Coonabarabran

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

As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Coonabarabran is around 3,479 people. This figure reflects an increase since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,477 people. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation using ERP data released by the ABS in June 2025 and validation of ten new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 3.6 persons per square kilometer. Coonabarabran's growth rate of 0.1% since the census is within 2.7 percentage points of the SA4 region's growth rate of 2.8%. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains during recent periods.

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 used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Projected demographic shifts indicate a decline in overall population over this period. According to this methodology, the suburb's population is expected to shrink by 316 persons by 2041. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, notably the 85 and over age group, projected to increase by 62 people.

The level of residential development activity in Coonabarabran is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Coonabarabran had an average of two approvals per year for development activity between 2016 and 2020, totalling twelve approvals over this five-year period. This low level of development reflects the rural nature of the area, with housing needs driving development rather than broad market demand. Due to the small number of approvals, yearly growth figures can vary significantly based on individual projects.

Coonabarabran had less construction activity compared to Rest of NSW and national patterns during this period. All new constructions were detached dwellings, maintaining the rural character of the area with an emphasis on space. The estimated population per dwelling approval was 1160 people. With stable or declining population forecasts, Coonabarabran may face less housing pressure in the future, potentially creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Given stable or declining population forecasts, Coonabarabran may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Coonabarabran has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

No changes can influence an area's performance more than modifications to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. A total of 0 projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include Inland Rail - Narromine to Narrabri, Castlereagh Country Regional Drought Resilience Plan, Tallawang Solar Farm and Battery, and Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) Transmission Project. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Coonabarabran recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Coonabarabran, as of December 2025, has an unemployment rate of 4.5%. It has a balanced workforce comprising white and blue collar employment with essential services sectors well represented. The area has 1,351 residents in work, which is 0.5% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Coonabarabran lags behind Regional NSW at 48.3%, compared to the regional average of 60.5%. According to Census responses, only 11.1% of residents work from home. The leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, education & training, and agriculture, forestry & fishing. Coonabarabran has a notable concentration in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with employment levels at 2.2 times the regional average.

Conversely, construction employs only 5.2% of local workers, below Regional NSW's 9.7%. The labour force decreased by 5.7% and employment declined by 5.4% during the year to December 2025, leading to a fall in unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW experienced an employment decline of 1.2% and a labour force decline of 0.8%, with a rise in unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that while national employment is set to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Coonabarabran's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.0% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows Coonabarabran had a median taxpayer income of $43,176 and an average income of $53,066. These figures are lower than national averages of $52,390 (median) and $65,215 (average). By March 2026, estimates project the median to be approximately $47,632 and the average at around $58,542, based on a 10.32% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. The 2021 Census indicates Coonabarabran's household, family, and personal incomes fall between the 10th and 10th percentiles nationally. In Coonabarabran, 28.2% of individuals earn $800 - 1,499, differing from regional NSW where 29.9% earn $1,500 - 2,999. With modest housing costs, residents retain 90.3% of their income on average, placing total disposable income at the 17th percentile nationally.

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

In Coonabarabran, as per the latest Census, 94.4% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 5.6% being semi-detached homes, apartments, or other types. This is compared to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coonabarabran stood at 49.4%, with mortgaged properties at 25.6% and rented ones at 25.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,000, lower than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Coonabarabran was $210, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Coonabarabran's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 65.7% of all households, including 19.5% couples with children, 31.2% couples without children, and 13.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 34.3%, with lone person households at 32.5% and group households comprising 2.0%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area has university qualification rates of 16.3%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 41.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (10.1%) and certificates (31.5%).

Educational participation is high, with 32.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 11.8% in primary education, 11.3% in secondary 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

Coonabarabran has 165 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 22 routes providing 169 weekly passenger trips in total. The average distance to the nearest stop is 213 meters for residents. Most commutes are outward-bound, with cars being the dominant mode at 90%. Eight percent of residents walk. There's an average of 1.4 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 11.1% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 24 trips per day across all routes, resulting in approximately one weekly trip per stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centerpoint.

Health performance in Coonabarabran is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Coonabarabran faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. A variety of health conditions affect both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low, with approximately 48% of the total population (~1669 people) having it, compared to Regional NSW's 51.9% and the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 13.3% of residents) and asthma (8.4%), while 58.8% claim to have no medical ailments, compared to Regional NSW's 63.3%. Working-age residents face notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over (32.0%, or 1113 people), compared to Regional NSW's 23.4%. Senior health outcomes present some challenges, generally in line with national rankings for the overall population.

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

Coonabarabran, as per the census data from June 2016, exhibited lower cultural diversity with 83.4% of its population being Australian citizens, 92.3% born in Australia, and 96.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 63.8% of Coonabarabran's population compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. In terms of ancestry, Australians made up 32.4%, English 31.6%, and Australian Aboriginal 9.8%, which is significantly higher than the regional average of 4.6%.

Some ethnic groups showed notable variations: Serbian was at 0.2%, Lebanese also at 0.2%, and Irish at 7.7% compared to regional averages of 0.2%, 0.2%, and 8.8% respectively.

Coonabarabran ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Coonabarabran has a median age of 50, which is higher than Regional NSW's figure of 43 and also above the national average of 38 years. The proportion of people aged 85 and over in Coonabarabran is 5.9%, compared to Regional NSW. However, the 25-34 age group makes up only 8.2% of the population. According to the 2021 Census, the 75-84 age group has increased from 9.2% to 10.8%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 11.6% to 10.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Coonabarabran's age profile. The number of people aged 85 and over is projected to increase by 61 (30%) from 205 to 267. Notably, all population growth will come from the combined 65+ age groups, indicating a aging demographic trend. Conversely, populations in the 35-44 and 45-54 age groups are projected to decline.