suburb.guide

NT · Katherine Council

Cossack, 0850

Est. population · Jun 2025

1,531

Growth (1 yr)

+0.9%

Growth (5 yr)

+5.0%

Median age

39

Median income

$2,257/wk

Employment rate

57.1%

University qualified

12.6%

Work from home

5.8%

Languages at home

17%non-English

Most common: Australian Indigenous languages, Vietnamese, Filipino

2021 Census · usual residence

Desirability score

27/100
Below average

101st in NT

Verified 74% confidence

How this score is calculated
  • Agricultural
  • Holiday parks
  • Green suburb
  • Remote
What Cossack is known for: Agricultural, Holiday parks, Green suburb, Remote

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Suburb Guide, “Cossack, NT Suburb Guide”, updated 30 September 2026, https://suburb.guide/nt/cossack-nt

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Suburb profile

Cossack is a remote locality in the Northern Territory, in Katherine Council.

Open-space access is better than in most comparable places, well above typical levels for remote localities. Household incomes are a relative strength, with household incomes 78% above the peer median, and green cover is another area where the suburb performs particularly well, and university qualifications are more common than in comparable places, and working from home is another of the suburb's defining strengths, and population growth is another of the suburb's defining strengths, with population growth 20% above the peer median.

Cossack is a better fit for people who value open space and university qualifications.

Generated from the official metrics on this page. It can omit nuance or contain errors — check the tables and source notes before relying on it.

Strengths and weaknesses

Remote locality · compared with remote localities in Northern Territory (174)

Strengths

  • Household incomes are a relative strength
  • Green cover is a relative strength
  • Open-space access is better than in most comparable places
  • University qualifications are more common than in comparable places
  • Working from home is a relative strength
  • Population growth is a relative strength

Weaknesses

No relative weaknesses against comparable places.

What stands out

Nothing distinctive beyond the usual profile.

Who it suits

  • Families
  • Professionals
  • Retirees
  • StudentsInsufficient data
  • Budget buyersInsufficient data

Housing, growth and risk

How Cossack compares

A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk

Median house price

—

No data available

Median rent (Census)

$250/wk

2021 Census median weekly rent

Population (ERP)

1,531

+0.9% annual growth

Dwelling vacancy

12.0%

Census unoccupied dwellings

Livability profile

Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)

How it compares

Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles

Desirability

#13

among Country & regional · Emerging

Pop. growth

47th

percentile in NT

Rented dwellings

27%

2021 Census tenure

Advantage (IRSAD)

5/10

national SEIFA decile

Population growth

Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years

Housing mix

Dwelling types from the 2021 Census

Risks & flags

Quick scan — open a section below for full context

Living here

Desirability

Ranks & confidence
Desirability score
27.0/100 — Below average
National rank
6669th in Australia
State rank
101st in NT
Peer rank
#13 among Country & regional · Emerging suburbs
Cohort rank
#41 among Country & regional suburbs
Data confidence
74%

Data sources & freshness

  • Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated

Population

Estimated resident population

1,531(June 2025)

+0.9% annual · +5.0% over 5 years · 47th percentile in NT

Growth figures & methodology
Annual growth
+0.9%
5-year growth
+5.0%
Change in 1 year
+13
Change in 5 years
+73
Growth rank in NT
47th percentile

ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.

Methodology

Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.

The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~1,550), extrapolated at +0.5% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.

2021 Census figures

2021 Census

Population
1,293
Median age
39
Median household income / week
$2,257
Dwelling vacancy
12%
Unoccupied private dwellings
51 of 426
Median monthly mortgage
$2,000
Median weekly rent (2021 Census)
$250
Tenure (owned / mortgaged / rented)
32.1% / 41.1% / 26.8%
Employment rate
57.1%
Travel to work (WFH / public transport / car)
5.8% / 0% / 83%
Walked or cycled to work
3.1%
Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
316 / 0 / 0 (+ 34 other)

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%) · Accessibility (12%) · Future Growth (6%)

Employment, household income and owned-outright tenure (2021 Census) Work-from-home and public-transport commute shares (2021 Census) Five-year population change as a healthy-growth band, not a boom bonus

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries

Qualifications

12.6% of adults have a university degree, compared with 21.4% across Northern Territory. 21.3% have a trade or vocational qualification.

