Rockhampton Surrounds - North

Population growth drivers in Rockhampton Surrounds - North are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Rockhampton Surrounds - North's population is around 4,984 as of Nov 2025. This reflects an increase of 386 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 4,598 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 4,966 in June 2024 and an additional 90 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 0.70 persons per square kilometer. Rockhampton Surrounds - North's growth rate of 8.4% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (6.6%) and the SA3 area, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 73.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. These state projections do not provide age category splits; hence proportional growth weightings are applied in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data for each age cohort. Moving forward, a population increase just below the median of Australia's non-metropolitan areas is expected, with the area expected to increase by 327 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 6.2% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Rockhampton Surrounds - North when compared nationally

Rockhampton Surrounds - North has granted around 18 residential property approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, 92 homes were approved, with an additional seven approved in FY26 so far. On average, 5.8 new residents arrived per dwelling constructed each year during these five years.

This indicates substantial supply lagging behind demand, leading to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. The average construction value of new properties is $267,000, which is under regional levels, offering more affordable housing choices for buyers. In FY26, $1.5 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting a predominantly residential focus.

Compared to the rest of Queensland, Rockhampton Surrounds - North has similar development levels per person, supporting market stability aligned with regional patterns. However, construction activity has recently eased. All recent building activity consists of standalone homes, preserving the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population density is 369 people per dwelling approval, reflecting its quiet, low-activity development environment. Future projections estimate Rockhampton Surrounds - North to add 309 residents by 2041, based on AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond current projections.

Rockhampton Surrounds - North has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

AreaSearch has identified a total of 74 projects that are likely to impact the area, with key projects including bridge safety upgrades and targeted safety works on Bruce Highway (Rockhampton-St Lawrence), the development of Yeppoon Over-50s Village at Tanby Road, The Gateway Business and Industry Park, and Capricorn Coast Homemaker Centre Stage 2. Below is a detailed list of those projects likely to be most 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.

The labour market in Rockhampton Surrounds - North shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Rockhampton Surrounds - North has a skilled workforce with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented. The unemployment rate was 2.7% as of September 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 0.7% over the past year.

In this period, 2,778 residents were in work while the unemployment rate was 1.4% below Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%. Workforce participation was on par with Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Leading employment industries among residents comprised agriculture, forestry & fishing, construction, and health care & social assistance. The area had a particularly notable concentration in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with employment levels at 3.2 times the regional average.

However, health care & social assistance was under-represented, with only 11.2% of Rockhampton Surrounds - North's workforce compared to 16.1% in Rest of Qld. The area appeared to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. In the 12-month period ending September 2025, employment increased by 0.7% alongside labour force increasing by 1.3%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of Qld experienced employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. State-level data as of 25-Nov-25 showed QLD employment contracted by 0.01% (losing 1,210 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%, broadly in line with the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia for May-25 projected national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Rockhampton Surrounds - North's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 5.5% over five years and 12.0% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The economic profile demonstrates above-average performance, with income metrics exceeding national benchmarks based on AreaSearch comparative assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Rockhampton Surrounds - North SA2 has a median income of $55,054 and an average income of $71,163. This is higher than the national averages of $50,780 and $64,844 for median and average incomes respectively in Rest of Qld. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $62,756 (median) and $81,119 (average). According to Census 2021 income data, Rockhampton Surrounds - North ranks modestly in terms of household, family, and personal incomes, between the 37th and 46th percentiles. The predominant income cohort spans 28.9% of locals (1,440 people) in the $1,500 - $2,999 category, reflecting patterns seen in the broader area where 31.7% similarly occupy this range. After housing costs, residents retain 88.7% of their income, indicating strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 4th decile.

Rockhampton Surrounds - North is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Rockhampton Surrounds - North, as per the latest Census, comprised 97.9% houses and 2.0% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro Qld had 88.5% houses and 11.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rockhampton Surrounds - North was 50.7%, with the rest being mortgaged (40.3%) or rented (9.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,755, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517. Median weekly rent in Rockhampton Surrounds - North was $300, matching Non-Metro Qld's figure. Nationally, mortgage repayments were lower at $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national average of $375.

Rockhampton Surrounds - North features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 79.1% of all households, including 35.0% couples with children, 34.6% couples without children, and 8.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 20.9%, with lone person households at 18.2% and group households comprising 2.7%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

Rockhampton Surrounds - North faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 17.2%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 44.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas make up 9.2% while certificates account for 34.8%.

Educational participation is high at 31.4%, including 13.3% in primary education, 10.8% in secondary education, and 2.9% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Rockhampton Surrounds - North's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Rockhampton Surrounds - North residents show relatively positive health outcomes, with common conditions seen across both young and old age groups at a fairly standard level.

Private health cover is high, with approximately 55% of the total population (around 2,741 people) having it. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 8.3 and 7.2% of residents respectively. Around 70.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 64.7% in the rest of Queensland. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over, at 19.8% (around 989 people), compared to 18.5% in the rest of Queensland. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

The latest Census data sees Rockhampton Surrounds - North placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Rockhampton Surrounds - North had a cultural diversity index below average. Its population was predominantly Australian citizens, with 85.0% holding citizenship, 90.8% born in Australia, and 97.8% speaking English at home. Christianity was the dominant religion, comprising 57.5% of the population, slightly higher than the regional average of 56.3%.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (33.5%), English (31.8%), and Irish (9.3%). Notable differences existed in the representation of German (6.0%, compared to 4.9% regionally), Welsh (0.6%, versus 0.4%), and New Zealand (0.7%, against 0.6%) ancestry groups.

Rockhampton Surrounds - North hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Rockhampton Surrounds - North has a median age of 44 years, which is slightly higher than Queensland's average of 41 years and older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The age profile indicates that the 55-64 age group is prominent at 15.6%, while the 25-34 age group is smaller at 9.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 4.9% to 5.9% of the population, while the 55-64 age group has decreased from 16.8% to 15.6%. By 2041, projections suggest significant demographic changes with the 25-34 age group expected to grow by 24%, adding 112 residents to reach 587. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 55-64 age groups.