NSW · Mid-Western Regional Council
Cooks Gap, 2850
Current weather
11.8°CClear sky
69% humidity · 16.6 km/h wind · 15.7° / 9.2° today · 15 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
In Mid-Western Regional, Cooks Gap keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. Distance from the capital is noticeable, but the trade-off is space, calm and a community that knows its neighbours. Open skies and rolling countryside set a calm backdrop to everyday routines.
The area suits established families and long-term locals, with a strong presence of young families throughout. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice, and that is part of the charm. Public transport is a genuine asset, linking residents to work, study and nearby neighbourhoods.
Housing remains accessible compared with many parts of the state. Light infill development is updating a few streets while the wider area stays largely unchanged.
On the desirability index, the suburb sits below average overall, mainly because growth momentum and local dining and lifestyle amenities lag similar regional towns, despite relative strength in transport and access. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 549
- Median age
- 43
- Median household income / week
- $1,637
- Dwelling vacancy
- 14.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 32 of 224
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,700
- Employment rate
- 54.1%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 20 / 0 / 0
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $420
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $630
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $620
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 210
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · Period: January to March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 39
- Against the person
- 13
- Against property
- 13
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 71
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 42 residents
- State safety percentile
- 49.4th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +0.3%
Reported offences are unchanged compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order107
- Breach Bail Conditions86
- Domestic Violence Related Assault102
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment183
- Malicious Damage To Property142
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
Public transport
43 public transport stops in this suburb
- Cooks Gap Rural Fire Brigade, Ulan Rd
- Ulan Rd At Winchester Cres
- Ulan Rd At Wyaldra Lane
- Ulan Rd Before Ridge Rd
- Ulan Rd Opp Wyaldra Lane
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
21 planning-related records
2025· 1 proposal
May 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool1620 SPRING CREEK ROAD COOKS GAP 2850Determined
2024· 4 proposals
October 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure97 WINCHESTER CRESCENT COOKS GAP 2850Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Manufactured home; Residential Accommodation845 RIDGE ROAD, COOKS GAP 2850Determined
February 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Intensive plant agriculture; Horticulture2728 ULAN ROAD COOKS GAP 2850Determined
January 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure36 WYALDRA PARK ROAD COOKS GAP 2850Determined
2023· 8 proposals
October 2023
- Farm building36 WYALDRA PARK ROAD COOKS GAP 2850Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool1620 SPRING CREEK ROAD COOKS GAP 2850Determined
August 2023
- Dwelling321 RIDGE ROAD COOKS GAP 2850Determined
July 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing267 RIDGE ROAD COOKS GAP 2850Determined
April 2023
- Dwelling171 RIDGE ROAD COOKS GAP 2850Withdrawn
February 2023
- Shed1620 SPRING CREEK ROAD COOKS GAP 2850Determined
January 2023
- Dwelling845 RIDGE ROAD, COOKS GAP 2850Determined
- Shed499 RIDGE ROAD COOKS GAP 2850Determined
2022· 3 proposals
November 2022
- Other842 RIDGE ROAD COOKS GAP 2850Determined
October 2022
- Dwelling2505 ULAN ROAD COOKS GAP 2850Determined
June 2022
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces59 WYALDRA LANE COOKS GAP 2850Determined
2021· 5 proposals
November 2021
- Other842 RIDGE ROAD COOKS GAP 2850Determined
July 2021
- Dwelling510 RIDGE ROAD COOKS GAP 2850Determined
- Dwelling3477 ULAN ROAD COOKS GAP 2850Determined
- Shed16 JINDALEE ROAD COOKS GAP 2850Determined
June 2021
- Dwelling787 RIDGE ROAD COOKS GAP 2850Determined
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020–2026 · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 1/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 3/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 3
- Parks (OSM)
- 0
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 25.1/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6054th in Australia
- State rank
- 1888th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #321 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #877 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 70%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Breach Apprehended Violence Ordercrime107
- Breach Bail Conditionscrime86
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime102
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime183
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime142
- Cooks Gap Rural Fire Brigade, Ulan Rdtransport
- Ulan Rd At Winchester Crestransport
- Ulan Rd At Wyaldra Lanetransport
- Ulan Rd Before Ridge Rdtransport
- Ulan Rd Opp Wyaldra Lanetransport
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
More in Mid-Western Regional Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.