Kinyarwanda (Rwanda) was the most common language, outside of English, spoken in Cowra, mortgage repayments fell and more people identified as having no religious faith in Cowra on the night of the 2021 Census.
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Kinyarwanda is native to Rwanda, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania.
The Census also revealed the population of Cowra rose less than one percent in the five year period between the 2016 and 2021 Census..
"The figures showed a continuation in Cowra's "stable or steady growth," Cowra mayor Bill West said.
"NSW Planning population projections are indicating a .5 per cent year on year (growth) moving forward and we're confident we will continue to grow.
"That's indicated by the lack of housing and the number of jobs currently on the market," he said.
The population count at the 2021 Census was 10,504 which was a growth of 76 people or just 0.72 per cent since 2016
According to the figures, the largest age group's in Cowra are the 50 and over categories.
The largest is the 70-74 year age bracket which comprised 736 residents, or 7 per cent, of the Cowra population on the night of the 2021 Census.
In 2016, 5.4 per cent of the population was in this age bracket
The most common birthplace of a Cowra resident, other than Australia (85.8 per cent), was England (1.3), New Zealand (0.6), India (0.4), the Philippines (0.4), and Germany (0.3).
Families speaking a language other than English at home rose from 3.8 to 4.8 per cent, with Kinyarwanda (Rwanda), Wiradjuri, Greek, Mandarin and Malayalam the most common dialects.
"This probably shows that we should never assume or take our population for granted," Cr West said.
Indigenous Australians represent a greater percentage of the Cowra population than five years ago, at 9.6 per cent - up from 8.3 per cent in 2016.
Since 2016 Cowra had an additional 169 residents identifying as being Indigenous. In 2016 the figure was 836, while in 2021 it had grown to 1005.
Cr West said this figure is " indicative of a nation-wide trend and highlights the Indigenous and broader community's understanding of the history and heritage of our Indigenous past".
"In Cowra it reflects on the work of people like Warren Williams, Stevie Taylor, Isobel Coe and Esther Cutmore and the tremendous work the schools do.
"There are some really good people, like Rod Eastwood at Cowra High, doing great things," he said.
Meanwhile, divorce rates ticked upward slightly, from 9.7 per cent to 10.2 per cent - above the state and national figures of 8.6 and 8.8 per cent.
The number of homes owned under a mortgage fell slightly from 26.8 per cent to 26.7 per cent, with average monthly repayments reaching $1231, down $77 from 2016, but that was before interest rates started to rise.
Rental yields raced ahead jumping from $190 to $230 on average.
In the five year period between Census building activity in Cowra increased the number of private dwellings from 4843 to 4959.
"There has been some strong building activity in the last five years, yet we still have a housing and accommodation shortage which indicates there is growth and potential for growth," Cr West said.
The average family income increased from $968 to $1115 per week, representing growth of 15.19 per cent (inflation was approximately 10 per cent over the period).
For the first time 'no religion' topped the list of belief systems, garnering 26.5 per cent of respondents - up from 16.2 per cent five years ago.
However, Christian denominations continue to represent the largest group - at 52 per cent - when combined together.
Christian faith in Cowra is above the national average, which dropped below 50 per cent for the first time in 2021.
Men make up 49 per cent of the population and women make up 51 per cent.