Kooringal (NSW)

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

As of Feb 2026, the population of the suburb of Kooringal (NSW) is estimated at around 7,348, reflecting a decrease of 56 people since the 2021 Census. The resident population was estimated by AreaSearch in Jun 2024 as 7,203, with an additional 13 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this figure. This results in a population density ratio of 1,521 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Natural growth contributed approximately 55% of overall population gains during recent periods. Population projections for Kooringal are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by the former.

These projections indicate an overall population decline by 432 persons by 2041, with the 85 and over age group projected to increase by 206 people during this period.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Kooringal has seen around 4 new homes approved annually over the past 5 financial years ending June 2021. This totals an estimated 20 homes. So far in FY-26 (July 2021 - June 2022), 4 approvals have been recorded. With population declining over recent years, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, creating a well-balanced market with good buyer choice.

New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost value of $564,000, indicating developers focus on the premium market with high-end developments. There have also been $1.7 million in commercial approvals this financial year, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Relative to Rest of NSW, Kooringal shows substantially reduced construction activity (89.0% below regional average per person). This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. This activity is also below national average, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints.

Recent development has been entirely comprised of standalone homes, sustaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. Notably, developers are constructing more detached housing than the existing pattern implies (81.0% at Census), reflecting persistent strong demand for family homes. The location has approximately 1634 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market. With population expected to remain stable or decline, Kooringal should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

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

Twelve infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance. Key projects include the Riverina Intermodal Freight and Logistics (RiFL) Hub, Bourkelands Neighbourhood Shopping Centre, Wagga Wagga Special Activation Precinct, and HumeLink Transmission Project.

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

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Employment performance in Kooringal has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Kooringal has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate is 5.2%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, there are 3,378 residents in work.

The unemployment rate is 1.3% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation is on par with Regional NSW's 61.3%. Census responses show that only 7.2% of residents work from home, but Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade.

Notably, education & training has employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 1.9% compared to Regional NSW's average of 5.3%. The area appears 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 3.3%, with employment decreasing by 3.9%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.6 percentage points. In comparison, Regional NSW saw employment fall by 1.2%, labour force contract by 0.8%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer further insight into potential future demand within Kooringal. These projections suggest that national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates differing significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Kooringal's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, although this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released on 30 June 2023, Kooringal had a median income among taxpayers of $49,456. The average income stood at $60,288. This is lower than the national average and compares to levels of $52,390 and $65,215 across Regional NSW respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $53,838 (median) and $65,630 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Kooringal, between the 29th and 44th percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 32.4% of the population, which is 2,380 individuals, fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, mirroring the regional average of 29.9%. After housing expenses, 85.7% of income remains for other expenses.

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

Dwelling structure in Kooringal, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, comprised 81.1% houses and 18.9% other dwellings including semi-detached, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Regional NSW's dwelling composition of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings during the same period. In Kooringal, home ownership stood at 30.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.7% and rented dwellings at 37.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Kooringal was $1,324 as of August 2016, below the Regional NSW average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure for Kooringal was recorded at $270, compared to Regional NSW's $330 during the same period. Nationally, Kooringal's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863 as of August 2016, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375 during the same period.

Kooringal features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 65.9% of all households, including 24.5% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 14.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 34.1%, with lone person households at 30.3% and group households comprising 3.8%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the Regional NSW average.

Educational outcomes in Kooringal fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

Kooringal's educational qualifications trail regional benchmarks, with 22.4% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to NSW's 32.2%. This gap suggests potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 15.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 37.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (9.3%) and certificates (28.1%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 31.0% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes primary education (11.3%), secondary education (8.4%), and tertiary education (3.7%).

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

Kooringal has 36 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 58 different routes that together facilitate 888 weekly passenger trips. Residents have good access to transport, with an average distance of 233 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards from Kooringal, and cars remain the primary mode of transport at 95%. The area has an average of 1.2 vehicles per dwelling, lower than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, only 7.2% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, there is an average of 126 trips per day, equating to approximately 24 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Kooringal, as per AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Both younger and older age groups show high prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is relatively low, at approximately 51% of the total population (~3,732 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 10.6 and 10.2% of residents respectively. Conversely, 63.9% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Working-age population faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. Kooringal has 19.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,410 people), lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly inline with the general population.

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

Kooringal's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 87.9% of its population being Australian citizens, born in Australia (87.5%), and speaking English only at home (90.3%). Christianity was the predominant religion in Kooringal, comprising 56.1% of its population. The most notable overrepresentation was seen in the 'Other' category, which constituted 2.1% of Kooringal's population compared to Regional NSW's 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (29.1%), Australian (28.9%), and Irish (10.1%). However, there were notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Australian Aboriginal was overrepresented at 5.1% compared to Regional NSW's 4.6%, German at 3.7% versus 3.1%, and Samoan at 0.1%.

Kooringal's population is younger than the national pattern

Kooringal's median age is 35 years, which is significantly below Regional NSW's average of 43 and somewhat younger than Australia's median of 38. The 25-34 cohort is notably over-represented at 17.0% locally compared to the regional average, while the 65-74 year-olds are under-represented at 9.2%. According to the 2021 Census, Kooringal's population aged 25 to 34 grew from 15.0% to 17.0%, and the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 6.1% to 7.2%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort declined from 14.7% to 13.0%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 10.2% to 8.8%. Demographic modeling suggests Kooringal's age profile will significantly change by 2041, with the 85+ cohort projected to grow by 86%, adding 177 residents to reach 383. This growth is entirely due to demographic aging, as residents aged 65 and older represent 100% of anticipated population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 25-34 and 65-74 cohorts.