Coonabarabran
An aging regional centre of 3,477 people, Coonabarabran combines a median age of 50 with a low-density footprint of 3.6 people per square kilometre. Housing is 94.4% separate houses and vacancy is 12.2%, while household income ranks at the 22.0 percentile, below the national midpoint. The population trend is -0.43% a year and the 10-year change is -3.1%. For buyers comparing Coonabarabran with nearby Baradine and Binnaway, its key distinction is a substantial local service base: healthcare, education and public administration account for 19.6%, 17.4% and 14.8% of employment.
Population
3,477
Median Age
50.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,154/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
25
For buyers, the main proposition is detached housing with manageable reported repayment pressure. Separate houses make up 94.4% of dwellings, while 3-bedroom homes account for 48.7% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 32.5%, giving families more choice than the 4.6% apartment share suggests. The median monthly mortgage cost is $1,000 and mortgage payments equal 20.0% of household income. Renting costs $210 a week, or 18.2% of income. Compared with rent, mortgage repayment pressure is higher at 20.0% versus 18.2%, while the household income percentile of 22.0 means buyers should match borrowing carefully to local wages.
For Buyers
For buyers, the main proposition is detached housing with manageable reported repayment pressure. Separate houses make up 94.4% of dwellings, while 3-bedroom homes account for 48.7% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 32.5%, giving families more choice than the 4.6% apartment share suggests. The median monthly mortgage cost is $1,000 and mortgage payments equal 20.0% of household income. Renting costs $210 a week, or 18.2% of income. Compared with rent, mortgage repayment pressure is higher at 20.0% versus 18.2%, while the household income percentile of 22.0 means buyers should match borrowing carefully to local wages.
For Investors
Investors face a mixed rural-market profile. Renting represents 24.7% of occupied tenure, weekly rent is $210 and vacancy is 12.2%, a high level that can extend letting times even when tenant demand is present. Development activity reached 25 applications in 12 months, but the examples include carports, garages and swimming pools rather than a clear new-dwelling pipeline. Growth is -0.43% annually, migration is Balanced and the gentrification stage is Not gentrifying with a score of 0, so the case rests more on rental cash flow and essential-service demand than rapid capital growth. Healthcare is the largest industry at 19.6%, followed by education at 17.4%. Compared with tighter rental markets, vacancy is the key risk.
Development Activity
Total DAs
129
Last 12 Months
25
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-19.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Coonabarabran
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Warrumbungle National Park Environmental Education Centre
Demographics
Coonabarabran has an older and more settled population than Australia overall: the median age is 50, or 10 years above the national figure, while 80.0% of residents stayed at the same address and turnover was 20.0%. University attainment is 17.1%, 13.0 percentage points below the national level, and overseas-born residents are 7.7%, 13.9 points below national. English ancestry counts 1,354 people, followed by Irish at 330 and Scottish at 308. Christianity counts 1,857 people, while no religion counts 997. Average household size is 2.3, below the national figure by 0.2, consistent with 47.8% of families being couples without children. Compared with nearby Baradine and Binnaway, the town has a particularly settled, aging service-community character.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.4%
Houses
0.5%
Townhouse
4.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is overwhelmingly detached and owner-oriented. Separate houses account for 94.4% of dwellings, apartments 4.6% and semi-detached homes 0.5%; 3-bedroom stock leads at 48.7%, with 4-plus-bedroom homes at 32.5%. Outright ownership is 47.4%, mortgages 25.3% and renting 24.7%, while other tenure is 2.5%. Vacancy is 12.2%, higher than in a tightly held market, which may give renters more choice but can also signal softer demand. Mortgage costs average $1,000 a month against 20.0% of household income, compared with rent at $210 a week and 18.2% of income. With household income at the 22.0 percentile, below the national midpoint, affordability depends on keeping housing costs aligned with local wages.
