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This analysis uses ABS Statistical Areas Level 2 (SA2) boundaries, which can materially differ from Suburbs and Localities (SAL) even when sharing similar names.
SA2 boundaries are defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are designed to represent communities for statistical reporting (e.g., census and ERP).
Suburbs and Localities (SAL) represent commonly-used suburb/locality names (postal-style areas) and may use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
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ABS ERP | -- people | --
2021 Census | -- people
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Rockhampton City has an estimated 3,349 residents. Density is about 65 people per square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
As of Aug 2026, the estimated population of Rockhampton City stands at approximately 3,349 according to AreaSearch evaluations. Compared with the 3,364 residents recorded in the 2021 Census, this indicates a small reduction of 15 people (0.4%). This demographic shift is derived from the ABS estimated resident population figure of 3,345 in June 2025 alongside 51 validated new addresses identified following the Census. The local population density corresponds to 65 persons per square kilometer, ensuring a spacious living environment. Inbound overseas migration served as the primary demographic catalyst, accounting for practically all population additions in recent times.
For each SA2 region, AreaSearch incorporates ABS/Geoscience Australia projections published in 2024 using 2022 as their baseline year. Whenever SA2 locations lack coverage in that series, or for timeframes beyond 2032, Queensland State Government SA2 figures released in 2023 (utilising 2021 data) are used instead. Because those state projections omit age-bracket breakdowns, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings sourced from the ABS Greater Capital Region projections (published in 2023 from 2022 data) across each demographic cohort. Future demographic trends indicate expansion in line with the lower quartile of regional Australia, with the locality projected to gain 73 persons by 2041 under current annual ERP statistics, translating to an overall rise of 2.1% across the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
92 new dwellings have been approved in Rockhampton City over the past five years, an average of 18 a year. That is 5.4 approvals per 1,000 residents. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this SA2 boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Residential building approvals in Rockhampton City have averaged approximately 18 dwellings each year, generating 92 new homes across the previous 5 financial years. Given the concurrent downturn in population, this construction rate represents a sufficient volume that benefits prospective home buyers, particularly as newly approved homes carry an average construction cost of $454,000—below regional benchmarks—fostering greater affordability. Furthermore, commercial building approvals have reached $44.2 million during this financial year, underscoring solid local business investment. When evaluated against Rest of Qld, per-capita residential construction in Rockhampton City is relatively strong (exceeding the regional benchmark by 39.0% per person over the 5 year period), which supports property values while preserving housing selection, even though recent building momentum has moderated.
Approved building activity is heavily weighted toward attached housing, with townhouses or apartments comprising 89.0% and standalone houses making up 11.0%. This shift toward medium-to-high density structures creates attainable price points for first-home purchasers, investors, and downsizers. It contrasts sharply with the established local housing stock (where 76.0% are currently standalone houses), pointing to tighter development land availability, evolving lifestyle needs, and rising demand for varied, cost-effective residential options. Meanwhile, a high ratio of 414 people in the area per dwelling approval highlights a relatively subdued development environment. According to population projections based on the most recent quarterly estimate from AreaSearch, Rockhampton City is expected to add 69 residents by 2041. Present levels of building activity appear fully capable of accommodating this intake, maintaining favourable conditions for purchasers and potentially enabling population expansion to exceed current expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Rockhampton City
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
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SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 7 current infrastructure and development projects inside Rockhampton City, worth an estimated $37 million. A further 66 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $11.7 billion. 23 are already under construction and 20 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, energy and communities. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Infrastructure upgrades, major public initiatives, and planning schemes play a critical role in shaping regional momentum. AreaSearch has pinpointed 20 major projects positioned to influence the district, highlighted by the Browne Park Redevelopment, Rockhampton Botanic Gardens and Zoo Redevelopment, Central Queensland Defence Industry Precinct Business Case, and the Rockhampton Museum of Art, with key undertakings outlined below.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Rockhampton Museum of Art
Three storey regional art museum built by Rockhampton Regional Council on Quay Street, opened in 2022. Around 4,700 sqm GFA with multiple exhibition spaces, learning studios, shop and a cafe, positioned on the Fitzroy River waterfront (Tunuba).
Browne Park Redevelopment
A major redevelopment project to upgrade Browne Park, including a new 3,500-seat grandstand, changerooms, amenities, food/beverage outlets, corporate and media facilities. The project aims to improve the facility and attract larger sporting and cultural events to Rockhampton.
Central Queensland Defence Industry Precinct Business Case
Supported by $1 million in Queensland Government funding, this business case aims to develop Central Queensland as a strategic hub for Australia's defence industry, leveraging the region's geographic location, ports, airports, and military training facilities.
