South Coogee
The standout feature is South Coogee's compact, apartment-heavy profile: 5,611 residents occupy 1.13 sq km at 4,955.8 people per sq km. The median age of 42 is 2 years above the national figure, while renting accounts for 47.4% of homes. Compared with the broader Coogee and Maroubra market, South Coogee has a tightly defined local scale but a high-income, highly educated profile: household income sits at the 79.7th percentile, 52.6% of residents have university qualifications, and 34.5% were born overseas, 12.9 percentage points above the national share. That combination supports strong amenity demand, while the apartment mix and aging trajectory shape the housing outlook.
Population
5,611
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,105/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
66
South Coogee suits buyers who value an established eastern-suburbs setting but can manage a high monthly commitment. The mortgage figure is $4,000 a month, and mortgage costs absorb 43.9% of household income, so borrowing capacity matters more than lifestyle appeal alone. Housing is split between 42.0% apartments, 38.9% separate houses and 18.3% semi-detached homes, making the choice more varied than in a detached-house market. Larger households can target the 35.7% of dwellings with 4 or more bedrooms, while 23.6% have 2 bedrooms. Compared with an apartment-only market, the house and semi-detached options add flexibility, but only 25.2% own outright and 25.4% hold a mortgage, showing that affordability remains material.
For Buyers
South Coogee suits buyers who value an established eastern-suburbs setting but can manage a high monthly commitment. The mortgage figure is $4,000 a month, and mortgage costs absorb 43.9% of household income, so borrowing capacity matters more than lifestyle appeal alone. Housing is split between 42.0% apartments, 38.9% separate houses and 18.3% semi-detached homes, making the choice more varied than in a detached-house market. Larger households can target the 35.7% of dwellings with 4 or more bedrooms, while 23.6% have 2 bedrooms. Compared with an apartment-only market, the house and semi-detached options add flexibility, but only 25.2% own outright and 25.4% hold a mortgage, showing that affordability remains material.
For Investors
South Coogee has a sizeable tenant base, with 47.4% of occupied dwellings rented, which is higher than the share owned outright at 25.2%. The weekly rent is $207 and vacancy is 9.7%, so investors should allow for periods of softer leasing conditions rather than assume constant rental pressure. Development activity is also notable at 65 applications in 12 months, including demolitions, new structures, fences and alterations, which can gradually add competition or improve housing quality. Compared with a low-rental suburb, the tenant pool is deeper, while annual growth of 1.71%, balanced migration and rent growth of 7.2% point to a measured rather than purely supply-driven investment case.
Development Activity
Total DAs
354
Last 12 Months
66
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+1.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in South Coogee
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
South Coogee is older and more university educated than the national pattern. Its median age is 42, or 2 years above the national figure, and 52.6% of residents have university qualifications, 22.5 percentage points above the national share. Overseas-born residents account for 34.5%, which is 12.9 points above the national proportion. English ancestry numbers 1,562, followed by Irish at 773, Chinese at 437 and Greek at 372. Families remain important because 53.1% of couples have children, while 28.3% are couples without children. Compared with a more transient suburb, the 79.2% who stayed at the same address over five years indicates stronger residential continuity, despite a 20.8% turnover rate.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
38.9%
Houses
18.3%
Townhouse
42.0%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing mix is more apartment-oriented than a conventional detached-house suburb: 42.0% of dwellings are apartments, compared with 38.9% separate houses and 18.3% semi-detached homes. Renting at 47.4% is higher than outright ownership at 25.2% and slightly higher than the 25.4% share with a mortgage, creating a broad tenant and upgrader market. Larger homes are still significant, with 35.7% containing 4 or more bedrooms and 29.0% containing 3 bedrooms, while 23.6% have 2 bedrooms. The $2,105 weekly household income sits at the 79.7th percentile, but the $4,000 monthly mortgage and 43.9% mortgage-to-income ratio show why higher incomes do not remove affordability pressure.
Mortgage / mo
$4,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (April to June 2026), NSW Rental Bond Board (DCJ). Census 2021 median: $207.
