Cowes

Cowes lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

As of Nov 2025, the estimated population of the Cowes statistical area (Lv2) is around 7,623, reflecting a 15.6% increase since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 6,593. This growth is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 6,816 residents based on ERP data release by ABS in June 2024, along with an additional 626 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio is 365 persons per square kilometer. The Cowes (SA2) has shown significant growth since the 2021 census, exceeding the non-metro area's 7.9% and national average, marking it as a regional growth leader. Interstate migration contributed approximately 80.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered, VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 are used with adjustments made employing weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, the Cowes (SA2) is expected to expand by 3,798 persons, reflecting a gain of 41.3% in total over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Cowes among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Cowes saw approximately 132 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 663 homes. As of FY-26, 21 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25 accommodated around 1.5 new residents per year, indicating a stable market balance. However, this figure has moderated to 0.8 people per dwelling over the past two years, suggesting an improved supply-demand equilibrium. The average construction value of new properties is $588,000, reflecting developers' focus on the premium market.

This financial year, Cowes has seen $9.5 million in commercial development approvals, indicating balanced commercial activity. Compared to the rest of Victoria, Cowes records 77.0% more development activity per person, demonstrating strong developer confidence in the location. New developments consist of 51.0% detached dwellings and 49.0% attached dwellings, offering a range of housing types from spacious family homes to compact options, marking a shift from the current housing mix which is predominantly houses (84.0%). With around 47 people per dwelling approval, Cowes exhibits characteristics of a growth area. Population forecasts suggest Cowes will gain approximately 3,148 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, creating favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond projections.

Population forecasts indicate Cowes will gain 3,148 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Ten infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. These key projects are: Samuel Property Warley Avenue Apartments, Lifestyle Communities Phillip Island, Isle of Wight Hotel Redevelopment, and Phillip Island Recreation Reserve Master Plan. The following list details those considered 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.

Cowes has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Cowes has a skilled labour force with prominent tourism and hospitality sectors. Its unemployment rate was 3.7% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.8%.

As of September 2025, 2,821 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 0.1% lower than Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation lagged significantly at 43.8%, compared to Rest of Vic.'s 57.4%. The dominant employment sectors among residents included health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and retail trade. Accommodation & food had particularly notable concentration, with employment levels at 2.0 times the regional average.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing was under-represented, with only 2.0% of Cowes's workforce compared to 7.5% in Rest of Vic.. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities, indicated by the Census working population count vs resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 4.8%, while labour force increased by 4.0%, resulting in a 0.7 percentage point decrease in unemployment. By comparison, Rest of Vic. recorded an employment decline of 0.7% and a marginal rise in unemployment. State-level data to 25-Nov showed VIC employment grew by 1.13% year-on-year, with the state unemployment rate at 4.7%, compared to the national rate of 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggested Cowes' employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to Cowes' employment mix.

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 Cowes had a median taxpayer income of $37,177 and an average of $52,087. Nationally, the figures are $50,954 and $62,728 respectively. By September 2025, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 8.25%, median income is estimated at $40,244 and average at $56,384. The 2021 Census places Cowes incomes between the 4th and 10th percentiles nationally. In Cowes, 29.9% of locals (2,279 people) earn $400-$799, contrasting with the surrounding region's leading bracket of $1,500-$2,999 at 30.3%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 83.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 5th percentile nationally.

Cowes is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Cowes' dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 83.7% houses and 16.3% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Vic. had 93.3% houses and 6.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Cowes was 49.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.4% and rented ones at 27.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Cowes was $1,550, higher than Non-Metro Vic.'s average of $1,450. Median weekly rent in Cowes was $331, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $295. Nationally, Cowes' median mortgage repayment was lower at $1,863 and median rent was substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 62.9% of all households, including 17.6% that are couples with children, 35.0% that are couples without children, and 9.8% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 37.1%, with lone person households at 34.8% and group households comprising 2.4% of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.3.

Educational attainment in Cowes aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 19.1%, significantly lower than Victoria's average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.2%) and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 41.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (14.1%) and certificates (27.8%). A total of 24.3% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, comprising 9.6% in primary, 6.8% in secondary, and 2.6% in tertiary education.

A substantial 24.3% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 9.6% in primary education, 6.8% in secondary education, and 2.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Cowes has 24 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by three different routes that combined offer 156 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is rated as moderate, with residents typically living 407 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 22 trips per day across all routes, which works out to approximately six weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Cowes faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Private health cover is low at approximately 48%, covering around 3,621 people, compared to the national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 12.3% of residents) and mental health issues (9.6%), while 58.3% report having no medical ailments, compared to 61.6% in the rest of Victoria. Cowes has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 36.4%, or approximately 2,774 people, compared to the state average of 28.6%. Health outcomes among seniors present challenges but perform better than the general population in certain health metrics.

In terms of cultural diversity, Cowes records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Cowes' cultural diversity aligns with its wider region's average, with 87.1% of residents being citizens, 78.6% born in Australia, and 91.5% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the predominant religion, comprising 46.2% of Cowes' population. While Judaism's representation is similar to the region (0.1%), there are notable differences in ancestry: English (33.1%) and Australian (27.1%) are the top groups, followed by Scottish at 9.2%.

Dutch (1.8%), Maltese (0.8%), and Welsh (0.6%) are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 2.5%, 0.4%, and 0.5% respectively.

Cowes ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Cowes has a median age of 55 years, which is higher than the Rest of Vic average of 43 and the national norm of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 65-74 are particularly prominent at 20.7%, while those aged 25-34 are relatively smaller at 7.7% compared to the Rest of Vic. This concentration of 65-74 year-olds is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 6.4% to 7.5%, while the 45-54 cohort has declined from 11.1% to 9.8% and the 55-64 group has decreased from 15.7% to 14.6%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Cowes's age structure, with the 25-34 age cohort projected to rise substantially by 484 people (82%) from 586 to 1,071.