Coogee

Coogee lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Coogee's population is around 11,090 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,274 people (13.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,816 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 10,875 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 104 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,064 persons per square kilometer, which is relatively in line with averages seen across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Coogee's 13.0% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 40.5% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including interstate migration and natural growth, were positive factors.

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 to estimate growth across all areas in the years post-2032, AreaSearch is utilising the growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Considering the projected demographic shifts, an above-median population growth compared to national areas is projected, with the area expected to increase by 1,729 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 13.7% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Coogee when compared nationally

Coogee has averaged around 48 new dwelling approvals annually, totalling 240 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 11 approvals have been recorded. Given an average of 5.3 new residents per year arriving per dwelling constructed over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), supply is substantially lagging demand, which generally means heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures, while new homes are being built at an average value of $279,000. Additionally, $2.0 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, indicating minimal commercial development activity.

When measured against Greater Perth, Coogee records roughly half the building activity per person and ranks in the 39th percentile of areas assessed nationally, meaning somewhat limited buyer options and strengthening demand for established properties. Recent construction comprises 93.0% detached dwellings and 7.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The location has approximately 422 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area.

Population forecasts indicate Coogee will gain 1,514 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Development is keeping a reasonable pace with projected growth, though buyers may face increasing competition as the population expands.

Coogee has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 26thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 7 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Windfall Residences Port Coogee, Discovery Parks Coogee Beach Redevelopment, Spearwood Housing Project - Uniting WA, and Cockburn Coast - Shoreline Development, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

Coogee ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Coogee possesses a skilled workforce, with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented, an unemployment rate of just 2.3%, and 0.5% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 6,345 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.8% below Greater Perth's rate of 4.1%, and workforce participation is broadly similar to Greater Perth's 71.9%. Based on Census responses, a low 8.7% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. The area shows particularly strong specialization in manufacturing, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level. In contrast, professional & technical services employ just 6.1% of local workers, below Greater Perth's 8.2%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 0.5% and the labour force increased by 0.9%, resulting in unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 2.3% and labour force growth of 2.6%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Coogee. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Coogee's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.8% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the Coogee SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $66,174 with the average level standing at $85,329. This is extremely high nationally and compares to levels of $60,748 and $80,248 across Greater Perth respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $72,540 (median) and $93,538 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Coogee cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. Distribution data shows the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 31.7% of the community (3,515 individuals), reflecting patterns seen at regional levels where 32.0% similarly occupy this range. The substantial proportion of high earners (31.9% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout the area. After housing costs, residents retain 87.0% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Coogee, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 89.4% houses and 10.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Perth metro's 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Coogee was well beyond that of Perth metro, at 41.5%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (44.6%) or rented (13.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Perth metro average at $2,167, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $400, compared to Perth metro's $1,907 and $350. Nationally, Coogee's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceed the national figure of $375.

Coogee features high concentrations of family households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households dominate at 78.2% of all households, comprising 38.4% couples with children, 29.9% couples without children, and 8.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 21.8%, with lone person households at 20.6% and group households comprising 1.4% of the total. The median household size of 2.6 people matches the Greater Perth average.

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

Educational qualifications in Coogee trail regional benchmarks, with 22.1% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to 30.4% in Australia. This gap highlights potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees lead at 16.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.4%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 40.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (11.8%) and certificates (28.2%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.3% of residents aged 15+ currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.2% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 5.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 48 active transport stops operating within Coogee, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 7 individual routes, collectively providing 1,570 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 244 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 88%, with 6% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. A relatively low 8.7% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 224 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 32 weekly trips per individual stop.

Coogee's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across Coogee, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 62% of the total population (6,875 people). This compares to 59.0% across Greater Perth and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 7.6% and 6.4% of residents, respectively, while 73.3% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. Working-age residents are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 20.7% of residents aged 65 and over (2,298 people), which is higher than the 16.3% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, though they rank lower nationally than the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Coogee was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Coogee was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 18.4% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 30.6% born overseas. The main religion in Coogee is Christianity, which makes up 62.1% of the people. This compares to 45.0% across Greater Perth.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Coogee are English, comprising 26.0% of the population, Australian, comprising 20.6% of the population, and Italian, comprising 12.1% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 4.2%. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Croatian is notably overrepresented at 5.9% of Coogee (vs 0.8% regionally), Serbian at 1.0% (vs 0.3%) and South Australian at 0.8% (vs 1.0%).

Coogee's median age exceeds the national pattern

The 42-year median age in Coogee is significantly above Greater Perth's average of 37 and similarly considerably older than Australia's 38 years. The 65 - 74 age group shows strong representation at 11.1% compared to Greater Perth, whereas the 25 - 34 cohort is less prevalent at 9.9%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 5.7% to 7.1% of the population. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 11.1% to 9.9% and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 14.1% to 13.0%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Coogee. Leading the demographic shift, the 75 to 84 group will grow by 66% (521 people), reaching 1,311 from 789. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 66% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.