Cook, ACT: suburb profile

The population of Cook ACT is 2,965 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Cook is $1,288 per week ($66,976 per year). Median rent in Cook is $440 per week ($1,907 per month). Cook has a median age of 42 years, older than the national median of 38. Cook has a population density of 1,873 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Cook is England. The most common religion is No religion (56.7% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Spanish. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Cook is $2,167.

Population
2,965
Census 2021
Median income
$1,288/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$440/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
42years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021.

Cook vs the typical ACT suburb

The median personal income in Cook is $1,288 a week, 8% above the typical ACT suburb ($1,192). That ranks 34th of 109 ACT suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $440 a week, $10 less than the typical ACT suburb. Rent takes 19.4% of the median household income here, against 18.2% in the typical ACT suburb. The median resident is 42, 4 years older than in the typical ACT suburb (38).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureCookTypical ACTDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$1,288/wk$1,192/wk +8%$766/wk
Household income$2,269/wk$2,414/wk −6%$1,637/wk
Rent$440/wk$450/wk −2%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,167/mo$2,154/mo +1%$1,733/mo
Median age4238 +4 yrs42
Rent share of household income19.4%18.2% +1.2 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Cook, the typical ACT suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Cook Population

2,965 residents at the 2021 Census.

Cook Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$1,288/wk
$66,976 per year
Ranked 292 of 14,663
Median Rent
$440/wk
$1,907 per month
Ranked 1,252 of 14,663
Median Age
42years
4 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$2,167/mo
Avg household size: 2.3 · 0.7 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Cook Rent Prices & Affordability

19% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $2,269/wk
Median rent $440/wk
Rent to income 19.4%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Cook against your income

About $9,832 a month
Median rent $440/wk
Left after rent $1,829/wk
Rent share 19.4%

Cook Schools

12
schools nearby
9
government
1109
avg ICSEA score
6,591
total students
Radford College Independent
Combined · K-12 · 2,091 students
1203
ICSEA
Aranda Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 517 students
1159
ICSEA
Hawker Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 331 students
1129
ICSEA
St Vincent's Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 195 students
1117
ICSEA
Weetangera Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 404 students
1117
ICSEA
Canberra High School Government
Secondary · 7-10 · 898 students
1100
ICSEA
Southern Cross Early Childhood School Government
Primary · K-2 · 115 students
1088
ICSEA
St Matthew's Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 332 students
1085
ICSEA
Macquarie Primary School Government
Primary · K-6 · 291 students
1070
ICSEA
Belconnen High School Government
Secondary · 7-10 · 636 students
1066
ICSEA
University of Canberra Senior Secondary College Lake Ginninderra Government
Secondary · 11-12 · 781 students
1066
ICSEA
Whitlam School Government
Primary

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Cook, with a map

Cook Map

Cook, Australian Capital Territory Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Cook, Australian Capital Territory: 35.2604°S, 149.0645°E

Cook Schools (12)

People in Cook

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 47.0% (1,391) Female 53.0% (1,570)

Population Density

1,873
people per km²
2,965 people · 1.6 km²

Households

2.3
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$3,054
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
4.5%
United States of America
1.5%
India
1.5%
China
1.4%
New Zealand
1.1%
Germany
0.9%
Philippines
0.6%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Spanish
1.3%
Mandarin
1.2%
French
0.9%
German
0.8%
Italian
0.7%
Indonesian
0.7%
Tagalog
0.6%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
39.8%
Australian
34.3%
Irish
15.3%
Scottish
13.6%
German
5.2%
Chinese
3.5%
Italian
3.0%
Dutch
2.0%
Greek
1.9%
Indian
1.6%
Polish
1.5%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
56.7%
Catholic
13.9%
Anglican
8.1%
Not stated
5.6%
Buddhism
2.3%
Uniting Church
1.7%
Christian (other)
1.6%
Islam
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

0.9%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
42.9% 1,055
Separated
2.5% 61
Divorced
10.6% 262
Widowed
4.7% 115
Never married
39.3% 968

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
43.8%
Couple: no children
30.9%
Couple: no children under 15
12.0%
One parent: no children under 15
7.7%
One parent: children under 15
5.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
31.3%
2 persons
34.2%
3 persons
16.4%
4 persons
12.7%
5 persons
3.8%
6+ persons
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Cook

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,237 occupied private dwellings in Cook at the 2021 Census, 23.8% were rented, 40.3% owned outright and 34.4% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.9% 11 dwellings
Owned outright
40.3% 499 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
34.4% 425 dwellings
Rented
23.8% 294 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
0.6% 8 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
62.4%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
34.8%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
2.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
2.5%
2 bedrooms
22.8%
3 bedrooms
44.1%
4 bedrooms
24.8%
5 bedrooms
5.2%
6+ bedrooms
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
8.4%
$300-$449/mo
1.3%
$450-$599/mo
2.7%
$600-$799/mo
1.3%
$800-$999/mo
4.6%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
8.1%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
14.6%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
25.1%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
18.9%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
15.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
4.6%
1 vehicle
45.9%
2 vehicles
38.1%
3 vehicles
7.8%
4+ vehicles
3.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Cook

