7% in tertiary education, and 6.0% pursuing secondary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Coombs shows that there are 13 active transport stops currently operating. These stops serve a variety of bus routes, with a total of 65 individual routes providing service to the area. This results in approximately 4,528 weekly passenger trips being made through these stops. The accessibility of public transport in Coombs is rated as good, with residents typically located about 231 meters from their nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most commuters travel outward, with the car remaining the dominant mode of transportation at 88%, while only 8% use the bus for their journeys. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles owned per dwelling in Coombs.

According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 10.3% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages around 646 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 348 weekly trips per individual stop.

Coombs's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics indicates robust performance across Coombs, as per AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is very low across all age groups.

Approximately 63% of the total population (4,315 people) has private health cover, exceeding the national average of 55.7%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most prevalent medical conditions in the area, affecting 7.4 and 6.1% of residents respectively. A higher proportion, 81.5%, reported being completely free of medical ailments compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 70.2%. Coombs has a lower percentage of residents aged 65 and over at 4.1% (279 people), compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 14.3%. Health outcomes among seniors are notably strong, aligning with general population rankings nationally.

Coombs is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Coombs has a high level of cultural diversity, with 43.8% of its population born overseas and 48.1% speaking a language other than English at home. The dominant religion in Coombs is Christianity, comprising 33.7% of the population. Hinduism is notably overrepresented, making up 12.2% compared to the Australian Capital Territory average of 4.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups in Coombs are Other at 23.5%, Australian at 16.9%, and English at 16.2%. These figures differ from regional averages: Other is substantially higher (23.5% vs 12.2%), while Australian and English are notably lower (16.9% vs 23.0% and 16.2% vs 23.3%). Additionally, Indian, Korean, and Welsh ethnic groups are notably overrepresented in Coombs compared to regional averages: Indian at 8.2% vs 3.3%, Korean at 1.4% vs 0.6%, and Welsh at 0.8% vs 0.6%.

Coombs hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Coombs has a median age of 31, which is younger than the Australian Capital Territory figure of 35 and substantially under the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Coombs has a higher concentration of residents aged 35-44 at 21.8%, but fewer residents aged 65-74 at 2.8%. This concentration of 35-44 year-olds is well above the national figure of 14.3%. Between 2021 and present, the median age has increased by 1.2 years from 30 to 31, indicating an aging population. Key changes include the growth of the 45 to 54 age group from 9.5% to 12.0% of the population, while the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 25.9% to 21.6%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest substantial demographic changes in Coombs. The 45 to 54 age group is projected to grow by 61%, adding 498 residents to reach a total of 1,317. In contrast, the 75 to 84 age group shows minimal growth of just 6% (3 people).