Rockhampton Region Planning Scheme
The primary planning scheme for the Rockhampton Region, guiding future growth and development over a ten-year horizon. It identifies appropriate land uses, prevents incompatible developments, and commenced on 24 August 2015, with ongoing amendments and reviews. The overarching planning scheme for the Rockhampton Region, including Bajool, it guides land use, development, and environmental management.
Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP)
Forms an integral part of the Rockhampton Region Planning Scheme, the LGIP guides the provision of trunk infrastructure. The current version commenced in March 2020, with a five-year review currently in progress to update planning assumptions and infrastructure plans.
Rockhampton Region Economic Development Strategy and Action Plans 2023-2028
A strategic framework developed by Advance Rockhampton to guide the region's economic growth and leverage opportunities. It focuses on key pillars such as future jobs, investment attraction, infrastructure, regional promotion, collaboration, and talent retention.
Rockhampton Botanic Gardens and Zoo Redevelopment
Multi-stage redevelopment of the heritage-listed Rockhampton Botanic Gardens and Zoo including a new visitor hub, upgraded animal exhibits, improved visitor amenities, playground upgrades, enhanced gardens and conservation facilities. Major visitor infrastructure has been completed and additional enclosure and site enhancement works continue as part of the long-term redevelopment program.
Rockhampton Large Format Retail Centre (Anaconda anchor)
A large format retail development on the corner of Yaamba Road (Bruce Highway) and Moores Creek Road in Park Avenue, anchored by a 2,500 square metre Anaconda showroom. Following an approved change application in March 2025, the project now comprises six showroom tenancies plus advertising signage, with the previously proposed shopping centre, smaller shops and 24-hour service station components removed. The site provides 258 car parking spaces and is owned by the Spotlight Retail Group through SPG Developments.The development brings additional outdoor, lifestyle and homewares retail to the northern Rockhampton retail strip on the Bruce Highway.
1,436 residents of Rockhampton City are employed, from a labour force of 1,665. Unemployment sits at 13.8%, with participation at 61.4%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.6% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 7,228, about 2.2 times the resident population, so the area draws in more workers than it sends out. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The local labour market in Rockhampton City exhibits an even distribution across manual and professional occupations, underpinned by a solid base in essential services, an unemployment rate of 13.8%, and annual employment growth of 5.0%. There were 1,436 residents employed as of March 2026; however, unemployment remains elevated at 9.8% above the Regional Qld benchmark of 3.9%, highlighting room for improvement, while the labour force participation rate of 61.4% trails the 64.2% recorded for Regional Qld. Census data showed only 5.1% of workers operating from home, though this figure was influenced by Covid-19 restrictions.
Major employers of local residents comprise health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and construction. Concentration in the accommodation & food sector is especially pronounced, employing staff at 1.6 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing accounts for only 1.7% of the resident workforce, trailing the 4.5% seen across Regional Qld. With a ratio of 2.8 workers for every resident at the time of the Census, the locality operates as a key employment hub that accommodates more jobs than resident workers and draws commuters from surrounding districts. AreaSearch evaluations of ABS and SALM figures show that for the year ending March 2026, local employment expanded by 5.0% while the overall labour force contracted by 5.0%, driving an 8.2 percentage point reduction in the unemployment rate. This diverged from Regional Qld, which recorded a 0.1% increase in employment, a 0.3% rise in the labour pool, and a 0.1 percentage point uptick in unemployment. National workforce forecasts released by Jobs and Skills Australia in Mar-26 provide additional context regarding future labour demand in Rockhampton City. These five- and ten-year projections have been applied against the local sector profile to assess prospective job creation. While nationwide workforce numbers are forecast to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, trajectory rates vary by sector. Translating these industry projections to the local economic profile suggests local job numbers could increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.8% over ten years (noting this illustrative weighting method excludes local population adjustments).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Rockhampton City is $1,061 a week (about $55,000 a year), with median personal income at $613 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $47,927 a year against an average of $59,663. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
ATO postcode-level statistics compiled by AreaSearch for financial year 2023 show Rockhampton City SA2 taxpayers recorded a median income of $47,927 alongside an average of $59,663. Both metrics sit beneath national figures, as well as the Regional Qld median of $53,146 and average of $66,593. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023 brings estimated current figures to around $53,372 (median) and $66,441 (average) as of March 2026. Data from the 2021 Census places local personal, household, and family earnings between the 5th and 13th percentiles across Australia.
A distribution review shows that 26.9% of the local population (900 individuals) falls into the $800 - 1,499 weekly earnings bracket, whereas the broader region is concentrated in the $1,500 - 2,999 band at 31.7%. Living cost pressures remain pronounced, leaving residents with 83.2% of disposable earnings after housing, placing the district in the 6th percentile nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Rockhampton City had 1,323 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 76% detached houses and 18% apartments. 26% are owned with a mortgage, 46% rented and 28% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $250 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,073 a month. Rent absorbs 23.6% of household income here and mortgage repayments 23.3%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
Census findings indicate that the dwelling landscape in Rockhampton City was made up of 75.7% detached houses and 24.3% other dwellings (incorporating apartments, townhouses, and alternate dwellings), compared to 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings throughout Regional Qld. Outright home ownership stood lower than regional benchmarks at 28.3%, while remaining properties were either held with a mortgage (25.8%) or rented (45.9%). Housing costs remain comparatively low, with the typical monthly mortgage payment standing at $1,073 and median weekly rent at $250, well beneath the respective Regional Qld figures of $1,655 and $345.