Employment

Employed full-time
41.1% 934 people
Employed part-time
22.1% 502 people
Unemployed
2.9% 66 people
Not in labour force
33.9% 770 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
45.0%
Managers
23.7%
Clerical & Administrative
11.6%
Community & Personal Service
7.5%
Technicians & Trade Workers
6.1%
Labourers
3.1%
Sales Workers
2.0%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
0.4%
$150-$299/wk
0.9%
$300-$399/wk
1.3%
$400-$499/wk
3.6%
$500-$649/wk
2.6%
$650-$799/wk
4.3%
$800-$999/wk
4.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.2%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.4%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.6%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
14.2%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
8.9%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
5.5%
$4,000+/wk
22.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
5.9%
$1-$149/wk
3.6%
$150-$299/wk
3.7%
$300-$399/wk
2.4%
$400-$499/wk
2.4%
$500-$649/wk
2.0%
$650-$799/wk
5.9%
$800-$999/wk
7.4%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.7%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
10.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
7.6%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
20.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.8%
$3,500+/wk
5.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
60.7%
Did not go to work
13.8%
Bicycle
8.2%
Bus
8.0%
Car (passenger)
5.3%
Walked only
2.1%
Motorbike/Scooter
1.4%
Truck
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
87.0%
Year 10 or equivalent
8.4%
Year 11 or equivalent
3.2%
Year 9 or equivalent
1.4%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
40.0%
Postgraduate Degree
28.5%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
10.8%
Certificate III/IV
10.2%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
9.1%
Certificate I/II
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Society & Culture
27.1%
Management & Commerce
14.2%
Natural & Physical Sciences
11.7%
Education
8.7%
Health
7.9%
Creative Arts
7.6%
Engineering
7.2%
Information Technology
6.1%
Agriculture & Environment
3.8%
Architecture & Building
3.1%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
2.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
35.8%
Secondary: Government
26.7%
Pre-school
10.7%
Vocational Education
9.4%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
6.0%
Secondary: Catholic
4.7%
Primary: Catholic
4.5%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
91.8%
Has need for assistance
4.5%
Need for assistance not stated
3.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
354
Asthma
137
Arthritis
93
Heart disease
70
Cancer
51
Lung condition
49
Diabetes
48
Kidney disease
28
Stroke
19
Dementia
5

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
15.5% 365
Did not provide
84.5% 1,992

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
29.2% 690
Not a volunteer
70.8% 1,670

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.5% 12
Current ADF: Reserves
0.6% 14
Previously served
3.5% 83
Never served
95.4% 2,267

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
40.7%
1 child
14.9%
2 children
27.0%
3 children
12.6%
4 children
4.2%
5+ children
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
21
1951: 1960
47
1961: 1970
95
1971: 1980
91
1981: 1990
81
1991: 2000
94
2001: 2010
84
2011: 2015
73
2016
23
2017
32
2018
28
2019
23
2020
4

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

11.8%
moved in the last year
36.8%
moved in the last 5 years
4.3%
unemployment rate (Census)
65.2%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
2,493
Moved from ACT
202
Moved from NSW
65
Moved from overseas
16
Moved from QLD
14
Moved: same area (SA2)
13
Moved from VIC
11
Moved from SA
5
Moved from WA
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
22.7%
5: 14 hours
42.1%
15: 29 hours
15.7%
30+ hours
7.1%
Did not do domestic work
12.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
92.2%
Step family: no other children
6.0%
Blended family: no other children
0.9%
Intact family: other children present
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Ainslie
Income: $1,236/wk Rent: $367/wk $73/wk less rent
Hawker (ACT)
Income: $1,169/wk Rent: $375/wk $65/wk less rent
Weston (ACT)
Income: $1,242/wk Rent: $420/wk $20/wk less rent
Hughes (ACT)
Income: $1,298/wk Rent: $400/wk $40/wk less rent
Pearce
Income: $1,222/wk Rent: $430/wk $10/wk less rent
McKellar
Income: $1,160/wk Rent: $438/wk $2/wk less rent
Hackett
Income: $1,361/wk Rent: $374/wk $66/wk less rent
Fisher (ACT)
Income: $1,206/wk Rent: $415/wk $25/wk less rent

Suburbs near Cook

The closest suburb to Cook is Macquarie, 1.1 km away.

Macquarie
1.1 km away · income $1,078/wk · rent $400/wk
Aranda
1.6 km away · income $1,372/wk · rent $530/wk
Weetangera
1.7 km away · income $1,332/wk · rent $490/wk
Belconnen
2.7 km away · income $1,009/wk · rent $430/wk
Page
2.9 km away · income $932/wk · rent $438/wk
Hawker (ACT)
2.9 km away · income $1,169/wk · rent $375/wk

Compare Cook

Frequently Asked Questions About Cook

What is the population of Cook ACT?

The population of Cook ACT is 2,965 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1,873 people per km². Cook is ranked #2,434 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Cook?

The median personal income in Cook ACT is $1,288 per week, or $66,976 per year. The median household income is $2,269 per week. Family income is $3,054 per week. Cook is ranked #292 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Cook?

Median rent in Cook ACT is $440 per week ($1,907 per month). Rent represents 19.4% of household income, which is considered affordable. Cook ranks #1,252 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Cook?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Cook ACT is $2,167. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Cook?

The median age in Cook ACT is 42 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Cook a good suburb to live in?

Cook is a suburb in Australian Capital Territory with a population of 2,965. The median income is $1,288/wk, which is above the typical ACT suburb ($1,192/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (19.4% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Canberra Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 80040. All dollar figures in AUD.