Cowra vs Canowindra

Comparing Cowra and Canowindra, NSW: Cowra has more residents (10,145 vs 2,437); Canowindra scores higher overall (38 vs 31); and Cowra sits further from the CBD (318.6 km vs 316.1 km).

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

Cowra

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (23 vs 5)
  • has more childcare (7 vs 2)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (7 vs 3)

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

First-home buyers

Canowindra

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper land ($197,000 vs $272,500)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Canowindra

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (316.1 km vs 318.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Investors

Canowindra

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (7.9% vs 0.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Cowra Canowindra
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.

Cowra Canowindra
Walkability 14 / 8
Cowra — Walkability: 14/100 Canowindra — Walkability: 8/100
Safety 16 / 25
Cowra — Safety: 16/100 Canowindra — Safety: 25/100
Low fire risk 70 / 74
Cowra — Low fire risk: 70/100 Canowindra — Low fire risk: 74/100

Demographics

Cowra has more residents (10,145 vs 2,437); Canowindra skews older (48 vs 46).

Cowra Canowindra
Population 10,145
+76% vs other
 2,437
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +0.8% +7.9%
Median age 46 48
Median household income $57,564/yr $57,148/yr
Median weekly rent $230/wk
+4% vs other
 $220/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Cowra Canowindra
0-4 5.5% / 4.9%
Cowra — 0-4: 5.5% Canowindra — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 12.1% / 12.4%
Cowra — 5-14: 12.1% Canowindra — 5-14: 12.4%
15-19 5.8% / 6.0%
Cowra — 15-19: 5.8% Canowindra — 15-19: 6.0%
20-24 5.4% / 4.2%
Cowra — 20-24: 5.4% Canowindra — 20-24: 4.2%
25-34 10.4% / 8.5%
Cowra — 25-34: 10.4% Canowindra — 25-34: 8.5%
35-44 9.7% / 9.4%
Cowra — 35-44: 9.7% Canowindra — 35-44: 9.4%
45-54 11.9% / 12.3%
Cowra — 45-54: 11.9% Canowindra — 45-54: 12.3%
55-64 13.1% / 15.0%
Cowra — 55-64: 13.1% Canowindra — 55-64: 15.0%
65-74 13.7% / 14.7%
Cowra — 65-74: 13.7% Canowindra — 65-74: 14.7%
75-84 8.6% / 9.3%
Cowra — 75-84: 8.6% Canowindra — 75-84: 9.3%
85+ 3.7% / 3.0%
Cowra — 85+: 3.7% Canowindra — 85+: 3.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Cowra 47.1% lone person
Cowra — Lone Person: 47.1% Cowra — Couple Families: 31.0% Cowra — One Parent Families: 17.3% Cowra — Group Household: 3.2% Cowra — Other Families: 1.5%
Canowindra 45.0% lone person
Canowindra — Lone Person: 45.0% Canowindra — Couple Families: 34.2% Canowindra — One Parent Families: 15.3% Canowindra — Group Household: 4.6% Canowindra — Other Families: 0.9%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Cowra 29.3% renting
Cowra — Owned Outright: 43.4% Cowra — Mortgage: 27.4% Cowra — Renting: 29.3%
Canowindra 23.0% renting
Canowindra — Owned Outright: 48.8% Canowindra — Mortgage: 28.2% Canowindra — Renting: 23.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Cowra Canowindra
Certificate III & IV 16.8% / 15.7%
Cowra — Certificate III & IV: 16.8% Canowindra — Certificate III & IV: 15.7%
Bachelor Degree 6.2% / 8.2%
Cowra — Bachelor Degree: 6.2% Canowindra — Bachelor Degree: 8.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.9% / 6.4%
Cowra — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.9% Canowindra — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.4%
Postgraduate Degree 1.2% / 1.3%
Cowra — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2% Canowindra — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 0.8%
Cowra — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Canowindra — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.8%).

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.

Cowra Canowindra
England 1.3% / 1.4%
Cowra — England: 1.3% Canowindra — England: 1.4%
New Zealand 0.6% / 0.6%
Cowra — New Zealand: 0.6% Canowindra — New Zealand: 0.6%
India 0.4% / 0.7%
Cowra — India: 0.4% Canowindra — India: 0.7%
Germany 0.3% / 0.3%
Cowra — Germany: 0.3% Canowindra — Germany: 0.3%
Philippines 0.4% / —
Cowra — Philippines: 0.4% Canowindra — Philippines: not among its largest
China — / 0.3%
Cowra — China: not among its largest Canowindra — China: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (1.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Cowra 90.4% houses
Cowra — Houses: 90.4% Cowra — Townhouses: 6.5% Cowra — Flats / Apartments: 3.1%
Canowindra 94.5% houses
Canowindra — Houses: 94.5% Canowindra — Townhouses: 3.0% Canowindra — Flats / Apartments: 2.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Cowra Canowindra
Median house price $448,550 $420,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $272,500 $197,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 30 days
from 39 sales
 91 days
from 17 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.