  • University qualified12.6% · 21.4% NT
  • Diploma qualified7.1% · 7.5% NT
  • Trade / vocational21.3% · 16.1% NT
  • Year 12 or below58.9% · 55% NT

Highest qualification field

Main field of the highest non-school qualification (2021 Census).

  • Engineering and related technologies22.1%
  • Management and commerce17.5%
  • Health14.5%
  • Society and culture10.9%
  • Education8.8%
  • Architecture and building8.6%
How these groups are defined
MeasureDefinition
University qualifiedBachelor degree or higher
Diploma qualifiedAdvanced Diploma / Diploma
Trade / vocationalCertificate III + IV
Year 12Year 12 as highest attainment
Below Year 12Year 11 / 10 / 9 or below

People aged 15 years and over, 2021 Census. University, diploma and trade shares match ABS highest educational attainment (HEAP). Year 12 and below Year 12 are combined in the chart because the General Community Profile reports school-only attainment as a residual.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

University qualifications from the 2021 Census

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Tax & income

Median taxable income (2023–24)
$67,470

50th percentile in NT · +15% vs Australia

Median salary / wages (2023–24)
$69,423

41st percentile in NT · +7% vs Australia

Residents with rental investments
12.0%

35th percentile in NT · -13% vs Australia

Median super balance (2023–24)
$34,599

29th percentile in NT · -45% vs Australia

Residents with business income
7.0%

44th percentile in NT · -33% vs Australia

Australian Taxation Office Taxation Statistics 2023–24, individuals Table 25. Figures describe taxpayers who live in postcode 0850 — not a suburb-level official statistic. Rental investment is the share of local taxpayers reporting rental income or loss, not the share of local properties owned by investors.

Counts, net rent & state comparison
Taxpayers in this postcode
4,418
Taxpayers reporting net rent
520
Median net rent
-$256
Taxpayers reporting business income
289
Taxable income vs state median
0%
Salary / wages vs state median
-3%
Rental investment vs state median
-14%
Super vs state median
-35%
Business income vs state median
0%

Percentiles rank this postcode among unique postcodes in NT, so suburbs that share a postcode are not counted twice. Dollar figures are compared with Australia-wide ATO medians from the same release. Median net rent is among taxpayers who reported the rent label and can be negative.

Data sources & freshness

  • Taxation Statistics 2023–24 — individuals by postcode (Table 25) — Australian Taxation Office · Updated · Annual release; taxpayer residential postcode, not suburb boundary

Seasonal & agricultural work

4.9% of employed residents work in agriculture, forestry and fishing, 2.1× the Australian share (2.3%) — compared with 2.2% across Northern Territory.

Agriculture, forestry & fishing
4.9%

71st percentile in NT · +113% vs Australia

Resident workers (2021)
29
WHM specified work
Subclass 417 / 462

Postcode 0850

Occupation mix in this industry

2021 Census G56, residents employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing. Counts below 10 are not shown.

  • Managers12

Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census General Community Profile tables G54 (industry of employment) and G56 (industry by occupation), Statistical Area Level (suburb), place of usual residence. Figures are residents’ main job in the week before Census night — not jobs located in the suburb. Agriculture, forestry and fishing is the 1-digit ANZSIC division; grape growing and other 3- and 4-digit industries are not in this datapack. The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Plant and animal cultivation in postcode 0850 (Northern and Regional Australia) may count as specified work for Working Holiday Maker visas (subclasses 417 and 462). This is a postcode rule from the Home Affairs instruments — not evidence that seasonal jobs exist here, and not a count of WHM residents. Home Affairs specified work · LIN 22/012 · LIN 22/013. Compilation used: 5 April 2025.

Region employment estimates (SA4, not this suburb)

Jobs and Skills Australia NERO modelled estimates for Northern Territory - Outback (SA4 702), 2026-08. These figures describe the broader region, not this suburb, and occupations are not added together.

  • Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 8415825
  • Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 1213355
  • Crop Farmers ANZSCO 1212124
  • Crop Farm Workers ANZSCO 8412118
  • Other Farm, Forestry and Garden Workers ANZSCO 8419101
  • Agricultural, Forestry and Horticultural Plant Operators ANZSCO 7211100
  • Aquaculture Workers ANZSCO 841135
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farmers ANZSCO 121432
  • Mixed Crop and Livestock Farm Workers ANZSCO 841610
  • Forestry and Logging Workers ANZSCO 841310

Northern Territory - Outback is a Statistical Area Level 4. Fruit, nut and vegetable workers are not published separately in NERO (they sit under ANZSCO 8412). Jobs and Skills Australia warns not to sum occupations or geographies. NERO data. Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation, Jobs and Skills Australia, Commonwealth of Australia. CC BY 4.0.

Census employed residents counted in G54: 587 · AFF share +123% vs the state.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — industry of employment (G54/G56), place of usual residence — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated · Resident main job in the week before Census night, not jobs located in the suburb

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

  • WHM specified work areas (LIN 22/012 and LIN 22/013) — Department of Home Affairs · 2025-04-05 · Updated · Postcode eligibility for plant and animal cultivation; not a count of WHM residents
  • Nowcast of Employment by Region and Occupation (NERO), SA4 × ANZSCO 4-digit — Jobs and Skills Australia · 2026-08 · Updated · Monthly modelled SA4 estimates; not suburb-level. CC BY 4.0

Community & culture

17% speak a language other than English at home; 10.8% born overseas

Language at home
886 English only · 181 other
Non-English at home
17%
Born overseas
116 (10.8%)
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
269 (20.8%)
Australian citizens
1,046
Languages spoken at home (other than English)
5

Top languages other than English

Share of residents who speak a language other than English at home (2021 Census).

  • Australian Indigenous languages63 · 80.8%
  • Vietnamese5 · 6.4%
  • Filipino4 · 5.1%
  • German3 · 3.8%
  • Tagalog3 · 3.8%

Religion

43.2%No religion

No religion is the most common response at 43.2%, while Christianity accounts for 37.3%.

MeasureSuburbState
No religion43.2%38.1%
Christianity37.3%40.5%
Other / not stated19.6%21.5%
Christian denominations
DenominationSuburbState
Catholic15.2%16.9%
Anglican8.5%6%
Pentecostal4.4%1.3%
Uniting Church2.3%3.7%
Baptist2.2%2.4%

2021 Census — languages spoken at home, birthplace, Indigenous status, and religious affiliation (usual residence). Religion is optional on the Census form.

Data sources & freshness

  • 2021 Census — General Community Profile (including method of travel to work and educational attainment) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated

    The 2026 Census was conducted in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.

Crime & safety

Figures are for the Katherine reporting region, not this suburb alone.

Reported offences are running lower than the same point last year.

Offence counts & rates
Total offences (Jan 2026 to Sep 2026)
1,473
Against the person
671
Against property
802
Rate per 1,000 residents (annualised)
177.5
State crime-rate percentile
80.6th (higher = more crime)
Decrease (daily rate, partial year)
-27.7%

Most common offence types

  • 021 Serious Assault
  • 023 Common Assault
  • 061 Burglary - Dwelling (House Break-Ins), Actual
  • 07* Other Theft
  • 11 Property Damage Offences

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Crime rate, offences against the person, year-on-year trend and recorded road crash rates

Data sources & freshness

  • NT Police crime statistics (reporting region / SA2) — Northern Territory Police · Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 → Jan 2026 to Sep 2026; Jan 2026 to Sep 2026 · Updated · Monthly CSV; regional totals where suburb-level data unavailable

Family & Lifestyle

Amenities

5 mapped amenities

1 caravan parks · 2 campgrounds

Local character & venue list

Local character

  • Limited walkable amenities nearby
Walkability proxy
0/100
Cafés per 1,000 residents
0
Food & drink per 1,000 residents
0
Parks per 1,000 residents
0.77
Sport & outdoors(2)
  • Katherine Rail TrailCycling route
  • Kintore Caves Conservation ReserveNature reserve
Camping & holiday parks(3)
  • Manbulloo HomesteadCampground
  • North BankCampground
  • Takaru - Northen Territory Katherine Low LevelCaravan park

    20 Shadforth Road

Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually. Campgrounds, beaches, wineries and local trails are included when they sit inside the suburb boundary.

