Cowra · Council (LGA)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
A low overall advantage score of 908 marks Cowra as a place with fewer resources than most of the country. Residents typically have less access to money and lower levels of education and job skills compared to other areas. This lack of financial and educational advantage is a defining feature of the local economy.
All council (lga) areas, 2021. The marker is Cowra — lower than 86% of areas.
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
The area has an overall advantage score of 2 out of 10, which is smaller than about 80% of other areas. This is reflected in the low scores for both access to money and education, each ranking at 3 out of 10.
2
Lower than 86% of council (lga) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% most disadvantaged areas in Australia, 10 = among the 10% most advantaged. IRSAD summarises both advantage and disadvantage, so a high score reflects relatively many high-income, well-educated households and few low-income, low-skill ones.
3
Lower than 71% of council (lga) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% most disadvantaged areas in Australia, 10 = among the least disadvantaged. IRSD focuses on disadvantage alone (low income, low education, unemployment, unskilled occupations), so a higher decile means relatively less disadvantage.
3
Lower than 71% of council (lga) areas.
ABS Index of Economic Resources, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% lowest areas for economic resources in Australia, 10 = among the highest. IER reflects the income, housing costs, dwelling size and assets of households, so a higher decile means relatively greater economic resources.
3
Lower than 71% of council (lga) areas.
ABS Index of Education and Occupation, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% lowest areas for education and occupation in Australia, 10 = among the highest. IEO reflects residents' qualifications and the skill level of their jobs, so a higher decile means a more highly educated and skilled workforce.
908
Lower than 80% of council (lga) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, 2021, as a raw index score (standardised so the Australian average is about 1000). Higher scores indicate relatively greater advantage; lower scores greater disadvantage.
Annual population estimates and change since the census.
Population growth has been well below the New South Wales rate of 6.1%, falling by 0.3% since 2021. This decline is much lower than what has been seen in most other areas.
12,721
Lower than 52% of council (lga) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
-0.3%
Lower than 88% of council (lga) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
Cowra has 1,401 businesses, which is more than about 51% of similar areas. However, the 33 approved dwellings are fewer than in about 56% of these areas.
1,401
Higher than 50% of council (lga) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
33
Lower than 57% of council (lga) areas.
Dwelling units approved in 2024-25 (ABS Building Approvals).
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Cowra [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/lga/LGA12350/cowra/topic/economy-advantage