$995
Bond data Jun 2026 · houses $1,380 · units $970
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$958
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.7%
Unoccupied
220
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
9.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
43.9% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
53.1%
Couples with children
28.3%
Couples, no children
17.2%
Single parent
1,379
Total families
Economy & Employment
South Coogee's economy is led by healthcare at 16.7% of jobs, or 301 workers, followed by professional and technology services at 15.8% and 284 workers. Education accounts for 9.8% with 177 workers, finance 9.2% with 165, and public administration 9.0% with 161. The occupational mix reinforces this professional base, including 844 professionals and 568 managers. Unemployment is 4.6% and labour-force participation is 55.7%, while household income ranks at the 79.7th percentile. Economic advantage is uneven: the IEO decile is 9 and IRSAD is 8, both above the middle, but IER and IRSD are each 5, lower than the education and broad advantage measures. This reflects strong skills alongside mixed household resources.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
2,506
Unemployed
115
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
57.8%
Part-time
31.7%
Participation
55.7%
Employed
2,391
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
52.6%
Postgraduate
16.6%
Born Overseas
34.5%
Dwellings
2,051
Transport to Work
South Coogee is well suited to households that can work locally or from home, because 56.1% of residents work from home, compared with 35.2% who drive a car and only 3.2% who use public transport. Walking or cycling accounts for 2.3%, so daily life is less transit-led than in a rail-connected suburb. There is 1 government primary school, South Coogee Public School; families should check the enrolment zone against the exact address because catchments can cross suburb boundaries. Social participation is reflected in a 15.6% volunteering rate, while 6.8% need assistance. IRSAD sits at decile 8, above the national midpoint. For safety, compare current NSW Police crime mapping with nearby Coogee and Maroubra and inspect streets at different times.
Drive
35.2%
Public Transport
3.2%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
56.1%
Population Forecast
+1.71%/yr
(+189 people/yr)
EstablishedSouth Coogee is classified as established, but growth is still running at 1.71% a year, above a flat-growth baseline, with migration described as Balanced. Population change across the wider area reaches 30.5% over 10 years, while the trajectory is Aging: the senior share rose by 4.1 points and the working share fell by 1.0 point. Compared with a younger growth corridor, this points to demand shaped more by established households and later-life moves. Gentrification remains at the Early signs stage with a score of 36, and the surrounding signals show population growth of 38% since 2011 with acceleration from 14% to 21%. Rent growth of 7.2% adds pressure as demand evolves.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+104
Net Internal / yr
+68
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +38% since 2011, Net internal migration +68/yr, Accelerating: 14% → 21%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How South Coogee compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is South Coogee a good suburb to live in?
South Coogee can suit households seeking an established coastal setting, home-based work and higher-income surroundings. The median age is 42, work-from-home participation is 56.1% and household income ranks at the 79.7th percentile. Compared with a transit-led suburb, residents should expect greater reliance on cars and local services.
What is the median house price in South Coogee?
Check recent settled sales for the current median house price, because South Coogee has 38.9% separate houses, 42.0% apartments and 35.7% homes with 4 or more bedrooms. A house-only comparison is more useful than a blended figure. The $4,000 monthly mortgage and 43.9% mortgage-to-income ratio also warrant careful budgeting.
What schools are in South Coogee?
South Coogee has 1 named local school, South Coogee Public School, a government primary school. Compare the school's enrolment zone with the exact address before purchasing, since catchments can differ from suburb boundaries. Families seeking secondary or independent options should also check current availability across the wider eastern suburbs.
Is South Coogee safe?
Use current NSW Police crime mapping and visit the area at different times before making a safety judgement. South Coogee records a 15.6% volunteering rate and 6.8% needing assistance, which are community indicators rather than crime measures. Compare recent local results with nearby Coogee and Maroubra rather than relying on suburb reputation alone.
Is South Coogee good for property investment?
South Coogee has a substantial rental base at 47.4%, a 9.7% vacancy rate and weekly rent of $207. There were 65 development applications in 12 months, so future supply should be monitored. Compared with a low-rental suburb, tenant demand is deeper, but the 1.71% annual growth trend and Balanced migration signal a measured investment case.
How is South Coogee's population changing?
Growth across the wider area is recorded at 30.5% over 10 years, with an annual trend of 1.71% and migration described as Balanced. The trajectory is Aging: the senior share increased by 4.1 points while the working share fell by 1.0 point. Compared with a younger corridor, future demand is more likely to reflect established and older households.
What languages are spoken in South Coogee?
South Coogee has an overseas-born share of 34.5%, which is 12.9 percentage points above the national figure. Greek is the leading listed non-English language with 92 speakers, followed by Russian at 65, Mandarin at 63, French at 47 and Cantonese at 42. Compared with the national profile, the suburb has a stronger multilingual presence.
What development is occurring in South Coogee?
There were 65 development applications in the past 12 months, including demolitions, new dwelling structures, fences and alterations to existing homes. Compared with a suburb showing little application activity, this indicates ongoing change at the property level rather than one single large project. Buyers should check approvals, construction timing and nearby plans before committing.
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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