Coombs

Development Activity

Schools in Coombs iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Demographics

At a median age of 30, Coombs runs 10 years below the national figure, the clearest signal of a young, family-forming suburb. Overseas-born residents reach 43.8%, which is 22.2 points above national, and the ancestry mix is led by English (1,005), Indian (509) and Chinese (384). The top non-English languages are Nepali (141 speakers), Urdu (75) and Mandarin (74), reflecting strong South Asian settlement. University qualifications at 64.1% run 34 points above national, consistent with the decile 10 IEO score. Average household size is 2.7, which is 0.2 above national, and couples with children (2,299 families) far outnumber couples without (857), because the affordable price point and new family-sized housing draw younger households raising kids.

Tenure is heavily skewed toward debt: 64.5% of households carry a mortgage, 28.1% rent and only 7.4% own outright, a structure that marks Coombs as a newly settled mortgage belt rather than an area of established wealth. The dwelling mix splits across 37.5% separate houses, 34.8% semi-detached and 27.7% apartments, so density is built in. By size, three-bedroom homes lead at 38.1% with 4-plus bedroom homes at 33.3%, leaving smaller one and two-bedroom stock at 28.7% combined. Both mortgage-to-income at 17.5% and rent-to-income at 18.2% stay clear of stress thresholds, because household incomes in the 94.2nd percentile comfortably carry the cost of recently bought homes.

Community Profile

Economy & Employment

The workforce is concentrated in government and care sectors typical of Canberra: Public Administration leads at 31.3% (735 workers), Healthcare follows at 18.9% (445) and Professional/Tech at 11.8% (277), with Education at 9.9%. By occupation, Professionals (1,061) and Managers (466) dominate, which aligns with the decile 10 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 3.7% and the participation rate is high at 78.1%, well above what an older suburb would show, because the median age of 30 leaves few residents retired. SEIFA reads decile 10 on IRSAD and IEO and decile 9 on IRSD, though IER sits lower at decile 8, because the 64.5% mortgaged base ties up wealth in debt rather than liquid resources.

Transport to Work

Coombs is car-dependent, with 85.1% driving to work and only 6.2% using public transport and 1.9% walking or cycling, higher car reliance than the national average and a function of its outer-Canberra position. The suburb scores decile 10 on IRSAD, the top advantage tier nationally, and decile 9 on IRSD for relative disadvantage, meaning very few residents face deprivation. Only 1.9% (89 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the young median age of 30. Volunteering runs at 16.1%. No schools are recorded inside the 2.32 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs, a practical trade-off given how recently the suburb was built out.

Population Forecast

Coombs is one of Canberra's fastest-growing suburbs, expanding 8.67% a year, or about 534 residents annually. The recent trajectory is steep: population rose from 5,528 in 2023 to 6,159 in 2025, and the medium forecast pushes it to 9,788 by 2031, well above the trend of most established areas. Internal migration is the primary driver, adding a net 184 residents a year against just 50 from overseas, so the growth is fed by Canberrans relocating rather than new arrivals from abroad. The young median age of 30 and family-sized housing sustain this, because affordable three and four-bedroom homes keep attracting households at the family-forming stage. No COVID dip was recorded, underlining steady momentum.

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Coombs compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions