Cowra
A labour participation rate of just 49.0% puts Cowra in the bottom tier nationally, with more than 3,391 adults not in the labour force out of a population of 10,145. The median age of 46 runs 6 years above the national figure, and only 16.9% hold university qualifications, sitting 13.2 percentage points below the national baseline. SEIFA scores reinforce the picture: IRSAD decile 1 nationally is the lowest possible ranking, yet the suburb still logged 122 development applications in the past 12 months, suggesting regulatory activity remains steady despite weak economic fundamentals. The median house price of $450,000 keeps Cowra among the most affordable suburbs in regional NSW.
Population
10,145
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,107/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
128
Median House
$450K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
At $450,000 the median house price stands well below the Sydney and regional NSW averages, making Cowra one of the more accessible entry points for buyers who can tolerate distance from metro employment. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.8% sits comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, and detached houses dominate at 90.8% of dwelling stock. Three-bedroom homes account for 45.8% with four-plus bedrooms at 33.7%, giving family buyers ample choice. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,235 are roughly half the Sydney median. However, the household income percentile of 17.8 nationally means lender serviceability assessments will constrain maximum loan sizes more than price itself.
For Buyers
At $450,000 the median house price stands well below the Sydney and regional NSW averages, making Cowra one of the more accessible entry points for buyers who can tolerate distance from metro employment. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.8% sits comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, and detached houses dominate at 90.8% of dwelling stock. Three-bedroom homes account for 45.8% with four-plus bedrooms at 33.7%, giving family buyers ample choice. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,235 are roughly half the Sydney median. However, the household income percentile of 17.8 nationally means lender serviceability assessments will constrain maximum loan sizes more than price itself.
For Investors
Renters make up 29.3% of households, broadly average for a regional town, with median weekly rent at $230 producing gross yield around 2.7% on the $450,000 median. The vacancy rate of 9.8% is elevated and well above the 3% benchmark that typically signals a balanced market. Rental growth of 40.0% over the decade is substantial in percentage terms, though it starts from a low base. With 122 development applications lodged in 12 months, council is approving steady activity, but population growth is minimal at 0.38% annually, adding just 22 people per year. Net internal migration averages only 14 persons per year, so the tenant pool is not expanding fast enough to support speculative purchases.
Development Activity
Total DAs
667
Last 12 Months
128
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+0.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Cowra iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Raphael's Catholic School Cowra
K-12 · 442 students
OneSchool Global NSW - Cowra
4-6 · 18 students
Holmwood Public School
K-6 · 26 students
Mulyan Public School
K-6 · 336 students
Cowra Public School
K-6 · 338 students
Demographics
English ancestry leads strongly at 4,225, followed by Irish (1,191) and Scottish (999), giving Cowra a distinctly Anglo-Celtic profile with only 7.4% born overseas, sitting 14.2 percentage points below the national average. The median age of 46 is 6 years above national, and the senior share has grown by 6.1 percentage points over the decade while the working-age share contracted by 3.1 points. The participation rate of 49.0% is exceptionally low compared to the national figure above 65%, reflecting a population with high retirement rates and 9.0% needing assistance. Christianity is the dominant religion at 6,436 adherents. The average household size of 2.3 sits below the national 2.5, consistent with the aging couple and single-person household mix.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
90.8%
Houses
6.5%
Townhouse
2.2%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure split reveals an aging ownership base: 43.4% own outright (well above the national average of around 30%), 27.4% carry a mortgage, and 29.3% rent. This outright ownership rate reflects decades of affordable pricing and long-term residents who have paid off modest loans. The median rose marginally from $446,750 in 2024 to $450,000 in 2025, a 0.7% gain that barely keeps pace with inflation. Detached houses account for 90.8% of stock with semi-detached at 6.5% and apartments at just 2.2%, typical of a rural centre where land is abundant. The price-to-income ratio works out to roughly 7.8 times annual household income, lower than metro standards but still stretched for local earnings.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,235
Rent / wk
$230
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$617
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.8%
Unoccupied
444
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.2%
Couples, no children
7,407
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads employment at 20.8% with 497 workers, followed by Education at 13.2%, Agriculture at 10.0%, Construction at 8.1% and Retail at 7.6%. The agriculture share is more than triple the national average, confirming Cowra's role as a farming service town. Managers top the occupational list at 644 (many likely farm operators), with Labourers at 577 and Community/Personal workers at 563. The unemployment rate of 6.0% sits above the national average, and the SEIFA profile is uniformly low: IEO decile 1 (lowest education access nationally), IER decile 2, IRSD decile 2, and IRSAD decile 1. This consistency across all four indices means disadvantage here is structural, not a statistical artefact of one weak dimension.
