Coonabarabran

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Coonabarabran is around 3,494, reflecting an increase of 17 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 3,477. This increase was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 3,481 following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and validation of an additional 9 new addresses since the Census date. The current population density is 3.7 persons per square kilometer. Between Feb 2021 and Feb 2026, Coonabarabran's growth rate was 0.5%, positioning it within 2.7 percentage points of the SA4 region's growth rate of 3.2%. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains during this period. AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where necessary.

Projections indicate a decline in overall population by 315 persons by 2041, with the 85 and over age group projected to increase by 50 people during this period.

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

Coonabarabran has averaged two dwelling approvals per year from 2015 to 2019, totaling twelve approvals over this period. This low development activity reflects the rural nature of the area, with housing needs driving development rather than broad market demand. Yearly growth figures and relativities may vary significantly due to the low approval numbers.

Coonabarabran has shown less construction activity compared to Rest of NSW and national patterns. All new constructions since 2015 have been detached dwellings, maintaining the area's rural character with an emphasis on space. As of 2021, the estimated population per dwelling approval is 1162 people. With stable or declining population forecasts, Coonabarabran may experience less housing pressure, 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 significantly impact an area's performance like alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 0 projects that are expected to influence the area. Notable projects include Inland Rail - Narromine to Narrabri, Castlereaugh 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 anticipated to be most pertinent.

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's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs, with essential services well-represented. Its unemployment rate was 4.3% as of December 2025, according to AreaSearch data aggregation. In this month, 1,365 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is 0.4% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation was lower at 48.8%, compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%. Census responses showed that only 11.1% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, education & training, and agriculture, forestry & fishing. Agriculture, forestry & fishing had particularly high concentration with employment levels at 2.2 times the regional average.

However, construction employed only 5.2% of local workers, below Regional NSW's 9.7%. The area may have limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, the labour force decreased by 5.4%, alongside a 5.2% employment decline, causing unemployment to fall by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW experienced an employment decline of 1.2% and a labour force decline of 0.8%, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can provide further insight into potential future demand within Coonabarabran. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, suggest national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. However, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Coonabarabran's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Coonabarabran had a median taxpayer income of $43,176 and an average of $53,066. Nationally, the averages are $52,390 and $65,215 in Regional NSW respectively. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $47,001 (median) and $57,768 (average), based on an 8.86% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, Coonabarabran's household, family, and personal incomes rank 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. Despite modest housing costs allowing for 90.3% income retention, total disposable income ranks at the 17th percentile nationally.

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

The dwelling structure in Coonabarabran, as per the latest Census, consisted of 94.4% houses and 5.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Coonabarabran was at 49.4%, with the rest being mortgaged (25.6%) or rented (25.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,000, lower than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent was $210, compared to Regional NSW's $330 and the national average of $375. Nationally, Coonabarabran's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,000 compared to the Australian average of $1,863.

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

Family households constitute 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% of the total. 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's university qualification rate is 16.3%, significantly lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.1%) and certificates (31.5%). Educational participation is high, with 32.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 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

The transport analysis indicates 165 active transport stops operating within Coonabarabran. These consist of a mix of train and bus services. The stops are serviced by 22 individual routes, collectively providing 169 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 213 meters from the nearest stop. As per the 2021 Census data, most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. The dominant mode of transport remains cars, used by 90% of residents, while 8% walk.

Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. Only 11.1% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 24 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

Health performance in Coonabarabran is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Coonabarabran faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are substantial across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 48% of the total population (around 1,676 people), compared to 51.9% in Regional NSW and 55.7% nationally.

The most common conditions are arthritis (affecting 13.3% of residents) and asthma (8.4%). Around 58.8% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% in Regional NSW. Working-age residents face notable health challenges with high chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 31.0% (1,083 people), compared to 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are challenging but align with national rankings for the general 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 had a cultural diversity level below average, with 83.4% of its population being citizens, 92.3% born in Australia, and 96.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 63.8% of people, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (32.4%), English (31.6%), and Australian Aboriginal (9.8%), which was substantially higher than the regional average of 4.6%.

There were notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Serbian was at 0.2%, Lebanese 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 is strong at 5.5%, compared to Regional NSW. However, the 25-34 age group is less prevalent at 8.6%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75-84 age group has increased from 9.2% to 10.5% of the population, while the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 11.6% to 10.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Coonabarabran's age profile. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 55 people (29%), from 192 to 248. Notably, all population growth will come from the combined 65+ age groups, reflecting the area's aging demographic trend. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 35-44 and 45-54 cohorts.