Rhodes

Population growth drivers in Rhodes are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Rhodes's population is around 13,783 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 2,330 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,453 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,518 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 653 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 13,646 persons per square kilometer, which lies in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Rhodes's 20.3% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (5.4%), along with the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 79.3% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. A significant population increase in the top quartile of Australian statistical areas is forecast, with the area expected to grow by 3,699 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 17.7% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Rhodes among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Rhodes has received approximately 214 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 1071 homes. No approvals have been recorded so far in FY26. On average, 0.2 people moved to Rhodes per year for each dwelling built between FY21 and FY25, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand. The average construction value of new properties was $466,000.

This financial year has seen $28.8 million in commercial development approvals, reflecting high local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Rhodes has 178% more construction activity per person. New developments consist predominantly of townhouses or apartments (99%), with detached houses making up only 1%. With around 3075 people per dwelling approval, Rhodes reflects a mature market. By 2041, Rhodes is projected to grow by 2434 residents. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond projections.

Looking ahead, Rhodes is expected to grow by 2,434 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Rhodes has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 14 projects likely impacting the region. Notable ones are Marquet and Mary, Rhodes Bay, Harmony - Rhodes Central East, and Rhodes East Mixed-Use Development. The following details those most relevant:.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch analysis reveals Rhodes significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Rhodes has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. As of September 2025, its unemployment rate is 2.3%. Over the past year, it has maintained relative employment stability.

In comparison to Greater Sydney's 4.2%, Rhodes' unemployment rate is 1.9% lower, and its workforce participation rate is higher at 77.1%. According to Census responses, 57.8% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Employment in Rhodes is concentrated in professional & technical (1.6 times the regional level), finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance sectors. However, education & training shows lower representation at 5.9%, compared to the regional average of 8.9%.

The resident-to-worker ratio is 0.8, indicating substantial local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Rhodes' labour force increased by 0.3% while employment decreased by 0.2%, leading to a 0.5 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Rhodes' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

The median income among taxpayers in Rhodes SA2 is $58,912, with an average income of $78,107, according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. These figures compare to Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003 in the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Rhodes SA2 would be approximately $64,132 (median) and $85,027 (average) as of September 2025. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in Rhodes rank highly nationally, between the 77th and 86th percentiles. Income distribution shows that 36.2% of the population fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, which is consistent with broader trends across regional levels at 30.9%. A substantial proportion of high earners (31.3%) are above the $3,000/week threshold, indicating strong economic capacity throughout Rhodes. High housing costs consume 23.1% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 65th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Rhodes features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Rhodes' dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 3.2% houses and 96.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Sydney metro's figures of 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rhodes stood at 10.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.4% and rented ones at 60.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,500, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Rhodes was recorded at $560, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Rhodes' mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Rhodes features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 64.9% of all households, including 21.2% couples with children, 35.6% couples without children, and 6.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 35.1%, with lone person households at 25.7% and group households comprising 9.3%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Rhodes performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

Rhodes has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above, with 67.7% holding university qualifications. This figure is significantly higher than the national average of 30.4% and the New South Wales (NSW) average of 32.2%. The area's strong educational advantage is reflected in the distribution of qualifications: bachelor degrees lead at 39.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 25.9%, and graduate diplomas at 2.5%. Vocational pathways account for 15.3% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 9.5% and certificates 5.8%.

Educational participation is also high in Rhodes, with 27.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.1% in tertiary education, 4.5% in primary education, and 2.1% pursuing secondary education.

Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Rhodes has 34 active public transport stops, serving a mix of train and bus routes. These stops are served by 14 individual routes, collectively providing 8,527 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 123 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily. Car remains the dominant mode of transport at 56%, followed by train at 28% and walking at 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.4 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 57.8% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,218 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 250 weekly trips per individual stop.

Rhodes's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Rhodes, according to AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 58% (~7,994 people) of the total population has private health cover. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 3.6 and 3.3% of residents respectively. 88.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Rhodes has 7.8% (1,069 people) of residents aged 65 and over, which is lower than the 15.3% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Rhodes is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Rhodes has one of the highest levels of linguistic diversity in Australia, with 77.9% of its population speaking a language other than English at home. Born overseas, 75.4% of Rhodes' residents contribute to its multicultural makeup. Christianity is the predominant religion in Rhodes, accounting for 26.7% of the population.

Notably, Buddhism is more prevalent in Rhodes (7.0%) compared to Greater Sydney (4.1%). In terms of ancestry, Chinese heritage is significantly overrepresented in Rhodes at 39.7%, far exceeding the regional average of 8.4%. Other and Korean ancestries also stand out at 16.2% and 10.6%, respectively, which are substantially higher than their respective regional averages of 5.0% and 1.1%. Additionally, Indian (6.8%), Vietnamese (1.8%) and Filipino (2.4%) ethnic groups show notable divergences from their regional percentages in Rhodes.

Rhodes hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Rhodes has a median age of 33, which is lower than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Rhodes has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (33.4%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (5.3%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, residents have aged on average by 1.3 years, with the median age rising from 32 to 33. Specifically, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 10.0% to 12.2%, while those aged 45-54 have risen from 6.5% to 8.3%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 has decreased from 37.7% to 33.4%, and the 0-4 age group has dropped from 7.0% to 5.6%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Rhodes's age profile will change significantly. The number of residents aged 25-34 is projected to increase by 731 people (16%), from 4,598 to 5,330. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 35-44 age cohorts.