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Suburb profile ·Cowra LGA · NSW ·2794

Cowra NSW 2794

Cowra is in Cowra LGA, NSW, postcode 2794, with population 10,145.

The read

Growth-momentum

The page has enough signal to be useful, but the story is mixed rather than decisive. Use compare mode to pressure-test it against stronger nearby options, then use the calculator if it still makes the shortlist.

$400/wk
Flat
-0.6% YoY
Jun 2025 → Jun 2026 · 13 periods
NSW Fair Trading · postcode 2794 · Jun 2026
$420
$365
Jun 2025Jun 2026
Why it fits

Entry price sits in the lower-cost range for a first-pass screen. Recent price movement shows visible market momentum. School coverage gives the page a stronger family/livability signal.

Median house
$500K
House median, latest period
9.9%YoY D2 vs AU
Median rent
$400/wk
Income-stretched rent market
0.6%YoY D9 vs AU
Gross yield
4.2%
Moderate yield band
D10 vs AU
Population
10,145
10K local footprint
D10 vs AU
Schools
7
Matched school context
D10 vs AU
Drive to city
4h 41m
317.5 km to Sydney CBD · free-flow
Solar
2,358
113 added 12mo · 17MW
Price cycleAt its peak
LowPeak

At / near its all-time high

See trend depth →

Price history

Houses to Q2'26 · Units to Q3'21 — house and unit medians are released on separate cycles, so their latest period can differ.

Trend & investor depth

Cycle positionAt its peak
Low · 2008Peak · 2026

At / near its all-time high

Price growth (compound)% per year
3-yr
+7.2%
5-yr
+7.1%
10-yr
+7.5%
Affordability trajectoryWorsening
Price
+11.4%/yr
Income
+4.1%/yr

Growth in median price vs median household income — worsening — prices outgrowing incomes.

Indicative cashflow-$192/wk (-$10,000/yr) · interest-only @ 6.4%, 80% LVR
Market turnover3.9% of homes traded/yr (171 sales · -14% vs 3-yr avg)
Rent stabilitytypical — rents vary ±3.9% around trend (short window, 13 pts)
Value vs advantage-20% vs suburbs of similar SEIFA advantage (decile 2)

Indicative cashflow is interest-only and excludes tax — use the calculator for a full projection. Turnover divides recorded sales by an estimated household count (population over average household size).

Investment grade

Bgrade · 71/100 · top 29% of 3,604AU suburbs
Peer distributionstronger than 71% of AU suburbs
WeakerTypicalStronger
Capital growth36
Rental yield82
Stability68
Volatility-8.0ppCycle-2.0Affordability-1.5

Bar = this suburb's percentile · tick = typical (median) peer · stability drivers signed (+ = steadier)

Relative grade across Australian suburbs, combining qp's capital-growth (multi-year CAGR + cycle timing), rental-yield, and stability (price volatility + cycle + affordability) metrics via a three-pillar property-scoring method with an imbalance penalty. Within-Australia relative, indicative only — not financial advice.

Investor profile

Who invests in Cowra

Owner-occupied 71%Rented 29%
Investor activityATO
Negatively geared3.6%
213 of 606 landlords
Avg rental loss$5,902/yr
Landlords (rental income)606
Reported capital gains384
Investor exposure index(moderate vs national)61.3/100
The read

Mixed owner-renter market

68% of homes here are owner-occupied and 28% rented, with 4% of landlords negatively geared.

Why it fits

A balanced 68% owner-occupier / 28% renter mix.

ABS Census 2021 tenure (G37), ATO postcode rental statistics, and QuickProperty's investor-exposure index. Owner-occupied = owned outright + with a mortgage.

Mortgage affordability

51%
of household income to service a new loan
11.6 yrs
to save a 20% deposit
Severe
housing-stress band
Rent vs buyRenting cheaper

New-loan repayment $2,450/mo vs median rent $1,733/mo (+41% · +$165/wk)

If rates move

At 4.2%: $1,956/mo (-494) · at 6.2% (current): $2,450/mo · at 8.2%: $2,991/mo (+541)

Assumes a 20% deposit and a 30-year principal-and-interest loan at the current RBA new owner-occupier variable rate, against median weekly household income (ABS Census 2021). Stress bands follow the 30% / 45%-of-income thresholds used in ANZ-CoreLogic and AIHW reporting. Rent vs buy compares that repayment with the suburb's median advertised rent; it excludes rates, insurance, maintenance and deposit opportunity cost.

