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 was around 22,619 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 2,766 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 19,853. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 22,581 in June 2024 and an additional 106 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 6,318 persons per square kilometer, placing Rockdale - Banksia in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. Rockdale - Banksia's growth of 13.9% since the 2021 Census exceeded both its SA4 region (5.5%) and the state level, making it a growth leader in the region. 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 expand by 4,392 persons to reach a total of 27,011 by 2041, reflecting an 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, 21 approvals have been recorded. On average, 3.7 people move to the area annually for each dwelling built between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating high demand outstripping new supply. New properties are constructed at an average cost of $312,000.

This financial year has seen $14.7 million in commercial approvals, suggesting balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Rockdale-Banksia records about three-quarters the building activity per person and ranks among the 70th percentile nationally, with recent construction activity intensifying. New building activity comprises 15.0% standalone homes and 85.0% medium and high-density housing, creating more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift reflects decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles. With around 197 people per dwelling approval, Rockdale-Banksia exhibits growth area characteristics.

Future projections estimate an addition of 4,347 residents by 2041. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 59 projects likely impacting the region. Notable projects 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 projects of highest relevance.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Rockdale - Banksia significantly outperforming the majority of regions assessed nationwide

Rockdale - Banksia has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate is 2.4%, lower than the Greater Sydney average of 4.2%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.4%. As of September 2025, there are 15,238 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8% and workforce participation similar to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food, with a particularly strong specialization in the latter at 1.7 times the regional level. Conversely, education & training shows lower representation at 6.0% compared to the regional average of 8.9%.

Employment opportunities locally appear limited as indicated by Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 4.4%, labour force grew by 4.7%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Sydney where employment rose by 2.1% and unemployment rose by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from NSW as of 25-Nov shows employment contracted by 0.03%, with a state unemployment rate of 3.9%. National employment forecasts from May-25 project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Rockdale - Banksia's employment mix suggests local 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

AreaSearch aggregated latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2022 shows Rockdale - Banksia SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $49,953 and an average level of $63,195. This is just below the national average, compared to levels of $56,994 and $80,856 across Greater Sydney respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $56,252 (median) and $71,164 (average) as of September 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Rockdale - Banksia cluster around the 53rd percentile nationally. The largest segment comprises 36.3% earning $1,500 - 2,999 weekly (8,210 residents), similar to surrounding regions where 30.9% occupy this range. High housing costs consume 18.6% of income, placing disposable income at the 57th percentile and 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 structure, as per the latest Census, had 33.9% houses and 66.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 39.8% houses and 60.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rockdale - Banksia was at 25.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.8% and rented ones at 44.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,185, below Sydney metro's $2,383. The median weekly rent figure was $460, compared to Sydney metro's $480. Nationally, Rockdale - Banksia's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,185 against Australia's average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375 at $460.

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 31.5%, comprising 23.0% lone person households and 8.7% group households. The median household size is 2.6 people, aligning 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%, exceeding the Australian average of 30.4% and that of NSW at 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 26.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Trade and technical skills are prominent with 25.9% holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (12.5%) and certificates (13.4%).

Educational participation is high at 30.9%, comprising 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 has 75 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 29 individual routes, facilitating 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.

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 shows excellent health outcomes, particularly among younger groups with low prevalence of common conditions.

Private health cover stands at approximately 51%, slightly below the SA2 area average (~11,580 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (5.1%) and asthma (4.6%), while 79.6% report no medical ailments compared to Greater Sydney's 77.5%. The area has 13.7% of residents aged 65 and over (3,092 people), lower than Greater Sydney's 16.4%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but require more attention than 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 has a high cultural diversity, with 66.6% speaking a language other than English at home and 60.9% born overseas. Christianity is the primary religion at 42.6%. Hinduism is notably higher than average at 16.0%, compared to Greater Sydney's 6.6%.

The top ancestry groups are Other (30.7%), Chinese (11.0%), and English (9.3%). Some ethnic groups show significant differences: Macedonian is 6.2% vs regional 3.8%, Lebanese is 4.3% vs 5.2%, Spanish is 1.0% vs 0.9%.

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 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%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 has increased from 12.9% to 14.4%, while the proportion of residents aged 45 to 54 has decreased from 10.9% to 10.2%. By 2041, Rockdale-Banksia's population is projected to undergo substantial demographic changes. The 45-54 age cohort is expected to grow by 37%, adding 859 residents to reach a total of 3,167. Conversely, the 0-4 age cohort is projected to have minimal growth, increasing by just 4% (52 people).