Cooran

Population growth drivers in Cooran are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of February 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Cooran is around 1,808. This reflects an increase of 52 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,756. The change is inferred from the resident population of 1,800 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 4 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 48 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 72.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data. Anticipating future population dynamics, a population increase just below the median of Australia's non-metropolitan areas is expected for the suburb of Cooran, with an expected increase of 206 persons to reach 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of 13.5% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Cooran according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Cooran has had minimal residential development activity with seven dwelling approvals annually over the five years up to 2021. This low level of development reflects the rural nature of the area, where housing needs drive development rather than broad market demand. The small number of approvals means individual projects can significantly impact annual growth statistics.

Cooran's development levels are substantially lower than those in the Rest of Qld and under national averages. Recent building activity consists entirely of standalone homes, reflecting the area's rural character with larger properties being typical. As of 2021, there were an estimated 1834 people per dwelling approval in Cooran, indicating a quiet development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Cooran is forecasted to gain 244 residents by 2041.

At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Cooran has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Three projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area: Traveston Industrial Land, Pomona Place Plan, Noosa Trail Network Upgrade (Wahpunga and Woondum Trails), and Noosa Biosphere Trails Upgrade Program.

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

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

Cooran has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate is 4.8%, based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data as of September 2025. There are 894 residents in work while the unemployment rate is 0.7% higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation is somewhat lower at 62.5% compared to Rest of Qld's 65.7%. A moderate 15.0% of residents work from home, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Construction shows strong specialization with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level.

Conversely, accommodation & food has lower representation at 5.3% versus the regional average of 8.3%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census working population vs resident population data. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.8% and employment declined by 1.9%, causing a fall in unemployment rate by 0.9 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of Qld where employment rose by 1.7%, labour force grew by 2.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insight into potential future demand within Cooran. Applying these projections to Cooran's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ended June 30, 2023 indicates that income in Cooran is lower than average nationally. The median income was $40,861 and the average income stood at $55,554. This contrasts with Rest of Qld's figures where the median income was $53,146 and the average income was $66,593. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since June 30, 2023, current estimates would be approximately $44,910 (median) and $61,059 (average) as of September 2025. From the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data collected in August 2021, household incomes in Cooran fall between the 15th and 19th percentiles nationally. The income bracket of $800 - 1,499 dominates with 31.0% of residents (560 people). Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 84.0% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 20th percentile nationally.

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

Cooran's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted entirely of houses with no other dwellings like apartments or semi-detached units. This is in contrast to Non-Metro Qld where 76.4% were houses and 23.6% were other dwellings. Home ownership in Cooran was at 42.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 46.7% and rented ones at 11.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,655. The median weekly rent in Cooran was $385 compared to Non-Metro Qld's $345. Nationally, Cooran's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Cooran features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 71.9% of all households, including 27.5% couples with children, 29.9% couples without children, and 13.8% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 28.1%, with lone person households at 24.4% and group households comprising 4.4% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of Queensland.

The educational profile of Cooran exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Cooran Trail regional benchmark shows that 23.5% of residents aged 15 years or above hold university degrees compared to Australia's 30.4%. This indicates potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.3%, followed by graduate diplomas (3.9%) and postgraduate qualifications (3.3%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 45.5% of residents aged 15 years or above holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 15.0% and certificates at 30.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.9% in primary education, 9.3% in secondary education, and 3.7% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows two active transport stops operating within Cooran. These comprise a mix of train and bus services. Eleven individual routes service these stops, providing collectively 107 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as limited, with residents typically located 748 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 96%.

Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, some 15% of residents work from home, potentially reflecting COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 15 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 53 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Cooran faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is relatively low at approximately 49% of the total population (around 889 people), compared to 52.5% in the rest of Queensland, and 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 9.6 and 8.7% of residents respectively, while 67.7% report being completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 67.6% in the rest of Queensland. Working-age residents have an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 19.8% of residents aged 65 and over (357 people), with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Cooran is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Cooran had a lower than average cultural diversity with 86.3% citizens, 81.0% born in Australia, and 97.2% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion at 35.1%. Buddhism was overrepresented at 2.1%, compared to 1.1% regionally.

The top three ancestry groups were English (34.0%), Australian (27.7%), and Irish (9.8%). Scottish, French, and Dutch groups showed notable representation: Scottish at 9.5% vs regional 7.8%, French at 0.8% vs regional 0.5%, and Dutch at 1.6% vs regional 1.1%.

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

Cooran's median age of 46 years stands significantly higher than Rest of Qld's 41 and well above the national average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of Qld, Cooran has a higher concentration of residents aged 55-64 at 17.6%, but fewer residents aged 15-24 at 9.0%. This concentration of 55-64 year-olds is well above the national average of 11.2%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 4.9% to 6.5%, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 7.9% to 9.0%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 14.0% to 13.0%. By 2041, Cooran is expected to see notable shifts in its age composition. Leading this shift, the 25 to 34 group is projected to grow by 27 people, reaching 223 from 175. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 cohort is projected to decline by 7 people.