Cowra Canowindra
2 bed $445K / $388K
Cowra — 2 bed: $445K (9 sales) Canowindra — 2 bed: $388K (6 sales)

9 vs 6 sales

3 bed $434K / $405K
Cowra — 3 bed: $434K (42 sales) Canowindra — 3 bed: $405K (30 sales)

42 vs 30 sales

4 bed $550K / $505K
Cowra — 4 bed: $550K (19 sales) Canowindra — 4 bed: $505K (9 sales)

19 vs 9 sales

Zoning mix

Cowra Canowindra
Rural and farming 93% 89%
Environmental 2% 9%
Residential 3% 1%
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

Cowra Canowindra
New dwellings approved 33
across Cowra
 29
across Cabonne
Approvals change year on year +0% -43%

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.

Cowra Canowindra
Houses 4.1%
$395/wk on $503K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Cowra Canowindra
House price Higher than 13% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
Income Higher than 17% of NSW
same for both
Schools Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 63% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 65% of NSW Higher than 52% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 82% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 12% of NSW Higher than 32% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 66% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 77% of NSW —

Liveability

Canowindra scores higher overall (38 vs 31).

Cowra Canowindra
Grade C
same for both
Score 31/100 38/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Cowra Canowindra
Bushfire Low
30/100
 Low
26/100
Crime High
84/100
 High
75/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Cowra Canowindra
Inside the suburb 7 3
Rated above peers 2 1
Rated at peers 4 0
Rated below peers 0 2

Schools in Cowra

  • Cowra High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Holmwood Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Cowra Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Mulyan Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • OneSchool Global NSW - Cowra Independent · Primary at peers
  • St Raphael's Catholic School Cowra Catholic · Combined at peers

Schools in Canowindra

  • St Edward's Catholic Primary School Canowindra Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Canowindra High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • Canowindra Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Cowra Canowindra
Supermarkets 3 2
Cafes & restaurants 3
same for both
Parks & reserves 23 5
Childcare 7 2
GPs 3 2
Pharmacies 2 1
Hospitals 2 1
Police stations 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 5 1
Fuel stations 4 0
EV chargers 2 0
Waterways 54 51

Mobility

Cowra sits further from the CBD (318.6 km vs 316.1 km).

Cowra Canowindra
Walkability score 14/100 8/100
Distance to Sydney 318.6 km 316.1 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 262 min 263 min
Public transport score 66/100
Bus
 58/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 80.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 29.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 2794
 0.3%
postcode 2804
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 2794
 64
postcode 2804

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.

Cowra Canowindra
Car (driver) 78.9% / 70.3%
Cowra — Car (driver): 78.9% Canowindra — Car (driver): 70.3%
Worked from Home 9.2% / 19.0%
Cowra — Worked from Home: 9.2% Canowindra — Worked from Home: 19.0%
Walked Only 5.2% / 6.3%
Cowra — Walked Only: 5.2% Canowindra — Walked Only: 6.3%
Car (passenger) 6.3% / 4.4%
Cowra — Car (passenger): 6.3% Canowindra — Car (passenger): 4.4%
Bicycle 0.3% / —
Cowra — Bicycle: 0.3% Canowindra — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (78.9%).

Setting

Cowra Canowindra
Elevation 296 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 336 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Cowra Canowindra
Connectivity score 54/100 48/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 23%
5,530 premises
 19%
1,272 premises

Climate

Cowra Canowindra
Annual rainfall 631 mm 894 mm
Summer max (Jan) 31.3°C 26.3°C
Winter min (Jul) 3.4°C 2.2°C

Council rates

Cowra Canowindra
Average residential rate $583/yr $750/yr
Council Cowra Cabonne

Federal electorate

Cowra Canowindra
Division Riverina Calare
Member Michael Mccormack Andrew Gee
Party The Nationals Independent

First Home Owner Grant

Cowra Canowindra
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Cowra

Affordable Retirees Rural

Canowindra

Affordable Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Cowra

Cowra vs Woodstock Cowra vs Koorawatha Cowra vs Gooloogong Cowra vs Darbys Falls Cowra vs Wattamondara Cowra vs Billimari

Other comparisons with Canowindra

Canowindra vs Eugowra Canowindra vs Woodstock Canowindra vs Cudal Canowindra vs Cargo Canowindra vs Gooloogong Canowindra vs Mandurama
Full data on Cowra Full data on Canowindra
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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