Corowa
A median age of 52, fully 12 years above the national figure, is the defining fact about this Murray River border town, and it shapes almost everything else. Household income sits in the 21.1st percentile nationally, and the suburb scores in the bottom three deciles on all four SEIFA indexes, including decile 1 for education and occupation. Yet the $457,500 median house price keeps it genuinely affordable, with mortgage-to-income at 24.8% well below the stress threshold. Detached houses make up 83.7% of dwellings across a sprawling 77.13 km2 footprint at just 72.5 residents per km2, and population has grown 11.6% over the decade on the back of net internal migration of 102 people a year.
Population
5,595
Median Age
52.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,130/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
78
Median House
$458K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At $457,500 the median house price is a fraction of metropolitan Sydney levels, and it rose 9.7% from $440,000 in 2024 to $482,500 in 2025, a faster one-year move than most regional markets. Affordability is the real draw: average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,213 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress mark, which is why outright owners at 47.6% outnumber mortgage holders at 27.8% by a wide margin. The stock suits families and downsizers rather than apartment buyers, since separate houses are 83.7% of dwellings and apartments barely register at 0.1%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 49.0% and four-plus-bedroom homes at 28.1%, so larger detached living is the norm rather than the exception here.
For Buyers
At $457,500 the median house price is a fraction of metropolitan Sydney levels, and it rose 9.7% from $440,000 in 2024 to $482,500 in 2025, a faster one-year move than most regional markets. Affordability is the real draw: average monthly mortgage repayments of $1,213 produce a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress mark, which is why outright owners at 47.6% outnumber mortgage holders at 27.8% by a wide margin. The stock suits families and downsizers rather than apartment buyers, since separate houses are 83.7% of dwellings and apartments barely register at 0.1%. Three-bedroom homes dominate at 49.0% and four-plus-bedroom homes at 28.1%, so larger detached living is the norm rather than the exception here.
For Investors
Renters make up 24.6% of households and weekly rent averages $230, giving a gross yield near 2.6% against the $457,500 median, higher than yields in premium metro markets though modest in absolute terms. The headline caution is a 12.1% vacancy rate, well above a healthy 2-3%, which signals soft rental demand and points to capital growth over cashflow as the return driver. Rent has still climbed 43.2% over the period, and net internal migration of 102 residents a year plus 15 from overseas underpins steady demand. Development activity is moderate at 73 applications in 12 months, mostly single dwelling houses under complying development rather than multi-unit supply, so new competing stock stays limited. With population growth running 0.88% a year, the investment case rests on affordability-led migration rather than yield.
Development Activity
Total DAs
365
Last 12 Months
78
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+23.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Corowa iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Mary's Primary School
K-6 · 166 students
Corowa High School
7-12 · 291 students
Corowa Public School
K-6 · 162 students
Corowa South Public School
K-6 · 40 students
Demographics
The median age of 52 runs 12.0 years above the national figure, and the trajectory is firmly aging: the senior share rose 6.5 points while the working-age share fell 4.9 points and the young share dropped 2.2 points over the decade. This is a settled, established population, with 81.3% of residents having stayed put and turnover at only 18.7%. The community is strongly Anglo-leaning, with just 8.4% born overseas, 13.2 points below national, led by English (2,455), Irish (725) and Scottish (659) ancestry. University qualifications reach only 15.6%, which is 14.5 points below national, consistent with a workforce built on trades and services rather than knowledge sectors. Couples without children form 39.5% of families, the largest household type, reflecting the older couple-and-downsizer profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.7%
Houses
14.9%
Townhouse
0.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts heavily toward outright ownership: 47.6% own their home with no mortgage, 27.8% carry a mortgage and 24.6% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders by nearly two to one signals long-held, debt-free property in an aging, established town rather than a churn of recent buyers. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 83.7% separate houses, with apartments at just 0.1% and semi-detached dwellings at 14.9%, so density stays low at 72.5 residents per km2. Three-bedroom homes account for 49.0% and four-plus-bedroom 28.1%, suiting families and downsizers. The median rose from $440,000 to $482,500 across 2024-2025, a 9.7% gain, yet mortgage-to-income at 24.8% and rent-to-income at 20.4% both sit below the 30% stress threshold, a rare affordability cushion compared with metropolitan markets.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,213
Rent / wk
$230
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$634
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.1%
Unoccupied
330
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
39.5%
Couples, no children
3,993
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce leans toward essential services and production rather than professional sectors. Healthcare leads at 18.5% (252 workers), followed by Manufacturing at 16.2% (221), Education at 10.8% (148), Construction at 9.2% (125) and Retail at 7.0% (95). By occupation, Labourers (512) outnumber every other group, ahead of Community and Personal Service workers (298), Professionals (285) and Managers (256), which aligns with the decile 1 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 4.0% and full-time employment runs at 62.8%. Participation reads just 47.7%, well below national, because the aging profile leaves 2,059 residents outside the labour force entirely. Real incomes grew 21.2% over the decade, though household income still ranks in only the 21.1st percentile nationally, a gap rooted in the labourer-heavy, lower-qualification base.
