Cobar, NSW
By Lauren McCaleb · Reviewed by Dylan Duncan ·
Cobar is a mining town in the outback of western New South Wales, at the meeting of the Kidman Way and the Barrier Highway, about 712 kilometres north-west of Sydney. The area has long been home to the Wongaibon people, of the Ngiyampaa language group, whose rock art survives at nearby Mount Grenfell. The town's name comes from a Ngiyampaa word, often linked to a waterhole and quarry where ochre pigments were dug, though some say it means red or burnt earth. Copper was found here in 1870 and the town grew quickly around the mines, later served by a railway from Nyngan. Mining for copper, gold and other metals still drives the economy, and the grand Great Western Hotel of 1898 is famous for its long upstairs verandah.
Less advantaged than the national average
Cobar is more socio-economically advantaged than about 22% of the 14,462 Australian suburbs we score, based on the ABS SEIFA index (raw score 932, where about 1000 is the national average).
A socio-economic measure from ABS Census data — not a measure of how good a suburb is to live in or visit. How we calculate this.
Cobar at a glance
- Population (2021)
- 3,603
- Median age
- 36
- Median weekly household income
- $1,816
- SEIFA score
- 932
- Coordinates
- -31.4843, 145.8106
Cobar demographics (2021 Census)
The figures below profile Cobar using the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census; every percentage is a share of a clearly stated Census count, so each one traces back to the source. At a glance, the largest age group is young adults (25–44) at 28%, 34% of homes are rented, and 9% of residents were born overseas.
Age profile
| Age group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Children (0–14) | 760 | 21% |
| Youth (15–24) | 415 | 12% |
| Young adults (25–44) | 999 | 28% |
| Mid-life (45–64) | 849 | 24% |
| Seniors (65+) | 580 | 16% |
Share of the 3,603 people counted by age.
Housing and households
| Tenure | Dwellings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Owned outright | 411 | 33% |
| Owned with a mortgage | 354 | 28% |
| Rented | 434 | 34% |
| Dwelling type | Dwellings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Houses | 1,121 | 89% |
| Townhouses & semis | 44 | 4% |
| Flats & apartments | 67 | 5% |
Tenure and dwelling shares are of the roughly 1,253 occupied private dwellings in Cobar.
- Median weekly rent
- $200
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,109
- Average household size
- 2.3 people
- Median weekly family income
- $2,323
- Median weekly personal income
- $937
Community and culture
- Born overseas
- 279 (9%)
- Speaks a language other than English at home
- 174 (6%)
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- 532 (15%)
Work and education
- Completed Year 12
- 895 (32%)
- Labour-force participation
- 58.6%
- Unemployment rate
- 3.3%
- Employed full-time
- 1,089
- Employed part-time
- 387
Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing, 2021 (General Community Profile, by Suburb and Locality). © Australian Bureau of Statistics, released under CC BY 4.0. How we group bands and derive each share is set out on our methodology page.
Common questions about Cobar
Where is Cobar?
Cobar is a suburb of New South Wales, Australia.
What is the population of Cobar?
At the 2021 Census, Cobar had a population of about 3,603.
Is Cobar an advantaged area?
Cobar has an ABS SEIFA score of 932, where about 1000 is the national average — higher scores indicate greater relative socio-economic advantage. That gives it a Suburb Score of 22 out of 100 — more socio-economically advantaged than about 22% of Australian suburbs.
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