Coonabarabran, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Coonabarabran NSW is 3,477 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Coonabarabran is $594 per week ($30,888 per year). Median rent in Coonabarabran is $210 per week ($910 per month). Coonabarabran has a median age of 50 years, older than the national median of 38. Coonabarabran has a population density of 3.6 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Coonabarabran is England. The most common religion is No religion (28.7% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Australian Indigenous Languages. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Coonabarabran is $1,000.

There were 129 recorded offences in Coonabarabran in 2025-26, a rate of 37 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was other against property (44 offences).

Population
3,477
Census 2021
Median income
$594/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$210/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
50years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Coonabarabran vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Coonabarabran is $594 a week, 22% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,779th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $210 a week, $175 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 18.2% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 50, 7 years older than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureCoonabarabranTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$594/wk$765/wk −22%$766/wk
Household income$1,154/wk$1,704/wk −32%$1,637/wk
Rent$210/wk$385/wk −45%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,000/mo$1,965/mo −49%$1,733/mo
Median age5043 +7 yrs42
Rent share of household income18.2%22.6% −4.4 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 Coonabarabran, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Coonabarabran Population

3,477 residents at the 2021 Census.

Coonabarabran Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$594/wk
$30,888 per year
Ranked 7,184 of 14,663
Median Rent
$210/wk
$910 per month
Ranked 7,231 of 14,663
Median Age
50years
12 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,000/mo
Avg household size: 2.3 · 0.7 per bedroom

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

Coonabarabran Rent Prices & Affordability

18% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,154/wk
Median rent $210/wk
Rent to income 18.2%

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

Median rent in Coonabarabran against your income

About $5,001 a month
Median rent $210/wk
Left after rent $944/wk
Rent share 18.2%

Coonabarabran Schools

3
schools nearby
2
government
904
avg ICSEA score
644
total students
St Lawrence's Catholic Primary School Coonabarabran Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 146 students
959
ICSEA
Coonabarabran High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 298 students
898
ICSEA
Coonabarabran Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 200 students
856
ICSEA

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

All schools near Coonabarabran, with a map

Coonabarabran Map

Coonabarabran, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
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Coonabarabran, New South Wales: 31.2768°S, 149.2628°E

Coonabarabran Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (3)

People in Coonabarabran

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 47.9% (1,666) Female 52.1% (1,811)

Population Density

3.6
people per km²
3,477 people · 955.7 km²

Households

2.3
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$1,423
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
1.7%
New Zealand
0.6%
India
0.5%
Philippines
0.4%
Netherlands
0.3%
Germany
0.3%
South Africa
0.3%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Australian Indigenous Languages
0.5%
Afrikaans
0.3%
German
0.3%
Spanish
0.2%
Nepali
0.2%
Italian
0.2%
Gujarati
0.1%

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

Ancestry

Australian
39.9%
English
38.9%
Australian Aboriginal
12.1%
Irish
9.5%
Scottish
8.9%
German
3.7%
Dutch
1.1%
Chinese
1.0%
Italian
0.9%
Welsh
0.5%
New Zealander
0.4%

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
28.7%
Anglican
20.2%
Catholic
20.1%
Not stated
15.8%
Presbyterian and Reformed
4.3%
Uniting Church
2.8%
Christian (other)
2.4%
Christnty Sevnth dy Advntst
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

12.6%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
45.6% 1,325
Separated
4.2% 121
Divorced
9.3% 269
Widowed
10.2% 297
Never married
30.8% 896

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
35.0%
Couple: children under 15
31.3%
One parent: children under 15
14.3%
Couple: no children under 15
12.4%
One parent: no children under 15
7.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
32.7%
2 persons
37.9%
3 persons
12.1%
4 persons
9.9%
5 persons
4.2%
6+ persons
3.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Coonabarabran

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,256 occupied private dwellings in Coonabarabran at the 2021 Census, 24.2% were rented, 46.5% owned outright and 24.8% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
2.5% 31 dwellings
Owned outright
46.5% 584 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
24.8% 312 dwellings
Rented
24.2% 304 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
2.1% 27 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
99.7%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
3.9%
2 bedrooms
14.2%
3 bedrooms
49.1%
4 bedrooms
26.0%
5 bedrooms
5.4%
6+ bedrooms
1.4%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
8.4%
$300-$449/mo
7.3%
$450-$599/mo
7.0%
$600-$799/mo
13.9%
$800-$999/mo
13.6%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
23.0%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
11.8%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
7.7%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
4.9%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
5.9%
1 vehicle
38.2%
2 vehicles
35.3%
3 vehicles
12.8%
4+ vehicles
7.8%

