Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Cook
2 km²
Higher personal incomes than the national figure define Cook, a well-off community in the ACT. It is a highly educated area where more than half of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This academic profile is reflected in the workforce, which is dominated by professionals and managers. The neighbourhood is generally older than the typical ACT area, with a significant number of seniors and a strong presence of people in de facto relationships.
An affluent area whose schools serve an equally well-off community.
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The typical resident is 42, making Cook noticeably older than the ACT and national averages. It is a larger area than most similar places, with nearly 20% of the population aged 65 and over.
About 24% of residents were born overseas, which is much higher than in most similar areas, though this remains well below the ACT and national figures. English and Australian ancestries are the most common.
Around 15% of people use a language other than English at home, a figure that is much higher than most similar areas but well below the state and national averages.
A large majority of residents, 58.3%, report having no religion, which is far above the figures for both the ACT and Australia.
The area is exceptionally well qualified, with 56.7% of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher, far above the national figure of 26.3%. Most residents have completed Year 12, and many hold postgraduate degrees.
Weekly family incomes are among the highest at this level, with the typical family earning $3,054. This is consistent with the high proportion of residents—26.3%—earning $2,000 or more per week.
More than a third of residents have a long-term health condition, which is well above the national average. Mental health conditions are also more common here than in most similar areas.
Volunteering is very common, with 28.2% of people giving their time, a figure far above the national average. About 15% of the community provides unpaid care.
There are 26 First Nations people in the area, with a typical household income that is far above the national figure. However, no one in the community speaks a First Nations language.
People are more likely to live alone here than in most similar areas, and the typical home is smaller than usual with 2.3 people. One-parent families are also slightly more common than average.
The area has a high rate of outright home ownership at 40.3%, far above the ACT average. Typical weekly rents of $440 and monthly mortgage payments of $2,167 are both higher than in most similar areas.
Cook is very well connected, with 6.8% of people commuting by public transport, which is among the highest at this level. The walk to the nearest stop is very short, taking only two minutes.
About 35.5% of the population moved in the last five years, and recent arrivals from overseas make up 12.2% of the community.
A high number of residents work in public administration and safety. About 65% of adults are working or looking for work, which is higher than most similar areas.
Recorded offences are much lower than in most similar areas, and the crime rate has fallen significantly over the last five years.
The area is very walkable, with 94.7% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries. Almost every home is within a 10-minute walk of public transport and a 15-minute walk of a park.