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Food, shopping, recreation and sport per 1,000 residents (OpenStreetMap)

Data sources & freshness

  • Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
  • OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated

Green cover

Green cover of suburb area
0.3%
Woodland / forest cover
0.3%
Parks & woodland features (OSM)
4
Parks (OSM)
1
Typical summer maximum
34°C

Green cover is the share of this suburb's boundary overlapping OpenStreetMap parks, woodland and forest polygons — not a satellite tree-canopy product. Summer maximum is the WorldClim / Open-Meteo seasonal normal already collected for Weather.

Contributes to desirability score · Environment (12%)

Tree canopy first, then green-cover area and parks per 1,000

Data sources & freshness

  • OpenStreetMap green cover and tree canopy — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated · Park/woodland polygons intersected with suburb boundaries

Health access

Nearest hospital
Katherine Hospital (9.7 km)
Nearest hospital type
Hospital
Nearest hospital emergency
Emergency department
GP clinics in suburb
0

GP clinic counts from OpenStreetMap. Bulk-billing figures only include clinics tagged in OSM (sparse and unofficial — not a Medicare list).

Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (12%)

Hospitals, GPs and aged care

Data sources & freshness

NDIS participation

NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
55
Participants per 1,000 residents
35.9

Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.

For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.

Data sources & freshness

Weather

Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.

Summer (Dec–Feb)

Usual max / min
34° / 24°
Rainfall
681 mm · ~85 rainy days

Autumn (Mar–May)

Usual max / min
34° / 21°
Rainfall
203 mm · ~25 rainy days

Winter (Jun–Aug)

Usual max / min
32° / 16°
Rainfall
8 mm · ~1 rainy days

Spring (Sep–Nov)

Usual max / min
37° / 23°
Rainfall
142 mm · ~18 rainy days

Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (12%)

Temperature and humidity comfort

Data sources & freshness

  • Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated

Future & Planning

Hazards

Bushfire planning zone
Overlay applies

Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via state planning hazard mapping. Flood cover uses inundation polygons against the suburb boundary where published.

Contributes to desirability score · Safety (22%)

Bushfire and flood hazard overlays

Data sources & freshness

Politics & representation

Federal electorate
Lingiari
Member of Parliament
Marion SCRYMGOUR (Australian Labor Party)
Results from
2025 federal election
Electorate enrolment (2025)
76,817
Turnout (2025)
62.2%
Swing since 2022 (2025)
+6.5 pp toward Labor

Two-party preferred (2025)

Coalition 41.9%Labor 58.1%

Estimated suburb voting profile

Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 246.5 km away).

Coalition 53.1%Labor 46.9%

11.2 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate

Estimated swing since 2022: +1.8 pp toward Labor

Nearest polling places

  • Katherine SouthLabor 43.2% · Coalition 56.8% TPP (2025)10.0 km away
  • Katherine NorthLabor 50.0% · Coalition 50.0% TPP (2025)10.8 km away
  • Katherine EastLabor 48.5% · Coalition 51.5% TPP (2025)13.8 km away
  • TindalLabor 49.4% · Coalition 50.6% TPP (2025)24.9 km away
  • Berry SpringsLabor 36.1% · Coalition 63.9% TPP (2025)231.1 km away

Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.

Data sources & freshness

Socio-economic

IRSAD decile (2021)
5/10
IRSD decile (2021)
3/10

ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).

What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?

IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.

IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.

A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.

Contributes to desirability score · Community (12%)

Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD and IRSD deciles)

Data sources & freshness

Compare with

Similar suburbs to weigh up side by side — scores, safety, schools, and lifestyle.

More in Katherine Council

Other suburbs in the same local government area.

Comparable suburbs

Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of Northern Territory.