Cowra · Statistical Area 2 (SA2)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
A significant gap exists between Cowra and the rest of the state, with the town facing much higher levels of disadvantage than most Australian areas. It is a struggling community where the overall advantage score of 890 is well below the national average.
All statistical area 2 (sa2) areas, 2021. The marker is Cowra — lower than 99% of areas.
| Cowra | 1 |
|---|---|
| 2794, NSW | 2 |
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
The area faces tough challenges, with an overall advantage score smaller than about 90% of similar areas. This is reflected in low scores for education, job skills, and access to money and resources.
1
Lower than 99% 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.
2
Lower than 86% 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.
2
Lower than 86% 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.
1
Lower than 99% 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.
890
Lower than 89% 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.
Population growth since 2021 has fallen by 2.1%, a figure that is well below the New South Wales growth rate of 6.1%.
9,130
Lower than 57% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
-2.1%
Lower than 97% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
There are 831 businesses operating in the area, which is smaller than about 54% of similar locations.
831
Lower than 55% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
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/sa2/103021063/cowra/topic/economy-advantage
