Cobden VIC 3266
Cobden sits 198 km from Melbourne CBD in Victoria, around 2 hours 25 minutes by car. Census data records 1,804 residents with a median age of 51 and a median household income of $60,424 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the bottom 20% nationally. Population fell 1.9% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $220 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,083. The area shows no recorded flood exposure. Of 3 schools within the town boundary, 1 ranks above the state average, and walkability is low.
Is Cobden a good town?
Cobden scores a C (41/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on prices, weaker on transit and community.
Mixed results
3 schools · 1 above peer schools
Car-dependent
Walkability 0/100 · 197.9 km · 147 min drive to Melbourne
More affordable than most
Median $410K · More affordable than 87% of VIC
Moderate bushfire risk
Fire 56/100 · Crime 52/100 · Flood 0/100
Highly disadvantaged
SEIFA decile 2/10 · median age 51 · 1,804 residents
Liveability Rating
41 / 100 · Ranked #550 in VICEach bar is Cobden's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Cobden?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
41 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataCobden's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $410,000, roughly 10% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$410,000
Based on 44 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 52 days — median across 26 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 6 sales $450K
- 3 bed 23 sales $405K
- 4 bed 10 sales $560K
Units
$307,500
Based on only 8 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 7 sales $300K
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Cobden are currently listed at around $865,000 on average. Based on 4 houses listed in the past six months.
$865K
4 houses listed in the last 6 months.
6 of the suburb's 733 dwellings (0.8%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Short-Stay Rentals
6 active Airbnb listings: 4 whole homes and 2 rooms. Whole homes are about 0.5% of the town's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Cobden safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Cobden sits in the moderate band, with 70 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 27% on the prior year.
70 offences
27.1% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202510 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 2 of them fatal
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the town carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
Three schools serve Cobden, and the cohort skews above peer-suburb performance. Cobden Primary School leads the pack.
- • 316 students across 3 schools (avg 105)
- • ICSEA 898-978, median 919 (below the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Cobden Technical School (126 students)
Primary
Secondary
Combined
Walkability
Cobden is very car-dependent on foot — at 0/100, nearly all errands require a car.
We hold no public transport timetable data for this area, so public transport is not rated here and the score is spread across the remaining components. It is not counted as zero.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Cobden.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 0.0 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 0.0 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 1.3 arrivals/hr
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Cobden.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 29%
- Premises covered
- 1,001
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Corangamite: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this town alone — this town's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 8 small areas inside this town and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 4 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this town rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Cobden is home to about 1,800 residents, with a median age of 51 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $60,000 a year, with unemployment at 3.2%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
1,804
Median Age
51
Median Household Income
$60,424/yr
Census Median Rent
$220/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,083/mo
Avg Household Size
2.3
Median Personal Income
$32,812/yr
Unemployment Rate
3.2%
Unoccupied Dwellings
12.8%
Total Dwellings
733
Owner-Occupier Rate
78.9%
Houses
92.0%
Rental Stress
18.9%
Mortgage Stress
21.5%
Work From Home
9.1%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
20 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 0 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 148 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 87.4%
- English Spoken at Home
- 93.3%
- Employment Rate
- 51.4%
- Completed Year 12
- 27.3%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
6 residents (0.3%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
4.1% of residents (71) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (60).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 1,740 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
1% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (6 of 784).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $2,335 a year through Corangamite based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 92%
- Residential 4%
- Infrastructure and transport 3%
- Zones under 1% 1%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the town around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Corangamite
In the year to August 2026, 60 new dwellings were approved across Corangamite. That mix is 55 houses and 5 units. Approvals are up 116.7% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2013).
Registered Aboriginal Parties are appointed by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 as the primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of Aboriginal cultural heritage for their area. They are the body to contact about cultural heritage here.
Climate & Setting
from Terang, 18.8 kmModerate rainfall.
- Elevation
- 126 m
- above sea level, at the town centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 32.4 km
- Annual rainfall
- 717 mm
- 105 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- —
- Winter min (Jul)
- —
Elevation is the ground at the town centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
2 facilities within 5 km- 1.6 kmMilk and Cream ProcessingTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10) · Oxides of Nitrogen
- 3.2 km
EV adoption
In postcode 3266, 7 of 3,219 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 0.9% (28 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.1%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3266, 487 rooftop-solar systems totalling 4.8 MW have been installed since 2001, against 1,314 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 17 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $750,000.
The separate First Home Buyer Duty Reduction (stamp-duty concession) runs alongside this grant.
2 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3266 in 2025-26, rank 176 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 23, in 2008-09.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
Land transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with State Revenue Office Victoria
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $750,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with State Revenue Office Victoria.
At $410,000 this is under the $750,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with State Revenue Office Victoria.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Dan Tehan Liberal
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Dan Tehan | 39.1% | 60.9% | -2.3 |
| 2022 | Dan Tehan | 40.9% | 59.1% | -1.1 |
| 2019 | Dan Tehan | 39.6% | 60.4% | +1.2 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact town's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Richard Riordan Liberal
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Richard Riordan LP | 51.8% | 48.2% | 51.8% |
| 2018 | Richard Riordan LP | 51.1% | 44.6% | 55.4% |
| 2014 | Terry Mulder LP | 55.4% | 39.4% | 60.6% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this town's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Cobden?
Every figure above is a town average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 1,804 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Nearby suburbs
Compare Cobden to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other VIC suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Cobden
Is Cobden a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Cobden is moderate (52/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Cobden?
Cobden has a moderate recorded bushfire history (56/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). No mapped flood overlay applies. These are town-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Cobden a good place to live?
Cobden has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (41/100), ranked against other VIC suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Cobden?
Cobden, VIC had a population of 1,804 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Cobden, VIC?
The postcode for Cobden, VIC is 3266.
How far is Cobden from Melbourne?
Cobden is 198 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 147 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Cobden?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Cobden was $60,424 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Cobden?
There are too few current rental listings in Cobden for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $220, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Cobden?
The median age of residents in Cobden was 51 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Cobden at risk of bushfire?
Cobden has a moderate recorded bushfire history (56/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the town relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Cobden?
There are 3 schools inside the Cobden boundary: 1 above and 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
What is the weather like in Cobden?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Cobden, Terang (18.8 km away), 717 mm of rain a year over 105 rainy days over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Cobden?
First-home buyers in VIC may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $750,000. The grant is administered by State Revenue Office Victoria; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Cobden belong to?
Cobden sits within the Corangamite local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Cobden?
The average residential rates bill through Corangamite is $2,335 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Cobden?
Across Corangamite, 60 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 116.7% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Cobden in?
Cobden sits within the federal Division of Wannon, currently held by Dan Tehan (Liberal).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- State electorate · 2022
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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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.