Cootamundra

Cootamundra is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of February 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Cootamundra is around 6,952, marking an increase of 67 people since the 2021 Census. This rise corresponds to a growth rate of 1.0%, with the resident population in June 2024 being 6,883 according to AreaSearch's analysis of ABS ERP data. Since the Census date, 35 new addresses have been validated by AreaSearch. The current population density is 7.8 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration has been the primary driver of population growth in recent periods for this suburb.

AreaSearch uses 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 for areas not covered by ABS data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. These projections anticipate lower quartile growth for non-metropolitan areas like Cootamundra, expecting an increase of 275 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 3.0% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Cootamundra, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Cootamundra has recorded around 15 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 79 homes. So far in FY26, 8 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.2 people moved to the area for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating new construction is matching or outpacing demand. The average value of new properties constructed is $423,000, slightly above the regional average.

This financial year has seen $7.0 million in commercial approvals, suggesting limited commercial development focus. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Cootamundra shows substantially reduced construction, which generally supports stronger demand and values for established properties. New development consists of 89.0% detached houses and 11.0% attached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature. The estimated count of 810 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate Cootamundra will gain 206 residents through to 2041.

With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Cootamundra has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

The area's performance can significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. Two projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area: The Wired Lab - The Church (Muttama Cultural Tourism Project), Inland Rail from Illabo to Stockinbingal, Smart Water Meter Replacement Program, and Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council Single Local Environmental Plan Development.

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

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Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.3%, Cootamundra has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Cootamundra has a balanced workforce comprising both white and blue collar jobs, with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 3.3% as of December 2025, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. In this month, 2,567 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.7% lower than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Cootamundra lagged significantly behind Regional NSW, at 45.6% compared to 61.3%. Census responses indicated that only 8.5% of residents worked from home. The dominant employment sectors among residents were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and agriculture, forestry & fishing. Cootamundra had a particularly notable concentration in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with employment levels at 1.8 times the regional average.

Conversely, accommodation & food services were under-represented, with only 5.2% of Cootamundra's workforce compared to 7.8% in Regional NSW. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 3.0%, while employment declined by 3.0%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable, according to AreaSearch's analysis of SALM and ABS data aggregated from broader statistical areas. By comparison, Regional NSW recorded an employment decline of 1.2% and a labour force decline of 0.8%, with unemployment rising by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offered further insight into potential future demand within Cootamundra. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, were mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. National employment was forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Cootamundra's employment mix suggested that local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not take into account localised population projections.

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

The suburb of Cootamundra had a lower than average income level compared to national figures in financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers was $46,248 and the average income stood at $59,418. These figures contrasted with Regional NSW's median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215. By September 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth suggest the median income would be approximately $50,346 and the average income around $64,682. According to Census 2021 data, incomes in Cootamundra fell between the 4th and 10th percentiles nationally for household, family, and personal incomes. The earnings profile showed that 29.8% of the population earned within the $400 - $799 range, unlike the surrounding region where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket was most common. Despite modest housing costs allowing for 88.3% income retention, total disposable income ranked at only the 8th percentile nationally.

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

In Cootamundra, as per the latest Census evaluation, 91.6% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 8.4% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwelling types. This contrasts with Regional NSW's figures of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cootamundra stood at 50.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 25.6% and rented ones at 24.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,149, lower than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Weekly rent in Cootamundra was recorded at $220, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Cootamundra's median monthly mortgage repayment of $1,149 is significantly below the Australian average of $1,863, and weekly rents of $220 are substantially lower than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 64.8% of all households, including 20.0% couples with children, 34.1% couples without children, and 10.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 35.2%, with lone person households at 33.2% and group households comprising 1.9%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 13.1%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.8%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 40.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.3%) and certificates (30.6%). Educational participation is high, with 25.0% currently enrolled in formal education: 9.8% in primary, 7.9% in secondary, and 1.5% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 25.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.8% in primary education, 7.9% in secondary education, and 1.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Cootamundra has 222 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are covered by 35 routes, providing 875 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is excellent, with residents typically living 152 meters from the nearest stop. Most commuters travel outward due to Cootamundra's residential nature. Car remains the dominant mode at 91%, while walking accounts for 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 8.5% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 125 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 3 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

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

Cootamundra faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts.

Approximately 50% of Cootamundra's total population (~3,507 people) has private health cover, which is relatively low compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis (12.8%) and mental health issues (9.5%). Conversely, 56.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Working-age population health challenges include elevated chronic condition rates. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 33.6% (2,335 people), compared to the regional average of 23.4%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Cootamundra, as per the 2016 Census, had a cultural diversity score below average. Its population was predominantly Australian-born citizens, with 91.7% being citizens and 92.5% born in Australia. English was spoken at home by 97.3%.

Christianity was the dominant religion, practiced by 69.5%, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three ancestry groups were English (33.5%), Australian (32.9%), and Irish (10.6%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal people were slightly overrepresented at 5.1%, while Samoan and German populations were similarly represented at 0.1% and 3.2%, respectively, compared to regional averages of 4.6%, 0.1%, and 3.1%.

Cootamundra ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Cootamundra's median age is 51 years, significantly higher than Regional NSW's average of 43 years and the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Regional NSW, Cootamundra has a notably higher percentage of people aged 75-84 (12.3%) but fewer people aged 35-44 (7.7%). This concentration of people aged 75-84 is well above the national average of 6.1%. Post-2021 Census data shows that the percentage of people aged 75 to 84 has increased from 10.9% to 12.3%, while those aged 15 to 24 have risen from 9.3% to 10.6%. Conversely, the percentages of people aged 55 to 64 and 35 to 44 have decreased to 13.4% and 7.7% respectively from 14.7% and 8.9%. By 2041, Cootamundra's age composition is expected to shift notably. The number of people aged 85 and above will grow by 46%, reaching 487 from 333. This growth is primarily driven by the aging population dynamic, with those aged 65 and above comprising 56% of projected growth. Conversely, both the 0 to 4 age group and the 65 to 74 age group are expected to have reduced numbers.