Coonamble
A population of 2,666 is spread across 1,514.41 square kilometres, giving Coonamble a low density of 1.8 people per square kilometre. The median age is 38, which is 2.0 years below the national comparison, while household income sits at the 25.4th percentile. Separate houses account for 92.4% of homes and vacancy is 18.0%, pointing to a lightly occupied market. For buyers comparing Coonamble with nearby Gulargambone, local service access deserves close attention: education employs 22.1% of workers, healthcare 20.4% and public administration 12.2%. The established town profile is tempered by an annual population trend of -0.73%, below zero.
Local council: Coonamble
Population
2,666
Median Age
38.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,206/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
21
Coonamble suits buyers seeking detached housing and manageable recurring costs rather than apartment living. Separate houses represent 92.4% of stock, while 3-bedroom homes account for 44.9% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 30.8%, so family-sized options dominate. The typical mortgage payment is $883 per month and weekly rent is $190. Mortgage-to-income is 16.9%, slightly higher than rent-to-income at 15.8%, with neither measure flagged as stressed. A vacancy rate of 18.0% may widen choice, but buyers should check building condition, heating, flood exposure and services because the town covers 1,514.41 square kilometres.
For Buyers
Coonamble suits buyers seeking detached housing and manageable recurring costs rather than apartment living. Separate houses represent 92.4% of stock, while 3-bedroom homes account for 44.9% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 30.8%, so family-sized options dominate. The typical mortgage payment is $883 per month and weekly rent is $190. Mortgage-to-income is 16.9%, slightly higher than rent-to-income at 15.8%, with neither measure flagged as stressed. A vacancy rate of 18.0% may widen choice, but buyers should check building condition, heating, flood exposure and services because the town covers 1,514.41 square kilometres.
For Investors
The rental case is mixed. Renting accounts for 34.3% of households, below outright ownership at 38.2%, while weekly rent is $190 and vacancy is a high 18.0%. That vacancy level can reduce competition for tenants and extend letting periods, so gross yield should be tested against maintenance, insurance and management costs rather than rent alone. There were 19 development applications in the past 12 months, indicating ongoing activity but not necessarily new dwelling supply. The wider forecast trend is -0.73% annually, with Balanced migration, so investors should prioritise reliable local demand over short-term capital growth assumptions.
Development Activity
Total DAs
134
Last 12 Months
21
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-40.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Coonamble
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Coonamble has a median age of 38, below the national comparison by 2.0 years, but its education profile is notably lower: 16.9% hold university qualifications, 13.2 percentage points below the national figure. Only 4.2% of residents were born overseas, 17.4 percentage points below the national comparison. English ancestry is recorded for 763 people, followed by Irish at 194 and Scottish at 176. Average household size is 2.4, just 0.1 below the national figure. Christianity is recorded for 1,711 residents and no religion for 505. Compared with nearby Gulargambone, households should verify services and social connections at the individual address level rather than assume identical local conditions.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
92.4%
Houses
2.4%
Townhouse
4.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Coonamble's housing stock is strongly detached, with separate houses at 92.4%, apartments at 4.7% and semi-detached dwellings at 2.4%. Three-bedroom homes make up 44.9% of stock and 4-plus-bedroom homes 30.8%, reinforcing a family-house orientation. Tenure is relatively evenly divided: outright ownership is 38.2%, mortgages 24.2% and renting 34.3%. Ownership is therefore higher than renting, while the mortgage payment of $883 per month sits alongside household income of $1,206 per week. That income is at the 25.4th percentile nationally, so buyers comparing Coonamble with nearby Gulargambone should focus on local employment access, property condition and resale depth rather than dwelling size alone.
Mortgage / mo
$883
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $190.
