Cossack (NT)

Population growth drivers in Cossack are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, the Cossack (NT) statistical area's population is estimated at around 1,504 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 211 people (16.3%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,293 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 1,492, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS on Jun 2024 and address validation since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 5.9 persons per square kilometer. Cossack's growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (8.9%), along with the state, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth that contributed approximately 61.0% 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 areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth across all areas post-2032, AreaSearch is applying growth rates by age cohort to each area, as provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Considering projected demographic shifts, an above median population growth of Australia's non-metropolitan areas is projected, with the Cossack (NT) SA2 expected to expand by 213 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 11.0% in total over the 17 years.

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

Cossack saw minimal construction activity with 3 new dwellings approved annually between 2016 and 2020. This resulted in a total of 19 approvals over these five years. Such low development levels are characteristic of rural areas where housing needs are modest, and construction activity is naturally limited by local demand and infrastructure capacity.

It should be noted that the small number of approvals means individual development projects can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics. Cossack has substantially lower development levels than the Rest of NT, with this activity level also below national patterns. New building activity showed 80% detached dwellings and 20% attached dwellings, reflecting the area's rural character where larger properties and space are typical. The estimated population density was 363 people per dwelling approval, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment.

Population forecasts indicate Cossack will gain 166 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Development is keeping pace with projected growth, though buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

Cossack has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 8thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely to affect this region. Notable ones are Katherine Solar Farm by ENI, Katherine Aquatic Centre Upgrade, Tindal Village, and Katherine Logistics and Agribusiness Hub. The following details those most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment performance in Cossack exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Cossack's workforce is skilled with well-represented essential services sectors. The unemployment rate as of September 2025 was 2.9%.

This rate is 3.0% below the Rest of NT's rate of 5.9%, and workforce participation is high at 59.3%, compared to Rest of NT's 50.7%. Key employment industries in Cossack include health care & social assistance, construction, and public administration & safety. Construction stands out with an employment share 2.1 times the regional level. Conversely, public administration & safety has a lower representation at 12.5% compared to Rest of NT's 17.9%.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census working population vs resident population data. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.1%, and employment declined by 1.0%, causing a fall in unemployment rate of 0.3 percentage points. This contrasts with Rest of NT where employment fell by 1.3% and labour force contracted by 1.2%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Cossack. Over five years, national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6%, and over ten years by 13.7%. Applying these projections to Cossack's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.0% over ten years.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The suburb of Cossack had a median taxpayer income of $61,866 and an average income of $67,862 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is higher than the national average, contrasting with the Rest of NT's median income of $51,655 and average income of $61,577 in the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.01% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Cossack would be approximately $69,296 (median) and $76,012 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Cossack ranked highly nationally, between the 81st and 84th percentiles. The largest income segment comprised 25.9% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (389 residents), similar to the surrounding region where 33.6% fell into this bracket. Economic strength was evident with 39.2% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. After housing costs, residents retained 88.2% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 6th decile.

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

As per the latest Census evaluation, dwelling structures in Cossack consisted of 90.3% houses and 9.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NT's 77.7% houses and 22.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cossack stood at 30.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 43.3% and rented ones at 26.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, higher than the Non-Metro NT average of $1,615. The median weekly rent in Cossack was $250, lower than the Non-Metro NT figure of $378 and the national average of $375. Nationally, Cossack's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863.

Cossack features high concentrations of family households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 78.0% of all households, including 35.4% couples with children, 33.3% couples without children, and 7.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 22.0%, with lone person households at 18.9% and group households comprising 3.7%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NT average of 3.2.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 18.1%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 10.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 47.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.1%) and certificates (37.1%). Educational participation is high at 34.0%, comprising primary education (15.3%), secondary education (7.5%), and tertiary education (3.0%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 34.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 15.3% in primary education, 7.5% in secondary education, and 3.0% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

The level of general health in Cossack is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Cossack demonstrates above-average health outcomes with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is fairly high at approximately 54% of the total population (~806 people), compared to 49.8% across the Rest of NT.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 6.3 and 5.7% of residents respectively, while 72.8% declare themselves as completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 78.3% across the Rest of NT. The area has 15.5% of residents aged 65 and over (233 people), which is higher than the 8.2% in the Rest of NT. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

Cossack ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Cossack's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 80.9% of its population being citizens, 89.2% born in Australia, and 83.0% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the main religion in Cossack, comprising 45.2% of people. However, there was an overrepresentation in the 'Other' category, which made up 1.2% of the population compared to 3.6% across the rest of the Northern Territory.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups were Australian (28.5%), English (25.7%), and Australian Aboriginal (17.3%). These figures differed significantly from regional averages: Australian was substantially higher (17.5%), English was also notably higher (14.4%), while Australian Aboriginal was significantly lower (43.9%). Notably, certain ethnic groups were overrepresented in Cossack compared to regional averages: Maori at 1.1% vs 0.4%, Filipino at 2.3% vs 1.6%, and German at 4.1% vs 2.5%.

Cossack's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

Cossack has a median age of 39, which is older than the Rest of NT's figure of 31 and close to Australia's 38 years. Compared to Rest of NT, Cossack has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (10.8%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (10.8%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the 35-44 age group has increased from 13.2% to 14.4%, while the 5-14 cohort has declined from 14.3% to 12.8%. The 25-34 age group has also decreased from 12.0% to 10.8%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Cossack. The 45-54 cohort is projected to grow by 22%, adding 50 residents to reach 278. Conversely, both the 25-34 and 35-44 age groups are expected to decrease in number.