Cobden
At a median age of 51, Cobden sits 11 years above the national figure, making it one of the older communities in regional Victoria. Owner-occupier rates are strong, with 49.1% owning outright, more than double the national average. A vacancy rate of 11.4% signals some softness in rental demand compared to tighter metropolitan markets.
Local council: Corangamite
Population
1,804
Median Age
51.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,162/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
6
Median House
$455K
October to December 2025
Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.5% is comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 92% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes at 7.6%, so buyers get genuine space rather than strata-style living. The most common bedroom count is three bedrooms at 57.3%, followed by four-plus at 25.6%.
For Buyers
Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,083, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.5% is comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. Separate houses dominate at 92% of dwellings, with semi-detached homes at 7.6%, so buyers get genuine space rather than strata-style living. The most common bedroom count is three bedrooms at 57.3%, followed by four-plus at 25.6%.
For Investors
The 11.4% vacancy rate is elevated compared to tighter regional centres, signalling that rental demand does not absorb all available stock. Only 21.1% of residents rent, a low share relative to the national average, which reflects the strong owner-occupier culture rather than a deep tenant pool. Development activity is minimal at 5 applications in the past 12 months, mostly subdivision work.
Development Activity
Total DAs
13
Last 12 Months
6
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+500.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Cobden
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Cobden Primary School
Cobden Technical School
Hampden P-12 School
Demographics
The median age of 51 is 11 years above the national figure, driven by a settled population where 84.9% of residents did not move in the five years before the census, compared to higher turnover in capital cities. Overseas-born residents make up just 6.2% of the population, which is 15.4 percentage points below the national rate. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic: English (767), Irish (221) and Scottish (183) lead the counts. University qualification rates of 12.7% sit 17.4 percentage points below national, consistent with a blue-collar and trade-oriented workforce. Average household size is 2.3, marginally below the national figure, and the volunteering rate of 22.2% indicates a high degree of community participation for a town of this size.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.0%
Houses
7.6%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-outright tenure at 49.1% is one of the more notable housing signals in Cobden, indicating long-established residents who have paid down debt rather than a churn of recent buyers. Another 29.8% hold a mortgage and 21.1% rent. The dwelling stock is almost entirely separate houses at 92%, with semi-detached at 7.6%. Three-bedroom homes account for 57.3% of stock and four-plus-bedroom properties at 25.6% offer above-average space relative to inner-city comparisons.
Mortgage / mo
$1,083
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$220
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$631
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
11.4%
Unoccupied
94
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.5%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.1%
Couples with children
49.7%
Couples, no children
16.4%
Single parent
495
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the largest employer at 19.8% of the local workforce, followed by manufacturing at 14.6% and agriculture at 13%, reflecting Cobden's role as a service centre for the surrounding dairy and pastoral region. Construction and education each contribute 10.4%. By occupation, labourers are the largest group at 168 workers, followed by managers (107), machinery and drivers (97) and community and personal service workers (93). The unemployment rate of 3.5% is low, though the labour participation rate of just 48.6% reflects the older age profile, with 623 residents not in the labour force. Household income sits in the 22.5th percentile nationally, below average but consistent with the trade and agriculture employment mix rather than professional sectors.
Unemployment
3.2%
Labour Force
808
Unemployed
26
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.3%
Part-time
34.9%
Participation
53.1%
Employed
782
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
12.7%
Postgraduate
1.2%
Born Overseas
6.2%
Dwellings
733
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high in Cobden, with 87.1% of residents driving to work, reflecting the rural setting where public transport options are limited compared to metropolitan areas. However, 8.7% walk or cycle, a solid figure for a town of this scale. The crime rate of 51.0 incidents per 1,000 residents covers 92 recorded offences, led by property and deception offences (37) and crimes against the person (23). Rent stress is absent, with rent-to-income at 18.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Similarly, mortgage-to-income at 21.5% keeps homeowners in a comfortable position relative to national averages. About 9.5% of residents need daily assistance, higher than more advantaged suburbs, consistent with the older median age of 51.
Drive
79.1%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
7.9%
Work from Home
9.1%
Growth Outlook
Cobden's growth story is one of steady long-run price appreciation rather than rapid expansion. The population of 1,804 is spread across 76.94 square kilometres, giving a density of 23.4 people per square kilometre, far below state and national urban averages. The high proportion of outright owners at 49.1% and low residential turnover at 15.1% annually suggest population stability rather than growth-led demand pressure. Recent subdivision activity, including a 15-lot certification in early 2026, indicates some incremental land supply entering the market.
Population trend: Corangamite council area
Cobden sits in the Corangamite council area. These are the council area's residents, not Cobden's.
Residents 2025
15,712
Growth, 5 yr average
-0.5%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
-0.3%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
92
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
51.0
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Cobden compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cobden a good suburb to live in?
Cobden suits residents who value affordability and community stability. The town is rural with limited public transport, and the crime rate of 51.0 per 1,000 residents covers mainly property offences.
What schools are in Cobden?
No schools are recorded inside the Cobden suburb boundary in this dataset. Education is one of the top five local industries at 10.4% of employment, suggesting schooling infrastructure exists in the broader area. Families should verify local school options directly with the Victorian education authority.
Is Cobden safe?
Cobden recorded 92 total offences in the most recent year, giving a crime rate of 51.0 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences account for 37 incidents, crimes against the person for 23, and drug offences for 12. For context, the town has a population of only 1,804 and a low-turnover, stable community profile.
Is Cobden good for property investment?
Investors should account for the rural market's slower liquidity compared to metropolitan alternatives.
How is Cobden's population changing?
Cobden has a population of 1,804 across 76.94 square kilometres, with a low population density of 23.4 per square kilometre. Residential turnover is low at 15.1% annually, with 84.9% of residents having stayed in place, indicating a stable rather than growing population. The median age of 51 is 11 years above the national figure, suggesting an aging demographic trajectory.
What industries drive Cobden's economy?
Healthcare is the largest sector at 19.8% of employment, followed by manufacturing at 14.6% and agriculture at 13.0%. Construction and education each account for 10.4%. This mix reflects Cobden's role as a service hub for the surrounding dairy and pastoral region, with household income sitting in the 22.5th percentile nationally.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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