Unemployment
5.5%
Labour Force
4,412
Unemployed
243
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.7%
Part-time
31.3%
Participation
49.0%
Employed
3,846
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.9%
Postgraduate
2.7%
Born Overseas
7.4%
Dwellings
4,072
Transport to Work
Car dependence is near-total at 86.8% driver share, with public transport used by just 0.2% and walking or cycling at 6.1%. This pattern is expected for a rural town without rail services. Schools cover primary through secondary: St Raphael's Catholic School leads with ICSEA 985 (just below the national 1,000 benchmark), Cowra Public School at 895 and Cowra High School at 884, both sitting well below average, consistent with the IEO decile 1 reading. Volunteering at 19.1% runs above the national average, which is typical of regional communities where social capital compensates for lower service provision. The IRSD decile 2 reading indicates relatively higher disadvantage compared to most Australian suburbs.
Drive
86.8%
Public Transport
0.2%
Walk / Cycle
6.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.38%/yr
(+22 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth of 0.38% per year adds roughly 22 people annually, placing Cowra firmly in the slow-growth category. The 10-year population change of 6.8% is well below the national average of around 15%. Migration is balanced, with 14 net internal and 10 net overseas arrivals per year, meaning growth depends almost entirely on natural increase in a population whose median age is 46. The senior share has expanded by 6.1 percentage points over the decade, the largest age-group shift, while the young share contracted by 2.7 points. Gentrification score sits at 0, classified as not gentrifying. Affordability has technically improved, with the mortgage-to-income ratio declining from 36.9% to 34.9% over the decade, but this reflects stagnant prices rather than rising incomes.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+10
Net Internal / yr
+14
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Cowra compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cowra a good suburb to live in?
Cowra suits buyers prioritising affordability and rural lifestyle over urban amenities. The $450,000 median house price is well below the NSW average, and mortgage stress at 25.8% is low. Trade-offs include limited public transport (0.2% usage), an aging population with median age 46, and IRSAD decile 1 nationally, the lowest socio-economic ranking.
What is the median house price in Cowra?
The median house price is $450,000 as of 2025, up marginally from $446,750 in 2024 (0.7% gain). Median weekly rent is $230 and monthly mortgage repayments sit at $1,235, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 25.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold.
What schools are in Cowra?
Cowra has 6 schools. St Raphael's Catholic School leads with ICSEA 985 and 442 students. Government primaries include Cowra Public (895 ICSEA, 338 students) and Mulyan Public (896, 336 students). Cowra High School serves the secondary tier at 884 ICSEA with 439 students, sitting below the national 1,000 benchmark.
Is Cowra safe?
Crime data is not available for Cowra in the current dataset. The IRSD decile 2 ranking indicates relatively higher socio-economic disadvantage compared to most Australian suburbs, which typically correlates with above-average property crime rates. The IRSAD decile 1 reading is the lowest nationally.
Is Cowra good for property investment?
Investment fundamentals are mixed. The $230 weekly rent on a $450,000 median gives roughly 2.7% gross yield. The 9.8% vacancy rate is significantly above the 3% balanced-market benchmark. Population growth at 0.38% per year (22 persons) provides minimal tenant demand expansion. The 122 DAs in 12 months show activity, but capital growth is near-flat at 0.7% over the latest period.
How is Cowra's population changing?
Population growth is slow at 0.38% annually, adding about 22 people per year. The 10-year change was 6.8%, well below the national average. The senior share expanded by 6.1 percentage points while the working-age share shrank by 3.1 points. Migration is balanced at 14 internal and 10 overseas arrivals per year.
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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