Mortgage / mo
$1,000
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$210
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$594
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.2%
Unoccupied
175
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.0%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.6%
Couples with children
47.8%
Couples, no children
21.0%
Single parent
841
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is concentrated in essential services and public functions. Healthcare is the largest industry at 19.6% of jobs, followed by education at 17.4%, public administration at 14.8%, agriculture at 9.7% and retail at 7.0%. The occupation mix includes 208 managers, 194 professionals, 190 community and personal service workers, 175 labourers and 143 trades workers, showing demand across both skilled and practical roles. Labour-force participation is 45.4%, unemployment is 6.7% and full-time work is 56.6%, while 1,139 people are outside the labour force. Household income sits at the 22.0 percentile, below the national midpoint, so purchasing power is lower than in many Australian communities. This makes healthcare, education and government activity especially important to local resilience.
Unemployment
6.7%
Labour Force
1,319
Unemployed
88
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.6%
Part-time
38.2%
Participation
45.4%
Employed
1,231
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.1%
Postgraduate
3.7%
Born Overseas
7.7%
Dwellings
1,251
Transport to Work
Livability is shaped by space, local services and car dependence. The suburb covers 955.69 square kilometres at 3.6 people per square kilometre, and 74.5% of commuters drive, compared with just 0.3% using public transport; 11.8% work from home and 6.7% walk or cycle. Families have access to 3 local education settings across primary, secondary and environmental education types, all in the government sector. Enrolment zones and transport should be checked against the exact address. The IRSAD decile is 2 and the IRSD decile is also 2, below the middle of the national decile scale, reflecting constrained socioeconomic conditions. Volunteering is 26.4% and 10.4% need assistance. Current NSW Police information should be checked before making a safety judgement, as conditions can vary by street and time.
Drive
74.5%
Public Transport
0.3%
Walk / Cycle
6.7%
Work from Home
11.8%
Population Forecast
-0.43%/yr
(-34 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is subdued and the trajectory is aging. Annual trend is -0.43%, below zero, while population change across the wider area is -3.1% over 10 years. The primary migration driver is Balanced, so neither internal movement nor overseas arrivals dominates the outlook. The senior share has risen 6.7 percentage points, while the young share has fallen 3.3 points and the working share has fallen 3.0 points. Rents nevertheless grew 53.8%, real incomes rose 19.2% and affordability moved from 34.2% in 2011 to 35.9% in 2021, described as Stable. Gentrification is Not gentrifying with a score of 0, while the shift measures show Early signs at 38. Compared with expansion-oriented regional markets, Coonabarabran is positioned for gradual change rather than rapid growth.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+23
Net Internal / yr
-2
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Coonabarabran compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Coonabarabran a good suburb to live in?
Coonabarabran can suit buyers seeking a quiet, spacious rural centre with essential services. It has 3,477 residents, a median age of 50, 94.4% separate houses and 74.5% car commuting. The trade-off is slower growth at -0.43% annually and limited public transport at 0.3%.
What is the median house price in Coonabarabran?
An up-to-date median house price should be checked against recent local sales. The housing mix is 94.4% separate houses, while 47.4% of homes are owned outright and 25.3% have a mortgage. Average monthly mortgage cost is $1,000, which helps frame affordability but is not a sale-price measure.
What schools are in Coonabarabran?
Coonabarabran has 3 listed local education settings: Coonabarabran Public School for primary students, Coonabarabran High School for secondary students and Warrumbungle National Park Environmental Education Centre. All are government-sector settings. Confirm enrolment zones and transport for the exact address before applying.
Is Coonabarabran safe?
Safety should be checked using current NSW Police figures and the exact street or precinct, because conditions can change over time. Coonabarabran has 3,477 residents, 26.4% volunteering and 80.0% of residents staying at the same address, but those figures do not replace suburb-specific crime information.
Is Coonabarabran good for property investment?
It is a cautious investment market rather than a clear high-growth play. Renting represents 24.7% of tenure, weekly rent is $210 and vacancy is 12.2%; annual growth is -0.43%, migration is Balanced and gentrification is Not gentrifying with a score of 0. Healthcare at 19.6% may support some local demand, but vacancy and slow growth need careful testing.
How is Coonabarabran's population changing?
Population change is aging and slightly declining. Annual growth is -0.43%, the 10-year change across the wider area is -3.1% and the senior share has risen 6.7 percentage points. The young share fell 3.3 points, the working share fell 3.0 points and migration is Balanced, indicating gradual demographic change rather than rapid expansion.
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), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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