Stronger alternatives nearby

Higher yield

similar price · cross-LGA

Stronger 5-yr growth

similar price · cross-LGA

More affordable

lower price-to-income

Alternatives are similar-priced suburbs (0.7–1.4x this suburb's median) in other council areas that exceed it on the named metric. Indicative — not financial advice.

Affordability

Buying
8.7x
median home price as a multiple of annual household income
Moderate
Renting
36%
median weekly rent as a share of gross household income (the 30% rule)
Stretched

Owners with a mortgage repay a median of $1,235/mo, while renters pay about $1,733/mo — renting runs $498/mo higher on these medians.

Median price
$500K
Household income · yr
$58K
Median rent · wk
$400
Owner mortgage · mo
$1,235
Gross yield
4.2%

Household income

$58K household · yr-30.1% vs NSW suburb median
Personal
$32K
Family
$75K
Household
$58K
Household income distribution (ABS Census 2021 · weekly)27% could service the median house
Under $300
177
$300-649
802
$650-999
734
$1,000-1,499
679
$1,500-1,999
409
$2,000-2,999
572
$3,000-3,999
199
$4,000+
168

Serviceability line: a household needs about $1,885/wk to hold a new loan on the median house at 30% of income (20% deposit, 30-year P&I, current RBA rate).

At the median asking rent, about 58% of households here would spend more than 30% of income on rent (rent stress line: $1,333/wk income).

Median taxable income trend (ATO, 2018-19 – 2022-23)$40K → $47K

Housing stock and tenure

Tenure (4,087 households)5.1% social housing
Owned outright
42%
Owned with mortgage
26%
Rented
28%
Dwelling structure9.8% of dwellings unoccupied on census night
Separate house
90%
Townhouse / semi
7%
Flat / apartment
2%

Getting to work: 82% drive, 0% public transport, 5% walk or cycle, 9% worked from home (2021 Census, taken during COVID-era work-from-home arrangements).

Schools

Total7
Avg ICSEA909
Students1,629
Catholic1
Government5
Independent1
  • Cowra Public SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 895
  • Holmwood Public SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 920
  • Mulyan Public SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 896
  • Holman Place SchoolSpecial · Government · ICSEA 822
  • Cowra High SchoolSecondary · Government · ICSEA 884
  • St Raphael's Catholic School CowraCombined · Catholic · ICSEA 985

Livability

97/ 100 livability index

Top 3% most liveable of 4,565Australian suburbs.

Peer distributionstronger than 97% of Australian suburbs
WeakerTypicalStronger
Everyday access87
Public transport (362 stops)100
Schools & hospitals96

Bar = this suburb's percentile · tick = typical (median) peer

Suburb-level access-density index (not an address-level walk-time score), normalised within Australian suburbs. Method based on the Urban Liveability Index (Higgs et al. 2019) and Walk Score — three equal-weighted domains combined with an imbalance penalty.

Crime April 2025 - March 2026
633
4,992 per 100k
D7 vs AU

Crime

Rate · per 100k4,992
Total incidents633· April 2025 - March 2026
  • Assault16154%
  • Sexual Offences4615%
  • Robbery21%
  • Break And Enter8930%

Development screen

Could a secondary dwelling be worth investigating?

secondary dwelling / granny flat screening context Medium broad constraint context

Policy position

Official policy reviewed

Permitted in residential zones under the Housing SEPP; may be approved by consent or as complying development when Housing SEPP and Codes SEPP standards are met.

Rental use: Secondary dwelling rental use is allowed as a dwelling use, subject to planning and tenancy rules.

Open official policy source

Separate houses

81.5%

Suburb share of occupied private dwellings recorded as separate houses.

Near the state median

State median 77.5% · 1,253 valid suburbs

Residential-zone context

3.6%

Broad suburb sampling only; the property zoning and overlays can differ.

38.7 pp below the state median

State median 42.3% · 1,245 valid suburbs

Rental households

28.1%

Demand context only; it does not establish permission to rent a secondary dwelling.

Near the state median

State median 25.9% · 1,253 valid suburbs

Mapped hazards

bushfire present

The staged suburb layer indicates a broad-area constraint that needs address-level checking. No broad-area layer staged for this suburb.

Approval pathway

Four checks, each with a different evidence threshold.

This is an investigation sequence, not a guarantee that every step applies or that approval will be granted.

  1. 01 Source reviewed

    State policy position

    QuickProperty reviewed the official secondary dwelling / granny flat policy source.

