Coogee vs South Coogee

Coogee is the younger of the two, with a median age of 35 against 42 in South Coogee. In Coogee, most households rent and the large majority of homes are flats or apartments. In South Coogee, about half of households rent. Coogee is closer to the city centre: 9.5 km, against 11.1 km. On these figures, Coogee tends to suit young adults and share households, while South Coogee suits families with children.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Coogee

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (16 vs 6)
  • has more childcare (8 vs 3)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • But South Coogee has more separate houses rather than flats (39% vs 11%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Coogee leaves households under less mortgage stress (25% vs 44%)
  • South Coogee has cheaper units ($1,380,000 vs $1,540,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

South Coogee

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($207/wk vs $650/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (10% vs 22%)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Coogee

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (89/100 vs 66/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Coogee

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (90% vs 61%)
  • is more walkable (89/100 vs 66/100)
  • But South Coogee has more residents already 65 and over (18% vs 11%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

South Coogee

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (2.0% vs -3.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Coogee and South Coogee drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Coogee South Coogee
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Coogee South Coogee
Walkability 89 / 66
Coogee — Walkability: 89/100 South Coogee — Walkability: 66/100
Safety 46 / 37
Coogee — Safety: 46/100 South Coogee — Safety: 37/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Coogee — Low fire risk: 100/100 South Coogee — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Coogee rents higher ($650/wk vs $207/wk); Coogee has more residents (14,634 vs 5,611).

Coogee South Coogee
Population 14,634
+62% vs other
 5,611
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -3.8% +2.0%
Median age 35 42
Median household income $154,752/yr
+29% vs other
 $109,460/yr
Median weekly rent $650/wk
+68% vs other
 $207/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Coogee South Coogee
0-4 5.1% / 5.3%
Coogee — 0-4: 5.1% South Coogee — 0-4: 5.3%
5-14 8.3% / 14.5%
Coogee — 5-14: 8.3% South Coogee — 5-14: 14.5%
15-19 3.5% / 6.5%
Coogee — 15-19: 3.5% South Coogee — 15-19: 6.5%
20-24 5.0% / 5.4%
Coogee — 20-24: 5.0% South Coogee — 20-24: 5.4%
25-34 28.1% / 9.6%
Coogee — 25-34: 28.1% South Coogee — 25-34: 9.6%
35-44 18.0% / 12.5%
Coogee — 35-44: 18.0% South Coogee — 35-44: 12.5%
45-54 12.0% / 15.6%
Coogee — 45-54: 12.0% South Coogee — 45-54: 15.6%
55-64 9.2% / 12.7%
Coogee — 55-64: 9.2% South Coogee — 55-64: 12.7%
65-74 6.4% / 9.4%
Coogee — 65-74: 6.4% South Coogee — 65-74: 9.4%
75-84 3.3% / 6.1%
Coogee — 75-84: 3.3% South Coogee — 75-84: 6.1%
85+ 1.1% / 2.6%
Coogee — 85+: 1.1% South Coogee — 85+: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (28.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Coogee 40.6% lone person
Coogee — Lone Person: 40.6% Coogee — Couple Families: 30.6% Coogee — One Parent Families: 9.4% Coogee — Group Household: 17.5% Coogee — Other Families: 1.8%
South Coogee 37.8% lone person
South Coogee — Lone Person: 37.8% South Coogee — Couple Families: 43.2% South Coogee — One Parent Families: 14.0% South Coogee — Group Household: 4.1% South Coogee — Other Families: 0.8%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Coogee 55.6% renting
Coogee — Owned Outright: 23.5% Coogee — Mortgage: 20.9% Coogee — Renting: 55.6%
South Coogee 48.4% renting
South Coogee — Owned Outright: 25.7% South Coogee — Mortgage: 25.9% South Coogee — Renting: 48.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Coogee South Coogee
Bachelor Degree 30.8% / 19.8%
Coogee — Bachelor Degree: 30.8% South Coogee — Bachelor Degree: 19.8%
Postgraduate Degree 13.4% / 9.1%
Coogee — Postgraduate Degree: 13.4% South Coogee — Postgraduate Degree: 9.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.0% / 7.3%
Coogee — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.0% South Coogee — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3%
Certificate III & IV 7.5% / 6.5%
Coogee — Certificate III & IV: 7.5% South Coogee — Certificate III & IV: 6.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.1% / 2.0%
Coogee — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1% South Coogee — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (30.8%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Coogee South Coogee
England 9.9% / 5.0%
Coogee — England: 9.9% South Coogee — England: 5.0%
Ireland 4.5% / 1.6%
Coogee — Ireland: 4.5% South Coogee — Ireland: 1.6%
New Zealand 2.6% / 1.4%
Coogee — New Zealand: 2.6% South Coogee — New Zealand: 1.4%
South Africa 1.2% / 2.1%
Coogee — South Africa: 1.2% South Coogee — South Africa: 2.1%
France 1.4% / 1.0%
Coogee — France: 1.4% South Coogee — France: 1.0%
China — / 1.8%
Coogee — China: not among its largest South Coogee — China: 1.8%
Brazil 1.6% / —
Coogee — Brazil: 1.6% South Coogee — Brazil: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Coogee 80.5% flats / apartments
Coogee — Flats / Apartments: 80.5% Coogee — Houses: 10.6% Coogee — Townhouses: 9.0%
South Coogee 42.9% flats / apartments
South Coogee — Flats / Apartments: 42.9% South Coogee — Houses: 38.8% South Coogee — Townhouses: 18.3%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Coogee South Coogee
Median house price $4,225,000 $4,450,000
Median unit price $1,540,000 $1,380,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 26 sales
 27 days
from 35 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Coogee South Coogee
3 bed $3.61M / $3.2M
Coogee — 3 bed: $3.61M (14 sales) South Coogee — 3 bed: $3.2M (15 sales)