Unemployment
3.7%
Labour Force
2,849
Unemployed
106
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.8%
Part-time
33.2%
Participation
47.7%
Employed
2,191
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.6%
Postgraduate
2.5%
Born Overseas
8.4%
Dwellings
2,396
Transport to Work
This is a car-dependent regional town: 88.2% of residents drive to work and only 5.8% walk or cycle, well above the national reliance on cars, a function of the low 72.5 residents per km2 density across a 77.13 km2 area. The suburb scores in the lower SEIFA tiers, decile 2 on IRSAD and decile 3 on IRSD, indicating relative disadvantage compared with the national average, though affordability offsets part of that with mortgage-to-income at 24.8%. Community engagement is solid, with a 19.1% volunteering rate, and 8.2% of residents (432 people) need daily assistance, consistent with the older median age of 52. No schools are recorded inside the boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in the surrounding district, a practical trade-off for a dispersed rural town.
Drive
88.2%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
5.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.88%/yr
(+67 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation is rising at 0.88% a year, adding about 67 residents annually, and the decade change of 11.6% classifies this as a steadily growing established town rather than a stagnant one. Internal migration is the engine, contributing a net 102 people a year against just 15 from overseas, a profile typical of affordable regional centres drawing tree-changers and downsizers priced out of metro markets. Medium forecasts lift the population from 7,621 in 2026 toward 7,958 by 2031, continued moderate expansion. The gentrification stage reads early signs, with growth accelerating from 2% to 12% and rent up 43.2%, while affordability stayed stable at 40.0% in 2021 versus 41.7% in 2011. The aging trajectory tempers the outlook, since the working-age share has fallen 4.9 points even as headcount climbs.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+15
Net Internal / yr
+102
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +14% since 2011, Net internal migration +102/yr, Accelerating: 2% → 12%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Corowa compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Corowa a good suburb to live in?
Corowa suits buyers who value affordability and space over services. The median house price is $457,500 and mortgage-to-income sits at 24.8%, below the 30% stress mark. The trade-offs are SEIFA scores in the bottom three deciles, decile 2 on IRSAD, and an older population with a median age of 52, 12 years above national.
What is the median house price in Corowa?
The median house price is $457,500, a fraction of metropolitan levels. Prices rose 9.7% from $440,000 in 2024 to $482,500 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $230 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,213, giving a low mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.8%.
What schools are in Corowa?
No schools are recorded inside the Corowa boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in the surrounding district. The local population is older and less tertiary-educated than average, with university qualifications at 15.6%, which is 14.5 points below the national figure.
Is Corowa safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Corowa in this dataset. As context, the suburb scores decile 3 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, below the national average, and 8.2% of its 5,595 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with an older, lower-income regional town.
Is Corowa good for property investment?
Rent of $230 a week against a $457,500 median gives a gross yield near 2.6%, higher than premium metro yields. But the 12.1% vacancy rate signals soft rental demand, so returns lean on capital growth. Net internal migration of 102 residents a year supports steady demand.
How is Corowa's population changing?
Population is growing 0.88% a year, adding about 67 residents, with an 11.6% rise over 10 years. Net internal migration of 102 people a year is the main driver. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 6.5 points and the working-age share down 4.9 points over the decade.
How much development is happening in Corowa?
There were 73 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, moderate for a town of 5,595 residents. Most are single dwelling houses lodged under complying development rather than multi-unit projects, consistent with a detached-dominant area where 83.7% of dwellings are separate houses.
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 Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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