  2. 02 Property dependent

    Planning pathway

    Test consent or complying-development eligibility, including the 450 m² lot marker and all other standards.

  3. 03 Design dependent

    Building approval

    Confirm the building approval route after the design, site classifications, services and construction requirements are known.

  4. 04 Check separately

    Intended use

    Confirm long-term rental, short-stay or family-use rules separately from permission to construct the dwelling.

Property due diligence

Turn the suburb screen into a property checklist.

Every check starts unconfirmed. Progress stays in this browser and suburb evidence never clears an address-level requirement.

0evidence acquired
0evidence missing
0reviews due
0consultant questions

Active record: Cowra unnamed property

0/14checked
0issues found

Site controls

Lot area and dimensions

Confirm title dimensions, usable site area and any minimum lot threshold.

Status for Lot area and dimensions
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Setbacks and site coverage

Test setbacks, private open space, landscaping and maximum site coverage against a concept plan.

Status for Setbacks and site coverage
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Slope and ground conditions

Check survey levels, soil classification, retaining needs and likely earthworks.

Status for Slope and ground conditions
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Title and planning

Zoning and overlays

Obtain current property-level zoning, overlays and applicable planning controls.

Status for Zoning and overlays
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Title, easements and covenants

Review the title for easements, covenants, restrictions and common property.

Status for Title, easements and covenants
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Services and access

Sewer and stormwater

Locate assets and connection points, then confirm capacity, clearances and discharge requirements.

Status for Sewer and stormwater
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Power, water and metering

Confirm service routes, upgrade needs and whether separate metering is permitted or practical.

Status for Power, water and metering
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Vehicle access and parking

Test driveway width, gradients, turning, parking and emergency access requirements.

Status for Vehicle access and parking
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Construction constraints

Bushfire exposure

Order an address-level bushfire assessment and determine any BAL construction response.

Status for Bushfire exposure
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Flood and overland flow

Obtain property flood information and check floor levels, flow paths and drainage constraints.

Status for Flood and overland flow
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Wind, corrosion and termite

Confirm site classifications that affect structural design, materials and durability.

Status for Wind, corrosion and termite
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Approval and use

Planning approval pathway

Confirm exemption, complying pathway or permit requirements with the responsible authority.

Status for Planning approval pathway
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Building approval and consultants

Identify required survey, design, engineering, energy, certification and inspection evidence.

Status for Building approval and consultants
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Rental and intended use

Confirm occupation, rental, short-stay and family-use rules plus insurance and tax implications.

Status for Rental and intended use
Evidence packMissing

Metadata only. QuickProperty does not store or upload the underlying document.

Cowra, NSW 2794 · Local browser record

Investigation aid only. Confirm current planning, building, title, service and hazard requirements with qualified professionals and responsible authorities.

Building due diligence

Construction requirements can change by location.

The National Construction Code is the baseline. Local hazards and site classifications can change the required structure, materials, fixings, insulation and detailing.

Known here

SUBURB CONTEXT

Bushfire-prone land

Low broad-area context

About 9.9% of the suburb intersects mapped bushfire-prone land.

May affect: External construction · Roof and wall systems · Openings, screens and decks

Check the property

ADDRESS + DESIGN

NCC climate zone

Check the property

Confirm the NCC climate zone used for the building design and energy provisions.

May affect: Insulation and glazing · Condensation control · Roof-space ventilation

Wind class and BAL

Site assessment required

A suburb layer cannot determine the site wind classification or Bushfire Attack Level.

May affect: Structure and tie-downs · Cladding and fixings · Openings and bushfire detailing

Corrosion and termite exposure

Check the property

Confirm marine or corrosive exposure and the applicable termite-management requirements.

May affect: Fasteners and connectors · Roofing and coatings · Termite management

This screen identifies investigation triggers, not building quality or property compliance. Confirm the address, design and current jurisdiction rules with the council, building surveyor or certifier, designer and engineer.

NCC 2022 Housing Provisions: how to use · NCC 2022 Volume Two and Housing Provisions

Bushfire exposure

Low exposure ~9.9%
~9.9% of the suburb is Bush Fire Prone Land · ~6.8% Category 1 (highest hazard)

Estimated exposure to NSW RFS Bush Fire Prone Land (CC BY), point-sampled across the suburb. This shows how much of the suburb sits within the official hazard layer — it is not a Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) rating or a property-level assessment. Obtain a BAL assessment (AS 3959) for an individual property.

