Moving to Cook ACT 2614
What the official numbers say about living in Cook — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $440 a week, against a median household income of $2,269 a week.
About 75% of homes are owner-occupied and 24% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Cook grew 2% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (2,901 → 2,965 people).
Around 65% of households are families, averaging 2.3 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, United States, India; most spoken languages besides English: Spanish, Mandarin, French.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Cook sits in the country’s more advantaged bracket (decile 10 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (66% of workers), while 16% work from home.
Nearest train station: Canberra, 10 km south-east.
Nearest light rail stop: Ipima Street, 5.9 km east.
Nearest bus interchange: Belconnen Community Bus Station, 2.2 km north.
Nearest airport: Canberra Airport, 12.6 km south-east.
The Canberra CBD is roughly 6 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 19 schools · 94 cafes & restaurants · 19 supermarkets · 7 parks · 6 beaches — see them all on the Cook profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: St Vincent's Primary School 1 km · Canberra High School 1.1 km · Macquarie Primary School 1.2 km · Aranda Primary School 1.2 km · Weetangera Primary School 2 km · University of Canberra Senior Secondary College Lake Ginninderra 2.4 km · Radford College 2.5 km · Belconnen High School 3 km
Groceries: The Cook Grocer 350 m · Aldi 850 m · Coles 850 m · Oriental Groceries 2 km · Namaste Canberra Grocery 2 km · Asian Supa Grocery 2 km · D Mart 2.1 km · Apna Indian Bazaar 2.1 km
Parks and reserves: Pat Rubly Park 600 m · Margaret Timpson Park 2.4 km · Soundy Close Pedestrian Parkland 2.4 km · Ellen Clark Park 2.5 km · Emu Bank Pedestrian Parkland 2.5 km · Evelyn Parker Place Pedestrian Parkland 2.7 km · John Knight Memorial Park 2.7 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Cook, most often seen first: Australian Magpie · Red Wattlebird · Crimson Rosella · Pied Currawong · Sulphur-crested Cockatoo · Magpie-lark.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Cook, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook here | 2,965 | — | 10/10 | 17% |
| Macquarie | 3,104 | — | 9/10 | 10% |
| Aranda | 2,605 | — | 10/10 | 16% |
| Belconnen | 8,502 | — | 9/10 | 12% |
| Weetangera | 2,795 | — | 10/10 | 13% |
| Page | 3,054 | — | 8/10 | 12% |
| Hawker | 3,008 | — | 10/10 | 14% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Unincorporated ACT — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Canberra — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 2614 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Cook profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $440 a week, and about 24% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 2% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 2,901 people to 2,965. It sits about 6 km from the Canberra CBD in a straight line, and Canberra station is roughly 10 km away. Local government is Unincorporated ACT council, and the federal seat is Canberra.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Cook vs Macquarie · Cook vs Aranda.
Nearby guides: Macquarie · Aranda · Belconnen · Weetangera · Page · Hawker.
Keep an eye on Cook
One email when this data meaningfully changes — new census figures, prices, rankings. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.