Rockdale - Banksia
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Rockdale - Banksia reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Rockdale-Banksia's population, as of August 2025, is around 22,608. This figure represents an increase of 2,755 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 19,853. The growth is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 22,577 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 6,315 persons per square kilometer, placing Rockdale-Banksia among the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 13.9% since the 2021 Census exceeded both its SA4 region (5.3%) and the state level, indicating it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 88.5% to overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, above median population growth is projected for Australian statistical areas, with Rockdale-Banksia expected to expand by 4,392 persons to 2041 based on latest numbers, resulting in a total increase of 19.3% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Rockdale - Banksia among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Rockdale - Banksia granted around 85 residential approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 428 homes. In FY-26 so far, 13 approvals have been recorded. Each year, approximately 3.7 people move to the area per dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25. This high demand outpaces new supply, likely driving price growth and increased buyer competition.

New properties are constructed at an average cost of $410,000, below the regional average, offering more affordable housing options. Commercial approvals in FY-26 totalled $14.7 million, indicating steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Rockdale - Banksia has around 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 70th percentile nationally regarding building activity. This activity has accelerated in recent years. Currently, new developments consist of approximately 15.0% detached houses and 85.0% townhouses or apartments, marking a significant shift from existing housing patterns (34.0% houses), likely due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences.

Rockdale - Banksia reflects a developing area with around 197 people per approval. Future projections estimate an addition of 4,358 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Rockdale - Banksia has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 56 projects that could impact the area. Notable ones include Northern Georges River Submain Upgrade, Marque Rockdale, Fox Lane Rockdale, and Rockdale Central. The following details projects likely to be most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Rockdale - Banksia demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Rockdale - Banksia has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.4% as of June 2025.

The area experienced an estimated employment growth of 2.3% over the past year. By June 2025, 14,675 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation was broadly similar to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food.

The area has a particularly strong specialization in accommodation & food, with an employment share of 1.7 times the regional level. Conversely, education & training shows lower representation at 6.0% versus the regional average of 8.9%. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 2.3% while labour force increased by 2.5%, resulting in unemployment rising by 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6%, labour force growth of 2.9%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. State-level data to Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Rockdale - Banksia's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.7% over five years and 13.8% over ten years.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended 30 June 2022, Rockdale - Banksia had a median taxpayer income of $49,953 and an average income of $63,195. These figures are slightly below the national averages of $56,994 and $80,856 respectively for Greater Sydney. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% between financial years 2022 and 2025 (as of March), estimated median and average incomes would be approximately $55,248 and $69,894 respectively. From the 2021 Census, income levels in Rockdale - Banksia cluster around the 54th percentile nationally. The predominant income cohort spans 36.3% of locals (8,206 people) with incomes between $1,500 and $2,999, consistent with broader regional trends showing 30.9% in the same category. High housing costs consume 18.6% of income, leaving disposable income at the 57th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

The latest Census revealed that in Rockdale - Banksia, 33.9% of dwellings were houses while 66.1% were other types such as semi-detached homes and apartments. This compares to Sydney metropolitan area's 39.8% houses and 60.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rockdale - Banksia stood at 25.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.8% and rented ones at 44.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,185, lower than Sydney's average of $2,383. Weekly rent median in Rockdale - Banksia was $460, slightly below Sydney's figure of $480. Nationally, Rockdale - Banksia's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,185 compared to Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national median weekly rent figure of $375.

Rockdale - Banksia features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 68.5% of all households, including 29.8% couples with children, 26.5% couples without children, and 10.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 31.5%, with lone person households at 23.0% and group households comprising 8.7%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Greater Sydney average.

The educational profile of Rockdale - Banksia exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates at 39.7% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and NSW's rate of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 26.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 25.9% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas comprise 12.5% and certificates make up 13.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education: 8.4% in tertiary education, 6.7% in primary education, and 5.1% pursuing secondary education. Rockdale-Banksia's 5 schools have a combined enrollment of 841 students, serving distinct age groups with 4 primary and 1 secondary school. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1050). Local school capacity is limited at 3.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 11.4, leading many families to travel for schooling. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Rockdale-Banksia area has 75 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are serviced by 29 different routes, collectively providing 5898 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 141 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 842 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 78 weekly trips per individual stop.

Rockdale - Banksia's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Rockdale-Banksia's health outcomes show exceptional results, particularly for younger cohorts with low prevalence of common conditions.

Private health cover stands at approximately 51%, slightly below the average SA2 area (~11,575 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (5.1%) and asthma (4.6%). A total of 79.6% of residents report being free from medical ailments, higher than Greater Sydney's 77.5%. Regarding demographics, 13.7% of residents are aged 65 and over (3,090 people), lower than Greater Sydney's 16.4%. Health outcomes among seniors require more attention despite being above average.

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

Rockdale-Banksia, as per the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census Data from 2016, is one of Australia's most culturally diverse areas. A total of 66.6% of its residents speak a language other than English at home, while 60.9% were born overseas. Christianity is the dominant religion in Rockdale-Banksia, with 42.6% adherents.

Notably, Hinduism is overrepresented at 16.0%, higher than Greater Sydney's average of 6.6%. Regarding ancestry, 'Other' tops at 30.7%, significantly higher than the regional average of 21.4%. Chinese ancestry follows at 11.0% and English at 9.3%. Other ethnic groups with notable representation include Macedonian (6.2%), Russian (0.9%), and Lebanese (4.3%).

Rockdale - Banksia's population is younger than the national pattern

Rockdale-Banksia's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and Australia's average of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Rockdale-Banksia has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (23.0%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (7.9%). This proportion of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 has grown from 12.9% to 14.4%, while the proportion of those aged 45 to 54 has declined from 10.9% to 10.2%. By 2041, Rockdale-Banksia's population is expected to show significant demographic changes. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 37%, adding 860 residents to reach a total of 3,167. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age group is projected to have minimal growth, increasing by just 4% (53 people).