$323
Bond data Jun 2026
HH Size
2.4
Personal Income / wk
$641
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
18.0%
Unoccupied
206
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.9%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
29.5%
Couples with children
38.3%
Couples, no children
30.8%
Single parent
611
Total families
Economy & Employment
Education is Coonamble's largest reported industry at 22.1% of jobs, followed by healthcare at 20.4%, public administration at 12.2%, agriculture at 12.0% and construction at 6.6%. This mix gives the town a service and public-sector base alongside agriculture, which helps explain why community and personal service workers number 147 and managers 144, above professionals at 139 and labourers at 138. The labour-force participation rate is 47.2%, full-time employment is 61.0% and unemployment is 7.7%. SEIFA places the area in IRSD decile 1 and IRSAD decile 2, below the midpoint, reflecting weaker socioeconomic conditions despite essential local services.
Unemployment
7.7%
Labour Force
983
Unemployed
76
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.0%
Part-time
31.1%
Participation
47.2%
Employed
907
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.9%
Postgraduate
2.8%
Born Overseas
4.2%
Dwellings
935
Transport to Work
Daily life is highly car-dependent: 79.1% of workers drive, much higher than the 7.2% who walk or cycle, while 6.2% work from home. The low density of 1.8 people per square kilometre across 1,514.41 square kilometres means convenience depends on proximity to the town centre and reliable vehicle access. Local education includes 2 government schools, covering primary and secondary levels; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. Volunteering is recorded at 18.5%, while 9.4% of residents need assistance with core activities. IRSAD decile 2 indicates socioeconomic conditions below the midpoint, so access to health, transport and support services remains important.
Drive
79.1%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
7.2%
Work from Home
6.2%
Growth Outlook
Coonamble is tracking below a growth-market profile. The forecast annual trend is -0.73% and population change across the wider area is -7.7% over 10 years. Migration is labelled Balanced and the overall trajectory is Mixed, suggesting that local movement is not currently offsetting longer-term decline. Rental growth of 46.2% is a stronger signal than the population trend, while affordability is broadly Stable, moving from 28.8 in 2011 to 28.1 in 2021. The gentrification score is 10 with a stage of Not gentrifying, so the evidence points to limited transformation rather than rapid upgrading. The area recovered from a -2.1% COVID dip, with recovery recorded at 1.1%.
Population trend: Coonamble council area
Coonamble sits in the Coonamble council area. These are the council area's residents, not Coonamble's.
Residents 2025
3,889
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.1%/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
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Coonamble compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Coonamble a good suburb to live in?
Coonamble can suit residents who value detached housing, lower density and a small-town service base. It has 2,666 residents, 92.4% separate houses and 79.1% car commuting. The trade-off is limited urban convenience, with a 1.8 people-per-square-kilometre density and socioeconomic conditions in IRSAD decile 2.
What is the median house price in Coonamble?
A current median house price should be checked against recent settled sales and a local appraisal. The housing profile is dominated by 92.4% separate houses, with 44.9% of homes having 3 bedrooms and 30.8% having 4 or more bedrooms, so price comparisons should group properties by dwelling type and condition.
What schools are in Coonamble?
Coonamble has 2 government schools serving primary and secondary students: Coonamble Public School and Coonamble High School. Families should confirm enrolment zones, transport arrangements and current programs against the exact address, especially where access depends on private vehicle travel.
Is Coonamble safe?
Use current NSW Police information and inspect the area at different times before making a decision, because a single suburb-wide result may not reflect every street. Coonamble covers 1,514.41 square kilometres and has 2,666 residents, so location, lighting, property security and distance from services can materially affect day-to-day experience.
Is Coonamble good for property investment?
Coonamble may suit investors seeking a low-entry regional strategy, but the indicators are mixed. Weekly rent is $190, renting accounts for 34.3% of households and vacancy is 18.0%, which can make tenant demand less competitive. The annual forecast trend is -0.73%, so rental resilience and operating costs matter more than assuming strong capital growth.
How is Coonamble's population changing?
Population change is soft rather than expansionary. The annual forecast trend is -0.73% and wider-area population change is -7.7% over 10 years. Migration is described as Balanced and the trajectory is Mixed, while the current population is 2,666. These signals support cautious assumptions about future demand.
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).
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