Planning Maps / Areas / Coffs Harbour / Coffs Harbour

Coffs Harbour zoning & planning overlays

A planning-constraint profile of Coffs Harbour (Coffs Harbour, NSW) - 46.26 km², mapped from live council and state overlay data. This suburb is highly constrained on the overlays we hold - no flood mapping covers this suburb, so this is not a suburb-wide verdict.

Elevation hillshade with street names, clipped to Coffs Harbour's boundary, with the bushfire and environmental overlays drawn on top. It shows where constraints fall; the interactive map shows them on your exact address. No flood layer is drawn because we hold no flood mapping for this area.

Coffs Harbour at a glance

Parcels 9,797 Median lot 767 m² Mapped easements 63 Train Coffs Harbour Station Bus stops 448

How Coffs Harbour is zoned

Public Recreation 18%
Low Density Residential 17%
Rural Landscape 16%
Environmental Conservation 10%
Special Activities 9%
Infrastructure 6%

Buying in Coffs Harbour? The zoning, flood and bushfire lines on the section 10.7 certificate attached to the contract are mapped controls - see our s10.7 certificate guide.

Across its 46.26 km², Coffs Harbour is highly constrained by the planning overlays we hold. We hold no flood mapping covering this suburb, so no flood figure is shown - that is a gap in our data, not an all-clear. Of what is mapped, 57% is flagged bushfire-prone. There are 23 heritage-listed sites on record, and the dominant land-use zone is Public Recreation. The median lot measures about 767 m² across 9,797 parcels. These figures are suburb-wide - the overlays that actually apply to a given lot can differ block to block, which is what a property-level check tells you.

Who lives in Coffs Harbour

Census 2021 figures published by the ABS for the Coffs Harbour suburb boundary itself, not a wider region.

Population
27,089
usual residents, 2021
Median age
43
years
Median household income
$1,231
per week, Coffs Harbour suburb typical $1,550
Median rent
$355
per week, Coffs Harbour suburb typical $385
Median mortgage
$1,733
per month
Household size
2.3
people, average

Socio-economic standing

ABS SEIFA 2021 ranks every Australian suburb. Decile 1 is the most disadvantaged tenth of the country, decile 10 the least.

Advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD) Decile 2
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Score 922, and decile 2 within New South Wales. The national average is 1000.

Relative disadvantage (IRSD) Decile 2
most disadvantagedleast disadvantaged

Age profile

Share of Coffs Harbour's 27,089 residents in each ABS age band.

0-4 5.0%
5-14 11.8%
15-19 6.0%
20-24 5.5%
25-34 11.9%
35-44 11.9%
45-54 11.8%
55-64 12.7%
65-74 12.1%
75-84 7.8%
85+ 3.5%

Population trend, 2001 to 2025

Estimated resident population of Coffs Harbour - North, the wider ABS statistical area containing Coffs Harbour. There is no annual population series published at suburb level, so this describes the surrounding area rather than Coffs Harbour itself.

14,968 in 2001 to 18,960 in 2025, up 27%.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics. Census of Population and Housing 2021 (General Community Profile) and SEIFA 2021, both published at the Suburbs and Localities level; Regional Population (estimated resident population) at Statistical Area Level 2. Used under CC BY 4.0. Census counts of small populations are randomly adjusted by the ABS to protect confidentiality, so figures for small suburbs are indicative.

Coffs Harbour data sources and coverage

Every figure below is an aggregate for the suburb boundary. “Not mapped” means LayeredGeo does not hold a source layer covering this suburb; it is never an all-clear for a particular property.

DatasetCoveragePublisher
Flood mappingNot mappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
Bushfire-prone mappingMappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
ZoningMappedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
Heritage and environmentMapped where publishedNSW Government spatial services, NSW ePlanning and published council flood studies
DemographicsAvailableAustralian Bureau of Statistics (2021 Census and SEIFA)

Profile last materially updated 5 August 2026. See the methodology and full source list. Source data changes over time and critical decisions should be checked with the responsible authority.

Check a specific Coffs Harbour address

See exactly which overlays touch a single property - the interactive map is free. Need it on paper? A full planning PDF is just $9.

See what's in the $9 report →

Coffs Harbour planning - frequently asked

Is Coffs Harbour flood-prone?

We don't yet hold flood mapping covering Coffs Harbour, so this page can't say how much of the suburb is flood-affected - that is a gap in our data, not an indication that the suburb is free of flood risk. Coffs Harbour is the authority to check for flood mapping in this area. Flood overlays vary block to block, so whether a particular lot is affected needs a property-level check.

Is Coffs Harbour bushfire-prone?

Yes - around 57% of Coffs Harbour is mapped as bushfire-prone, compared with a Coffs Harbour average of 88%. A bushfire-prone designation can trigger additional building requirements, so check the specific address.

What is the zoning in Coffs Harbour?

The dominant planning zone in Coffs Harbour is Public Recreation, though the suburb also includes Low Density Residential and Rural Landscape. Zoning sets what you can build and do on a site, and can differ lot by lot.

Does Coffs Harbour have heritage-listed places?

Coffs Harbour has 23 heritage-listed places on record. Heritage listing affects what you can alter or demolish, so confirm whether a specific property is listed or near a heritage place.

What is the typical lot size in Coffs Harbour?

Across 9,797 surveyed parcels in Coffs Harbour, the median lot size is about 767 m². There are also 63 registered easements mapped in the suburb - an easement can restrict where you can build, so always check the title and overlays for the specific lot.

Does Coffs Harbour have a train station?

Yes - Coffs Harbour has 1 train station: Coffs Harbour Station. It is also served by 448 bus stops.

What is the population of Coffs Harbour?

At the 2021 Census Coffs Harbour had 27,089 usual residents, with a median age of 43 and an average household size of 2.3 people. The wider Coffs Harbour - North statistical area, which contains Coffs Harbour, went from 14,968 people in 2001 to 18,960 in 2025, up 27%. ABS publishes no annual population series for individual suburbs, so that trend describes the surrounding area rather than Coffs Harbour alone.

Is Coffs Harbour an advantaged suburb?

On the ABS SEIFA 2021 index of relative socio-economic advantage and disadvantage (IRSAD), Coffs Harbour scores 922 and sits in decile 2 of 10 nationally and decile 2 within New South Wales - decile 1 being the most disadvantaged tenth of Australian suburbs and decile 10 the least. The national average score is 1000. SEIFA summarises income, education, occupation and housing across the whole suburb, so it describes the area, not any particular household in it.

What is the median household income in Coffs Harbour?

Median household income in Coffs Harbour was $1,231 a week at the 2021 Census, against $1,550 for the typical suburb in Coffs Harbour. Median rent was $355 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,733 a month. These are 2021 Census figures and have not been indexed to today.

Do I need a planning report for a Coffs Harbour property?

A Coffs Harbour planning report pulls every overlay - zoning, flood, bushfire, heritage and environmental - that touches a single lot, on live council and state data. The interactive map preview is free; a full PDF report is $9.

Compare nearby suburbs

Nearby suburbDistanceFlood mappedBushfire-prone
North Boambee Valley 5.4 km Not mapped 84%
Toormina 6.3 km Not mapped 58%
Boambee East 6.4 km Not mapped 62%
Korora 6.6 km Not mapped 85%
Boambee 7.0 km Not mapped 95%
Sawtell 7.0 km Not mapped 50%
Sapphire Beach 8.7 km Not mapped 86%
Karangi 9.7 km Not mapped 100%
Moonee Beach 12.8 km Not mapped 91%
Bonville 12.8 km Not mapped 98%

See all Coffs Harbour suburb profiles →