Planning zones

Dominant zone Primary Production
Rural / Green wedge 93% Residential 3% Public / Open space 3%
Residential density: Low

Land-use mix estimated by point-sampling the suburb against NSW EPI Land Zoning polygons (CC BY 4.0). This is a suburb-level snapshot of planning zones, not a parcel-level zoning certificate or development advice. Check the relevant planning scheme for an individual property.

Population outlook

9,244 people · 202210,050 by 2032 (+8.7%)

ABS population projection (2022 base) for the Cowra SA2 statistical area — the finest official projection grain available; suburb-level projections do not exist.

Full data detail Census · ATO · ABS · state datasets
Cowra NSW — Property Data and Demographics

Cowra (postcode 2794) is a settled mid-to-large suburb in New South Wales within the Cowra local government area. The area has roughly 10,145 residents and an older-leaning population, with a median age of 46. Households earn a median income of $58K per year, with an average household size of 2.3 people. Recent annual estimates show population movement staying broadly stable across the broader catchment, with population growth running at +0.0% year-on-year at the LGA level. NSW employment has moved +1.2% year-on-year in the official ABS Labour Force trend series, which provides the broader jobs backdrop for this suburb. NSW also had 35 Commonwealth-backed major projects under construction, 17 underway, and 67 in planning as at 2025-09-01, which is useful as a broader delivery backdrop rather than a suburb-specific project count. The most common occupations are managers, labourers, community & personal service. Employment in the area leans toward healthcare and agriculture. The top ancestries reported are Australian, English, Irish.

The median house price in Cowra is $500,000, having posted strong gains by 9.9% over the past year. Units have a median price of $328,000 (+31.2% YoY). The current median weekly rent is $400. This gives a gross rental yield of approximately 4.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment is $1,235.

Cowra is served by 7 schools, including 4 primary, 1 secondary, 1 combined, 1 special. The average ICSEA score is 909, which is below the national average of 1,000. Public transport access includes 14 rail stations, 348 bus stops. Healthcare facilities include 1 public hospital. The crime rate in the Cowra LGA is moderate at 4,992 incidents per 100,000 population.

From an investment perspective, The gross rental yield works out to roughly 4.2%, which reads as moderate yield. Property prices sit below the state median ($500K/$1.5M), which can point to relative value. The price-to-income ratio of 8.7x is considered moderate. House prices have moved +9.9% year-on-year. Population growth of +0.0% year-on-year points to stable demand fundamentals. Building approvals have changed +0% year-on-year, indicating steady development activity.

Market & money
Investment signalsHeuristics
Rental Yield4.2%· Moderate Yield
Price vs State$500K/$1.5M Below Median
Affordability8.7x· Moderate
Price Momentum+9.9% Rising
Pop. Growth+0.0%· Stable
Development+0%· Steady
InvestmentNSW
Mortgage · mth$1,235
Rent · wk(Census)$230
Market rent · wk(2026-06)$400
Gross yield2.4%
Price / income8.7x
Sales vol (latest Q)(2026-Q2)15
Population growth · Cowra LGAABS ERP
Population (2025)12,721
5-year growth+0% CAGR
YoY change+0%
20012025
Development · Cowra LGAABS Approvals
Approvals (2026)33
Houses 91%Units 9%
YoY change+0%
Employment · Cowra LGASALM
Unemployment (Dec-25)4.9%
YoY change+1.3pp
Dec-10Dec-25
Property investors · Postcode 2794ATO
Negatively geared3.6%
213 of filers
Avg rental loss$5,902/yr
Landlords (rental income)606
Reported capital gains384
People & prosperity
DemographicsCensus 21
Population10,145
Median age46
Household size2.3
HH income · wk$1,107
Personal income · wk$617
Persons / bedroom0.7
IncomeATO 22-23
Median income$46,842
Mean income$53,673
Earners5,578
YoY change+4.4%
SEIFA indexABS
Advantage (IRSAD)2/10
Education (IEO)2/10
Economic (IER)2/10
Disadvantage (IRSD)2/10
Income momentumCensus 16→21
HH income · wk$966 → $1,107
Change+14.6%
vs NSW median-6 pp
Median rent+21.1%
softeningvs NSW 2016–21
Area & amenity
Local amenitiesOSM
Supermarkets3
Pharmacies2
GP / clinics2
Fuel stations4
Cafes & dining13
aldi1
coles1
woolworths1
TransportGTFS
Rail stations14
Bus stops348
133 Sheep Station Rd
177 Sheep Station Rd
189 Sheep Station Rd
340 Sheep Station Rd
Fitzroy St Opp Railway St
Hospitals · Cowra LGAAIHW
Public1
Private0
Cowra Health Servicepublic · in suburb
Aged care · Cowra LGAGEN
Facilities3
Residential places179
Weeroona Aged Care Residence95 places · in suburb
Bilyara Hostel84 places · in suburb
BaptistCare at home-Central WestShort-Term Restorative Care (STRC) · in suburb
Childcare · Cowra LGAACECQA
Services7
Approved places341
Exceeding NQS0
Goodstart Early Learning Cowra90 places · in suburb
North Cowra Children's Centre75 places · in suburb
Carinya Early Childhood Centre59 places · in suburb
PCYC- Out Of School Hours Cowra45 places · in suburb
Little Kindy Cowra43 places · in suburb
Cowra Early Childhood Services OOSH29 places · in suburb
+1 more in Cowra LGA
Shortlist workspace

