Rockdale - Banksia

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 is 22,619 as of November 2025. This figure reflects a 13.9% increase from the 2021 Census population of 19,853 people. The change is inferred from an estimated resident population of 22,581 in June 2024 and an additional 106 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 6,318 persons per square kilometer, placing Rockdale - Banksia in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth exceeded both its SA4 region (5.5%) and state averages, making land there highly sought after. Overseas migration contributed approximately 88.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, Rockdale - Banksia is projected to have an above median population growth and expand by 4,392 persons by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 19.2% over the 17 years.

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

Rockdale - Banksia has granted approval for approximately 85 residential properties each year over the past five financial years, totalling 428 homes. As of FY-26, 18 approvals have been recorded. The area experiences an average of 3.7 people moving in per dwelling built annually between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating high demand outstripping supply, which typically drives 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 this financial year amount to $14.7 million, reflecting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Rockdale - Banksia demonstrates around 75% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 70th percentile nationally in terms of building activity. However, there has been a recent acceleration in development. New building activity primarily consists of townhouses or apartments (85%), with detached houses making up approximately 15%. This shift towards higher-density living caters to downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers, marking a significant change from the current housing pattern of 34% houses.

With around 197 people per approval, Rockdale - Banksia is considered a developing area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Rockdale - Banksia is projected to add 4,347 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may struggle to keep pace with population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Rockdale - Banksia has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 59 projects that could affect the region. Notable ones include Fox Lane Rockdale, 588-592 Princes Highway Mixed-Use Development, Rockdale Community and Cultural Centre, and 570 Princes Highway Co-Living Development. The following list details those most likely to be 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.

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. The unemployment rate is 2.4% and there was an estimated employment growth of 2.3% over the past year.

As of June 2025, 14,675 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.8% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food. The area shows strong specialization in accommodation & food with an employment share 1.7 times the regional level.

Conversely, education & training has lower representation at 6.0% versus the regional average of 8.9%. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 2.3%, labour force by 2.5%, leading to a slight rise in unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6% and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. State-level data for NSW as of Nov-25 shows employment contracted by 0.03% with an unemployment rate of 3.9%, compared to the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project growth rates differing between industry sectors, suggesting Rockdale - Banksia's employment should increase by 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

In the AreaSearch aggregation of latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2022, Rockdale - Banksia SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $49,953 and an average level of $63,195. These figures are slightly below national averages, which stood at $56,994 and $80,856 respectively for Greater Sydney. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% from financial year ended June 2022 to September 2025, estimated median income is approximately $56,252 and average income is around $71,164. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Rockdale - Banksia cluster around the 53rd percentile nationally. Income distribution shows that 36.3% of locals (8,210 people) fall into the $1,500-$2,999 category, similar to broader trends across the region at 30.9%. High housing costs consume 18.6% of income, but strong earnings place 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

Rockdale-Banksia's dwelling structures in the latest Census showed 33.9% houses and 66.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 39.8% houses and 60.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rockdale-Banksia was 25.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.8% and rented ones at 44.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,185, below Sydney metro's $2,383. Median weekly rent was $460, compared to Sydney metro's $480. Nationally, Rockdale-Banksia's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,185 versus Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 constitute 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 of 39.7% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and the NSW rate of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 26.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, 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, including 8.4% in tertiary education, 6.7% in primary education, and 5.1% pursuing secondary education.

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 served by 29 different routes that facilitate 5,898 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents on average located 141 meters from the nearest stop.

On an average day, there are 842 trips across all routes, which translates to about 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 shows excellent health outcomes, with younger residents having low prevalence of common conditions.

Private health cover stands at approximately 51% (around 11,580 people), slightly below the SA2 area average. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 5.1 and 4.6% respectively. About 79.6% of residents report no medical ailments, higher than Greater Sydney's 77.5%. The area has 13.7% seniors (3,092 people), lower than Greater Sydney's 16.4%. However, health outcomes among seniors require more attention compared to the broader population.

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 is one of Australia's most culturally diverse areas, with 66.6% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 60.9% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Rockdale-Banksia, comprising 42.6% of people. However, Hinduism is significantly overrepresented, making up 16.0% compared to Greater Sydney's average of 6.6%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other at 30.7%, Chinese at 11.0%, and English at 9.3%. Notably, Macedonian (6.2%), Lebanese (4.3%), and Spanish (1.0%) ethnic groups also show significant representation in Rockdale-Banksia compared to regional averages.

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

Rockdale-Banksia has a median age of 34 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and Australia's average of 38 years. 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 concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 12.9% to 14.4%, while the proportion of those aged 45-54 has decreased from 10.9% to 10.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for Rockdale-Banksia. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 37%, adding 859 residents and reaching a total of 3,167. Conversely, the 0-4 age group shows minimal growth of just 4% (52 people).