Rockhampton - West

Rockhampton - West has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Rockhampton - West's population is approximately 6,118 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 215 people, a 3.6% rise from the 2021 Census which reported 5,903 residents. The growth can be inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,107 in June 2024 and the addition of 39 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 177 persons per square kilometer. Rockhampton - West's 3.6% growth since the census is within 3.0 percentage points of the SA4 region's 6.6%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 80.6% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including natural growth and interstate migration were positive factors.

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 and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with the ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort released in 2023 using a base year of 2022. Looking ahead, lower quartile growth of non-metropolitan areas nationally is anticipated, with Rockhampton - West expected to grow by 282 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an overall increase of 4.4% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Rockhampton - West according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Rockhampton - West has averaged approximately nine new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 47 homes. As of FY-26, three approvals have been recorded. On average, each home built between FY-21 and FY-25 has resulted in around 3.2 new residents annually, indicating a significant gap between demand and supply that typically exerts upward pressure on prices and intensifies competition among buyers. The average construction value of these new properties is $255,000, reflecting more affordable housing options compared to regional norms.

In this financial year, $2.9 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, highlighting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to the Rest of Qld, Rockhampton - West has significantly less development activity, with 59.0% below the regional average per person, which tends to strengthen demand and prices for existing properties. This lower level of activity also falls short of national averages, suggesting market maturity and possible development constraints. Recent building activity consists solely of detached houses, maintaining the area's traditional low-density character focused on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The estimated population count per dwelling approval is 1845 people, reflecting its quiet, low-activity development environment.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Rockhampton - West is projected to grow by approximately 271 residents through to 2041. Current construction rates appear balanced with future demand, fostering steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 20 projects likely impacting the area. Major projects include Rockhampton Ring Road, Rocky Stadium at Victoria Park, Rockhampton Showgrounds Precinct Redevelopment, and Ski Gardens Master Plan Development. The following list details those 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.

Rockhampton - West has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Rockhampton - West has a skilled labour force with prominent essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate was 4.7% in September 2025, slightly higher than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%.

The area had 3,255 residents employed at this time, with workforce participation similar to the rest of Queensland at 59.1%. Key employment industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction. Notably, health care & social assistance is strongly represented, comprising 1.4 times the regional level. However, agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented with only 1.3% of Rockhampton - West's workforce compared to Rest of Qld's 4.5%.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited based on Census data analysis. From September 2024 to September 2025, employment levels increased by 0.3%, labour force grew by 1.2%, leading to a 0.9 percentage point rise in unemployment rate. In contrast, Rest of Qld saw employment growth of 1.7% and labour force growth of 2.1%, with a smaller increase in unemployment rate. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows Queensland's employment contracted by 0.01%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest total employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to Rockhampton - West's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.4% over ten years.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2022 indicates that Rockhampton - West SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $57,234 and an average of $74,216. This is higher than the national averages. Compared to Rest of Qld's median of $50,780 and average of $64,844, Rockhampton - West SA2's figures are indeed well above average nationally. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.99% since financial year 2022, estimates for September 2025 would be approximately $65,241 (median) and $84,599 (average). Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Rockhampton - West rank modestly, between the 29th and 43rd percentiles. Distribution data reveals that the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 29.7% of the community (1,817 individuals), which aligns with the broader area where this cohort also represents 31.7%. After housing expenses, 85.9% of income remains for other expenses.

Rockhampton - West is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure in Rockhampton - West, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 9 August 2016, comprised 88.7% houses and 11.2% other dwellings such as semi-detached units, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is comparable to Non-Metro Qld's structure of 88.5% houses and 11.5% other dwellings. The level of home ownership in Rockhampton - West was 30.1%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (36.6%) or rented (33.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area, as of 2017, was $1,300, which is below Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,517 and Australia's national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure for Rockhampton - West was recorded at $265 in 2017, substantially lower than Non-Metro Qld's $300 and the national figure of $375.

Rockhampton - West features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 64.1% of all households, including 22.7% couples with children, 24.7% couples without children, and 14.7% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 35.9%, with lone person households at 32.4% and group households making up 3.6%. The median household size is 2.3 people, smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.5.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 19.5%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 14.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 36.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (7.8%) and certificates (28.7%). Educational participation is high at 26.8%, with 9.9% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 4.0% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 26.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.9% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 4.0% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Rockhampton - West is well below average with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Rockhampton - West faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. Approximately 56% (~3456 people) have private health cover, higher than the rest of Queensland at 53.2%.

The most prevalent conditions are mental health issues (10.6%) and arthritis (9.7%), while 62.0% report no medical ailments, compared to 64.7% in the rest of Queensland. Residents aged 65 and over comprise 20.5% (1256 people), higher than the state average of 18.5%. Health outcomes among seniors are challenging but generally align with the overall population's health profile.

Rockhampton - West is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Rockhampton-West had a cultural diversity score below average, with 91.1% citizens, 91.7% born in Australia, and 95.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, at 56.6%, similar to Rest of Qld's 56.3%. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (30.6%), English (30.4%), and Irish (8.7%).

Notably, Australian Aboriginal (5.4%) and German (5.0%) groups were slightly overrepresented compared to regional averages of 5.1% and 4.9%, respectively. Scottish ancestry was also more prevalent at 8.3%.

Rockhampton - West's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Rockhampton - West is 39 years, which is lower than the Rest of Qld's average of 41 but close to the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 25-34 are prominent at 14.2%, while those aged 5-14 are smaller at 10.9% compared to Rest of Qld. Between 2021 and present, the 35-44 age group has grown from 10.8% to 12.8%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 12.6% to 11.1%. By 2041, projections show significant shifts in Rockhampton - West's age structure. The 25-34 age group is projected to increase by 192 people (22%) from 866 to 1,059. Conversely, both the 65-74 and 5-14 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.