Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Cooma
98 km²
Daily life in Cooma revolves around a large, older community where most people live in detached houses. The typical resident is 44, making the area noticeably older than the state and national figures. This is a place where many of the 6,715 residents are seniors, and a significant number of people live alone. While it is a regional hub with more schools than most similar areas, it maintains a distinct character with a higher proportion of First Nations people and a strong history of military service.
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The typical resident is 44, and the area is noticeably older than both the state and nation, with 23% of people aged 65 or over. First Nations people make up 4.5% of the population, which is a little above the national figure of 3.2%.
Most residents were born in Australia, though 16.5% were born overseas, which is higher than in most similar areas. Common ancestries include Australian, English, Irish, and Scottish.
English is the primary language for 82.7% of the community. While 9% use another language at home—a figure much higher than most similar areas—this is still far below the state average of 26.6%.
Nearly half the population (49.2%) identifies as Christian. Those reporting no religion make up 36.7% of the community, which is well above the state figure of 33.2%.
People here are more likely to have a bachelor's degree or higher than those in similar areas, though this is well below the national figure. Certificate III or IV is the most common highest qualification, held by 32.8% of adults.
Typical household incomes are well below the state and national figures, with the usual household earning $1,374 a week. This is consistent with the fact that personal incomes here are about the same as the national figure, but fewer people earn high weekly wages.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas; 33.8% of people have a long-term health condition. This is well above the national figure, and 11.1% of residents live with a mental health condition.
Volunteering is more common here than in the state or nation, with 17.5% of people pitching in. There is also a stronger link to the military, as 3.8% have served in the Defence Force.
First Nations people in Cooma have a lower unemployment rate (6.5%) than the national average of 12.3%. However, Year 12 completion is much lower than most areas at 28.7%.
Homes are smaller than usual, with 2.2 people per dwelling. A very high number of people live alone (34.5%), which is well above the national average of 25.6%.
Detached houses dominate the landscape at 88.4%, far above the state average. While 38.2% of homes are owned outright, typical weekly rents are well below the national figure at $290.
Cars are essential for most, as only 0.6% of people commute by public transport and only 9.1% work from home. Despite having many public transport stops, it takes a long time to walk to the nearest one.
The community has seen significant movement, with a high number of recent arrivals from overseas (19.9%) compared to the national figure of 14.5%.
Full-time employment is more common here than in the state or nation, with 61.3% of the workforce in full-time roles. The most common industries are retail trade, construction, and healthcare.
The area is considered somewhat walkable, and most people live within a short walk of a park or school. However, only about half the population can walk to a grocery store within 15 minutes.