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Current status
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Sources & freshness
Strong evidence

Cowra carries enough direct local evidence for a first-pass decision.

QuickProperty mixes release files, Census baselines, and matched local services on this page. Read the status panel before treating every metric as equally fresh.

PRICE POSTURE
NSW price medians are parser-guarded official records.

Official sale records parsed from cached Bulk PSI ZIP files with parser guardrails for token sales, non-house zoning, and low-value strata component records

RENT POSTURE
Rent is using a state market dataset when available.

Use current rent as a starting signal, not as a fixed underwriting truth.

SERVICE POSTURE
Service coverage is matched locally, not inferred nationally.

Schools, transport, and hospitals are useful as presence signals, but they still have different source cadences.

Data status
Property prices
NSW Valuer General · 2026-Q2 · Official sale records parsed from cached Bulk PSI ZIP files with parser guardrails for token sales, non-house zoning, and low-value strata component records
medium stability · automated · every update · weekly
Available
Market rent
NSW Fair Trading · 2026-06 · State market dataset
stable source · automated · every update · monthly
Available
Crime
BOCSAR · April 2025 - March 2026 · Area-level release dataset
medium stability · automated · every update · release-based
Available
Schools
ACARA 2025 · 7 schools matched
stable source · automated · every update · annual
Available
Hospitals
AIHW · 1 hospitals matched
medium stability · manual file · snapshot · mixed
Available
Transport
GTFS feeds · 362 matched stops/stations
medium stability · manual file · snapshot · mixed
Available
Population growth
ABS ERP · 2025 · Annual estimate series
stable source · automated · every update · annual
Available
Building approvals
ABS Building Approvals · 2026 · Annual release series
stable source · automated · every update · monthly
Available
Available means a direct local dataset is linked. Verify means coverage exists but freshness or precision is weaker, such as ABS price fallback, Census rent fallback, or low-confidence hospital matching.

Cowra FAQ

Common questions
  1. What LGA is Cowra in?

    Cowra is in the Cowra Local Government Area, NSW, postcode 2794. Council-level context for Cowra LGA (suburb mix, population, rent, and price coverage) is available on the QuickProperty LGA page.

  2. What is the median house price in Cowra?

    The current median house price in Cowra, NSW is $500K, based on the latest available sales data from state Valuers General offices and ABS Data by Region.

  3. What is the typical weekly rent in Cowra?

    The median weekly rent in Cowra is $400/wk, based on the current market rent dataset. The current rent signal is income-stretched rent market.

  4. What does the rent signal say about Cowra?

    Income-stretched rent market: Weekly rent screens at about 44% of annual income. Use this as a suburb screening signal before comparing candidates or modelling a purchase; the matching rent ranking can provide broader market context.

  5. Is Cowra a good investment?

    QuickProperty's investment signals for Cowra show: Moderate Yield, Below Median, Moderate. These are computed from price, rent, income, and population data — not an opaque score.

  6. Where does QuickProperty get its data for Cowra?

    Property prices come from state Valuers General offices and ABS Data by Region. Demographics are from ABS Census 2021. School ICSEA scores are from ACARA. Crime statistics are from state police agencies. Transport data is sourced from GTFS feeds.

  7. How often is the Cowra data updated?

    Property prices update quarterly. RBA macro indicators update with each deploy. Demographics are from Census 2021. School ICSEA scores are from ACARA 2025.