North Rocks

Population growth drivers in North Rocks are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of North Rocks is around 9,380. This figure reflects an increase of 244 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 9,136. The latest ABS ERP data release (June 2024) and additional validated new addresses indicate an estimated resident population of 9,360 for North Rocks. This results in a density ratio of 1,714 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year for SA2 areas covered by this data. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends suggest lower quartile growth, with North Rocks expected to expand by 264 persons to reach a total of around 9,644 by 2041. This would reflect an overall gain of approximately 3.3% over the 17-year period.

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

North Rocks averaged approximately 18 new dwelling approvals annually between FY21 and FY25. Around 93 homes were approved during these years, with an additional 8 approved in FY26 to date. Each year, about 3 new residents arrived per dwelling constructed over the past five financial years.

This has led to a significant demand exceeding supply, typically resulting in price growth and increased buyer competition. The average construction value of new properties was $763,000, indicating that developers targeted the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY26, commercial approvals totaled $28.0 million, suggesting balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, North Rocks had significantly less development activity, around 72.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new homes strengthened demand and prices for existing properties.

Nationally, development activity was also lower, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. New building activity showed 74.0% detached dwellings and 26.0% townhouses or apartments, sustaining North Rocks' suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. With approximately 696 people per approval, North Rocks exhibited characteristics of a mature, established area. AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projected that North Rocks would grow by around 309 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

North Rocks has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 22 projects that may affect this region. Notable projects include North Rocks Estate at 19-23 North Rocks Road, the development at 361-365 North Rocks Road, Stream Northmead, and the redevelopment of North Rocks Shopping Centre. The following list details those most likely to be 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.

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees North Rocks performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

North Rocks has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. The unemployment rate in the area was 1.8% as of June 2025, with an estimated employment growth of 2.6% over the past year, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data.

As of this period, 5,679 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.4% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in North Rocks was broadly similar to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The leading employment industries among North Rocks' residents include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Notably, the concentration in education & training is particularly high, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing has a limited presence in the area, with only 3.6% of employment compared to the regional average of 5.3%. While local employment opportunities exist in North Rocks, many residents commute elsewhere for work based on the count of Census working population to local population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment in North Rocks increased by 2.6%, while labour force increased by 3.1%, leading to an unemployment rate rise of 0.4 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%, with a 0.3 percentage point increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 offer insights into potential future demand within North Rocks. These projections estimate that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to North Rocks' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by approximately 7.0% over five years and 14.2% over ten years. However, it is important to note that these figures are based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022. North Rocks' median income among taxpayers was $57,618 with an average of $72,694. Nationally, the median was lower at $53,135 and the average was $78,636. In Greater Sydney, the median was $56,994 and the average was $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for North Rocks would be approximately $64,884 (median) and $81,861 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in North Rocks rank highly nationally, between the 72nd and 85th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 31.8% of locals earn between $1,500 - 2,999 per week, aligning with the surrounding region where this cohort also represents 30.9%. Economic strength is evident through 38.1% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000. High housing costs consume 16.1% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 84th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

In North Rocks, as per the latest Census, 78.1% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 21.9% being semi-detached homes, apartments, or other types. In contrast, Sydney metropolitan area had 36.4% houses and 63.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in North Rocks stood at 36.3%, with mortgaged properties making up 39.5% and rented ones 24.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,817, higher than Sydney's average of $2,167. The median weekly rent was $505, compared to Sydney's $420. Nationally, North Rocks' mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,817 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 83.3% of all households, including 46.5% couples with children, 26.1% couples without children, and 9.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 16.7%, with lone person households at 14.3% and group households comprising 2.4%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.6.

Educational achievement in North Rocks places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

North Rocks' educational attainment is notably high, with 44.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and New South Wales' 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 28.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.0%) and graduate diplomas (2.9%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 27.1% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas comprise 11.8% and certificates make up 15.3%. Educational participation is high, with 30.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.9% in primary, 8.3% in secondary, and 5.9% pursuing tertiary education.

North Rocks has three schools with a combined enrollment of 2,078 students as of the latest data. The area's socio-educational advantages are reflected in its academic achievement index (ICSEA) of 1107. Education provision is balanced, with two primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs, with 22.1 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 18.0, indicating that North Rocks serves as an educational hub for the broader region.

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

North Rocks has 75 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by 56 unique routes, collectively facilitating 5,557 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in North Rocks is rated excellent, with residents typically located 149 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 793 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 74 weekly trips per individual stop.

North Rocks's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout North Rocks. Both young and old age cohorts have low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 56% of the total population (~5,220 people), compared to 53.4% across Greater Sydney. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 6.7 and 6.2% of residents respectively. Seventy-four point nine percent declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 79.0% across Greater Sydney. North Rocks has 17.8% of residents aged 65 and over (1,669 people), which is higher than the 12.5% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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

North Rocks has a high level of cultural diversity, with 42.5% of its population born overseas and 44.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in North Rocks, making up 52.1% of the population. However, Hinduism is underrepresented compared to Greater Sydney's average, comprising only 4.5%.

In terms of ancestry, Chinese people make up 17.7%, Australian 17.1%, and English also 17.1%, all higher than regional averages. Korean ethnicity is notably overrepresented at 4.4% in North Rocks compared to the region's 1.5%. Lebanese ethnicity stands at 2.6%, slightly lower than the regional average of 3.5%. Sri Lankan ethnicity is present at 0.7%, slightly below the regional average of 0.9%.

North Rocks's median age exceeds the national pattern

North Rocks has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 years, and marginally higher than Australia's average age of 38 years. Compared to the Greater Sydney average, North Rocks has a notably over-represented cohort of individuals aged 5-14 (14.8%), while those aged 25-34 are under-represented (10.4%). Between 2021 and present, the population of individuals aged 15 to 24 has grown from 11.4% to 13.1%. Conversely, the cohort aged 55 to 64 has declined from 11.5% to 10.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that North Rocks's age profile will significantly evolve. The number of individuals aged 85 and above is projected to surge dramatically, increasing by 216 people (145%) from 150 to 367. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above are expected to account for 62% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the cohorts aged 45 to 54 and 0 to 4 are anticipated to experience population declines.