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

Work, income and education in Coonabarabran

Employment

Employed full-time
29.0% 695 people
Employed part-time
19.7% 472 people
Unemployed
3.5% 85 people
Not in labour force
47.7% 1,144 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
23.4%
Community & Personal Service
16.1%
Managers
16.0%
Technicians & Trade Workers
12.8%
Clerical & Administrative
11.3%
Labourers
9.9%
Sales Workers
5.3%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
5.2%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.8%
$1-$149/wk
1.0%
$150-$299/wk
2.0%
$300-$399/wk
3.6%
$400-$499/wk
10.9%
$500-$649/wk
5.9%
$650-$799/wk
9.0%
$800-$999/wk
9.3%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.8%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.3%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.6%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
4.9%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.7%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
2.3%
$4,000+/wk
4.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
10.4%
$1-$149/wk
4.0%
$150-$299/wk
8.5%
$300-$399/wk
7.3%
$400-$499/wk
5.9%
$500-$649/wk
5.7%
$650-$799/wk
11.8%
$800-$999/wk
10.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
12.1%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.4%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
5.2%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.5%
$3,500+/wk
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
72.4%
Did not go to work
10.0%
Walked only
6.5%
Car (passenger)
6.5%
Truck
2.8%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.8%
Other
0.8%
Bus
0.3%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
45.1%
Year 10 or equivalent
38.1%
Year 9 or equivalent
9.1%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.6%

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

Certificate III/IV
46.4%
Bachelor Degree
20.8%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
18.4%
Postgraduate Degree
5.7%
Certificate I/II
5.7%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.0%

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

Field of Study

Engineering
18.8%
Management & Commerce
15.9%
Education
14.8%
Health
13.8%
Society & Culture
12.4%
Agriculture & Environment
7.2%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
6.8%
Architecture & Building
5.6%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.9%
Creative Arts
1.1%
Information Technology
0.7%

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

School & University Attendance

Secondary: Government
38.9%
Primary: Government
24.9%
Primary: Catholic
14.9%
Vocational Education
11.3%
Pre-school
10.0%

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
76.2%
Has need for assistance
8.8%
Need for assistance not stated
15.1%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
321
Arthritis
190
Heart disease
126
Asthma
124
Diabetes
116
Lung condition
102
Cancer
61
Stroke
47
Kidney disease
46
Dementia
25

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
16.9% 412
Did not provide
83.1% 2,028

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
26.4% 645
Not a volunteer
73.6% 1,795

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
4.1% 100
Never served
95.9% 2,352

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
23.0%
1 child
9.8%
2 children
29.6%
3 children
23.2%
4 children
11.3%
5+ children
3.1%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
7
1951: 1960
21
1961: 1970
32
1971: 1980
40
1981: 1990
28
1991: 2000
17
2001: 2010
30
2011: 2015
20
2016
5
2017
10
2018
8
2019
3

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

Population Mobility

15.3%
moved in the last year
33.9%
moved in the last 5 years
6.7%
unemployment rate (Census)
45.4%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
2,481
Moved: same area (SA2)
233
Moved from NSW
162
Moved from QLD
29
Moved from overseas
7
Moved from WA
3

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
18.1%
5: 14 hours
26.6%
15: 29 hours
14.2%
30+ hours
11.4%
Did not do domestic work
29.7%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
82.9%
Step family: no other children
10.2%
Blended family: no other children
4.5%
Intact family: other children present
1.2%
Other couple: children only
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Coonabarabran Crime Statistics

129 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Other Against Property
44
Theft
29
Other Against Person
16
Assault
13
Property Damage
11
Sexual Offences
7
Drug Offences
6
Weapons
3

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Finley
Income: $636/wk Rent: $175/wk $35/wk less rent
Batlow
Income: $602/wk Rent: $180/wk $30/wk less rent
Mathoura
Income: $546/wk Rent: $180/wk $30/wk less rent
Holbrook
Income: $628/wk Rent: $185/wk $25/wk less rent
Lockhart
Income: $600/wk Rent: $195/wk $15/wk less rent
Dunedoo
Income: $585/wk Rent: $200/wk $10/wk less rent
Henty (NSW)
Income: $573/wk Rent: $200/wk $10/wk less rent
Walcha
Income: $701/wk Rent: $203/wk $7/wk less rent

Compare Coonabarabran

Frequently Asked Questions About Coonabarabran

What is the population of Coonabarabran NSW?

The population of Coonabarabran NSW is 3,477 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 3.6 people per km². Coonabarabran is ranked #2,138 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Coonabarabran?

The median personal income in Coonabarabran NSW is $594 per week, or $30,888 per year. The median household income is $1,154 per week. Family income is $1,423 per week. Coonabarabran is ranked #7,184 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Coonabarabran?

Median rent in Coonabarabran NSW is $210 per week ($910 per month). Rent represents 18.2% of household income, which is considered affordable. Coonabarabran ranks #7,231 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Coonabarabran?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Coonabarabran NSW is $1,000. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Coonabarabran?

The median age in Coonabarabran NSW is 50 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Coonabarabran a good suburb to live in?

Coonabarabran is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 3,477. The median income is $594/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (18.2% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 11043. All dollar figures in AUD.