Cooma · Statistical Area 2 (SA2)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
Fewer people called Cooma home by the 2021 census, with the population falling by 2.4%. This decline is among the lowest for similar areas and sits well below the New South Wales growth rate of 6.1%. The town currently faces more challenges than most, with an overall advantage score of 953, which is lower than the national average.
All statistical area 2 (sa2) areas, 2021. The marker is Cooma — lower than 64% of areas.
| Cooma | 4 |
|---|---|
| 2630, NSW | 5 |
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
Residents generally have less access to money and resources than those in 70% of similar areas. Education and job skills are also lower than in about 60% of comparable places.
4
Lower than 64% of statistical area 2 (sa2) 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.
4
Lower than 64% of statistical area 2 (sa2) 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 statistical area 2 (sa2) 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.
4
Lower than 64% of statistical area 2 (sa2) 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.
953
Lower than 69% of statistical area 2 (sa2) 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.
The population has shrunk by 2.4% since 2021. This result is among the lowest for areas at this level and is 8.5 percentage points lower than the state average.
6,598
Lower than 70% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
-2.4%
Lower than 99% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
There are 649 businesses operating in the area, which is a smaller number than in about 65% of similar regions.
649
Lower than 66% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Cooma [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/101031014/cooma/topic/economy-advantage