On a national level, mortgage repayments in Rockhampton City sit substantially below the Australian median of $1,863, with weekly rental rates also far lower than the nationwide figure of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Rockhampton City counted 1,323 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.1 people each. 14% are couples with children, fewer than in 95% of areas nationally, against 20% couples without children. 41% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.9 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Family units account for 54.8% of all households, consisting of childless couples (19.7%), single parent families (17.9%), and couples with children (13.5%). The remaining 45.2% comprises non-family arrangements, driven by single-person residences at 41.0% and group households at 4.5%. The typical local household accommodates 2.1 people, smaller than the Regional Qld average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
14.3% of adults in Rockhampton City hold a university qualification, including 9.6% with a bachelor degree and 2.9% with postgraduate qualifications, lower than 93% of areas nationally. A further 31.2% hold a vocational qualification. 3 schools serve the area, with 230 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 873 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Tertiary qualification levels present an area for development in the locality, as the proportion of university-educated residents (14.3%) trails the Australian benchmark of 30.4%, highlighting a clear focus for future educational programs. Bachelor degrees form the largest segment at 9.6%, with postgraduate qualifications at 2.9% and graduate diplomas representing 1.8%. Vocational learning is widespread, with 37.8% of individuals aged 15+ holding technical certifications, comprising certificates (31.2%) and advanced diplomas (6.6%). A significant proportion of the population is engaged in study, with 27.3% currently enrolled in an educational institution. This consists of 10.7% attending primary schools, 6.6% in secondary education, and 4.4% undertaking tertiary courses.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Rockhampton City means driving: households keep an average of 1.0 vehicles, and no scheduled public transport appears in the current timetable feeds. Service data is built from operators' published GTFS timetables; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
57.5% of residents in Rockhampton City report no long-term health condition, a less healthy profile than 96% of areas nationally. 8.4% need daily assistance with core activities, and 48.9% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 9.5 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Health assessments by AreaSearch based on chronic disease prevalence and mortality statistics indicate notable challenges across both older and younger age groups within Rockhampton City. Private health insurance participation is subdued, covering roughly 49% of residents (~1,637 people), which trails the Regional Qld level of 52.5% and the national rate of 55.7%. Mental health conditions and arthritis represent the most prevalent diagnosed ailments in the area, affecting 12.0% and 10.5% of the community respectively, while 57.5% of residents reported having no long-term medical conditions compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld.
Chronic conditions are notably elevated among working-age individuals. Seniors aged 65 and over comprise 18.4% of the population (615 people), below the 20.3% recorded in Regional Qld, with health metrics among older residents aligning closely with broader national trends.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Rockhampton City is largely Australian-born, at 88.7% of residents, with 6.3% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (29.9%) and Australian (29.4%). 7.5% of residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Cultural diversity metrics for Rockhampton City track below national averages, with Australian-born residents making up 88.7% of the populace, Australian citizens accounting for 84.7%, and 93.7% speaking only English in domestic settings. Christianity represents the primary religious affiliation, encompassing 51.3% of the community compared to 52.2% across Regional Qld. Looking at parental heritage, the most common ancestries in Rockhampton City are English (29.9%), Australian (29.4%), and Irish (9.0%). Other cultural backgrounds display notable variations from regional norms: Australian Aboriginal representation is higher at 7.5% compared to 3.9% regionally, German heritage stands at 5.1% (vs 4.7%), and Maori ancestry accounts for 0.7% (vs 0.8%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Rockhampton City is 41. 24.6% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The age distribution of Rockhampton City aligns closely with Regional Qld benchmarks, with the greatest variance across the primary age groups being 2.0 percentage points. The median age is an estimated 41, matching the figure from the 2021 Census as well as the Regional Qld median of 41 recorded at that time. The most visible shift since the Census occurred in the 45 - 64 age bracket, which declined from 28.0% to an estimated 26.2% of residents. Projections to 2041 indicate that adults aged 25 - 44 will drive local growth by adding 106 residents (12%) to reach a total of 963, while the cohorts for children and young adults as well as older working-age and young retiree groups are anticipated to contract.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Rockhampton City
8 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the SA2 boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 8 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Oct 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 3 sections | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Aug 2025 about a year ago all 7 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Aug 2025. | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 51 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (3,364 at the 2021 Census → 3,349 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (308031217). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.