14 vs 15 sales

4 bed $3.91M / $4.45M
Coogee — 4 bed: $3.91M (16 sales) South Coogee — 4 bed: $4.45M (38 sales)

16 vs 38 sales

5 bed $5.58M / $7.3M
Coogee — 5 bed: $5.58M (9 sales) South Coogee — 5 bed: $7.3M (19 sales)

9 vs 19 sales

Zoning mix

Coogee South Coogee
Residential 76% 83%
Parks and recreation 17% 11%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 6%
Commercial 4% 0%
Planning zones cover 99% of Coogee and 100% of South Coogee. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Coogee South Coogee
New dwellings approved 455
across Randwick
same for both
Approvals change year on year -26%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Coogee South Coogee
Houses —
same for both
Units 3.7%
$992/wk on $1.41M
 —

Ranking within NSW

Coogee South Coogee
House price Higher than 98% of NSW
same for both
Income Higher than 95% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 87% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 6% of NSW Higher than 2% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 96% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 87% of NSW
same for both
Rental yield (units) Higher than 14% of NSW —

Liveability

Coogee is more walkable (89 vs 66); Coogee scores higher overall (88 vs 72).

Coogee South Coogee
Grade A+ A
Score 88/100 72/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Coogee South Coogee
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
54/100
 Moderate
63/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
39/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 5
within 5 km
 18
within 5 km

Schools

Coogee South Coogee
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 3
The University of New South Wales, 3.2 km
 3
The University of New South Wales, 3.8 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.4% 3.4%

Schools in Coogee

  • St Brigid's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Coogee Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in South Coogee

  • South Coogee Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Coogee South Coogee
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 40 1
Parks & reserves 16 6
Childcare 8 3
GPs 4 0
Pharmacies 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 0 1
Beaches 1 0
Waterways 1 2

Mobility

Coogee South Coogee
Walkability score 89/100 66/100
Distance to Sydney 9.5 km 11.1 km
+17% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 21 min 24 min
Public transport score 94/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 473.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 195.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.5%
postcode 2034
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 10
postcode 2034
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Coogee South Coogee
Worked from Home 61.0% / 55.6%
Coogee — Worked from Home: 61.0% South Coogee — Worked from Home: 55.6%
Car (driver) 25.6% / 34.9%
Coogee — Car (driver): 25.6% South Coogee — Car (driver): 34.9%
Bus 5.1% / 3.6%
Coogee — Bus: 5.1% South Coogee — Bus: 3.6%
Walked Only 4.7% / 1.5%
Coogee — Walked Only: 4.7% South Coogee — Walked Only: 1.5%
Car (passenger) 1.5% / 3.2%
Coogee — Car (passenger): 1.5% South Coogee — Car (passenger): 3.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (61.0%).

Setting

Coogee South Coogee
Elevation 12 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 69 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 331 m
347 m to a named beach
 513 m
1.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Coogee South Coogee
Connectivity score 77/100
same for both
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 5%
8,053 premises
 5%
2,416 premises

Climate

Coogee South Coogee
Annual rainfall 1,129 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 9.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Coogee South Coogee
PM2.5 6.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 16.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.64 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Coogee South Coogee
Average residential rate $1,641/yr
same for both
Council Randwick
same for both

Federal electorate

Coogee South Coogee
Division Kingsford Smith
same for both
Member Matt Thistlethwaite
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Coogee South Coogee
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Coogee

Apartments Beach Beachfront Coastal Easy Commute Inner Parks Premium Professionals Transport Hub Urban

South Coogee

Apartments Beach Coastal Luxury Middle-Ring Parks Professionals Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Coogee

Coogee vs Randwick Coogee vs Clovelly

Other comparisons with South Coogee

South Coogee vs Maroubra South Coogee vs Randwick
Full data on Coogee Full data on South Coogee
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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