Roselands

Roselands has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Roselands's population is 15,603 as of February 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,026 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,577. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 15,135 in June 2024 and an additional 341 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 4,274 persons per square kilometer, placing Roselands in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Roselands's growth rate of 7.0% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area's growth rate of 5.7%, indicating it is a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 67.5% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth for Roselands.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Population projections indicate a growth of 1,272 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 5.2% in total over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Roselands when compared nationally

Roselands has recorded approximately 81 residential properties granted approval annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 408 homes were approved, with an additional 26 approved so far in FY26. On average, one new resident arrived per new home over these five years, indicating balanced supply and demand conditions. However, this ratio has intensified to 4.5 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $274,000, which is below the regional average, offering more affordable housing options for buyers. In terms of commercial development, Roselands has recorded approximately $18.3 million in approvals this financial year, indicating balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Roselands records 99.0% more construction activity per person, providing ample choice for buyers. However, building activity has slowed in recent years. The new development in Roselands consists of 42.0% detached dwellings and 58.0% medium and high-density housing. This trend towards denser development provides accessible entry options and appeals to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing stock, which is currently 64.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. Roselands reflects a transitioning market with around 280 people per approval. Looking ahead, Roselands is expected to grow by approximately 804 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Ten projects identified by AreaSearch are expected to impact the area significantly. These include 71-83 Graham Road Residential Development in Narwee, 280-300 Lakemba Street Wiley Park Plaza Development, Rail Service Improvement Program for T4 Illawarra & Eastern Suburbs Line, and Punchbowl Station Upgrade as part of Sydney Metro City & Southwest. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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Employment performance in Roselands has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Roselands has a well-educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 5.1% as of September 2024, with an estimated employment growth of 3.2% over the past year. As of September 2025, 7,643 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.9% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Roselands is lower at 65.0%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. According to Census responses, 41.0% of residents work from home, potentially impacted by Covid-19 lockdowns. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area has a notable concentration in transport, postal & warehousing, with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services are under-represented, with only 8.1% of Roselands's workforce compared to Greater Sydney's 11.5%. Local employment opportunities appear limited, as indicated by the working population versus resident population count. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 3.2% while labour force grew by 4.1%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.8 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1%, labour force growth of 2.4%, and a 0.2 percentage point increase in unemployment. 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 Roselands's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The Roselands SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $45,905 and an average income of $56,227 in the financial year 2023, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is below the national average, with Greater Sydney's median income being $60,817 and average income $83,003. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $49,972 (median) and $61,209 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86%. In the 2021 Census, household income ranked at the 47th percentile ($1,704 weekly), while personal income was at the 22nd percentile. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 captured 32.4% of Roselands' community (5,055 individuals). Housing affordability pressures were severe, with only 81.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 45th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 5th decile.

Roselands displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Roselands' dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 63.5% houses and 36.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 63.5% houses and 36.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Roselands stood at 33.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.8% and rented ones at 30.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,300, below Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Roselands was $425, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Roselands' mortgage repayments were higher at $2,300 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Roselands has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 76.8% of all households, including 42.3% couples with children, 19.3% couples without children, and 13.7% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 23.2%, with lone person households at 20.5% and group households comprising 2.6% of the total. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Educational attainment in Roselands aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 26.9%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 19.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 30.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.6%) and certificates (18.5%). Educational participation is high, with 31.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 10.5% in primary, 8.9% in secondary, and 6.1% in tertiary education.

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

Roselands has 111 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 23 different routes that collectively facilitate 3,013 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located just 124 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation for these outward commutes, used by 84% of residents, while 8% use trains. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.4, which is higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a significant proportion of residents, specifically 41%, work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 430 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 27 weekly trips per stop. The accompanying map illustrates the locations of the 100 nearest stops to the area's centerpoint.

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

Roselands' health outcomes show excellent results based on 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, with arthritis being the most common at 6.1% of residents, followed by asthma at 5.2%. Approximately 76.3% of residents reported no medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney.

Private health cover is found to be very low in Roselands, at approximately 48% of the total population (~7,411 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%. Working-age residents in Roselands are notably healthy with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 17.4% of residents aged 65 and over (2,716 people), which is higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors in Roselands are particularly strong, broadly in line with national rankings for the general population.

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

Roselands has a high level of cultural diversity, with 41.2% of its population born overseas and 61.6% speaking a language other than English at home. The dominant religion in Roselands is Christianity, accounting for 56.8% of the population. Islam is notably overrepresented, comprising 22.3%, compared to the Greater Sydney average of 6.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Other (21.7%), Greek (12.7%), and Lebanese (12.5%), all substantially higher than regional averages. There are also notable divergences in the representation of Macedonian (1.1% vs 0.4%), Vietnamese (1.9% vs 1.8%), and Spanish (0.7% vs 0.6%) ethnic groups.

Roselands's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Roselands is close to Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and equivalent to Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Roselands has a higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (12.2%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (12.6%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the population aged 15-24 has increased from 12.6% to 13.9%, while the 35-44 age group has decreased from 13.5% to 12.2%. By 2041, Roselands' age composition is expected to shift significantly. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 39%, reaching 1,337 people from 964. Those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 64% of the population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 25-34 and 0-4 age groups.