Rhodes

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

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Rhodes is around 13,796. This figure reflects an increase of 2,343 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,453. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 12,518 in June 2024, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS and an additional 659 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 13,659 persons per square kilometer, placing Rhodes in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's population growth of 20.5% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area (5.6%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 79.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch's projections for Rhodes are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a 2022 base year. For future population projections, a significant increase is forecast, with the suburb expected to expand by 3,699 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 17.6% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Rhodes among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Rhodes granted approximately 214 residential property approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 1071 homes. No approvals have been recorded so far in FY-26. The average arrival rate of new residents per new home is around 0.2 people per year between FY-21 and FY-25. The average construction value of new properties is $522,000.

This financial year has seen $28.8 million in commercial approvals. Rhodes has 178% more new home approvals per person compared to Greater Sydney, indicating strong developer confidence in the location. New development consists predominantly of townhouses or apartments, with only 1% being detached houses. The dwelling approval rate is approximately 33 people per dwelling. Future projections estimate Rhodes will add around 2421 residents by 2041, suggesting that current development rates should comfortably meet demand.

Future projections show Rhodes adding 2,421 residents by 2041 (from 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.

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

The performance of a region is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 14 such projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Marquet and Mary, Rhodes Bay, Harmony - Rhodes Central East, and Rhodes East Mixed-Use Development. The following list details 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.

Employment conditions in Rhodes demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Rhodes has an educated workforce, with the technology sector prominent. Its unemployment rate was 2.3% in September 2025, below Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Workforce participation was high at 77.1%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%.

Many residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries include professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. Rhodes specializes in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share of 1.6 times the regional level. However, education & training has limited presence at 5.9%, compared to 8.9% regionally.

The worker-to-resident ratio is high at 0.8. Over September 2024 to September 2025, labour force levels increased by 0.3%, but employment declined slightly by 0.2%. This resulted in a unemployment rate rise of 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Rhodes' employment mix indicates potential local employment increases of 7.4% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Rhodes suburb has a median taxpayer income of $55,745 and an average of $75,667 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is higher than national averages, with Greater Sydney's median being $60,817 and average income at $83,003. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $60,684 (median) and $82,371 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023. Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Rhodes rank between the 77th and 86th percentiles nationally. The income bracket of $1,500 - $2,999 dominates with 36.2% of residents (4,994 people), aligning with regional trends where this cohort represents 30.9%. A substantial proportion of high earners (31.3% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity throughout Rhodes. High housing costs consume 23.1% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 65th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Rhodes features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Rhodes' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 3.2% houses and 96.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rhodes was at 10.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.4% and rented ones at 60.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,500, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Rhodes was $560, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Rhodes' mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Rhodes features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 64.9% of all households, including 21.2% couples with children, 35.6% couples without children, and 6.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 35.1%, with lone person households making up 25.7% and group households comprising 9.3%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Rhodes demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Rhodes has a higher educational attainment than the broader national and state averages. Specifically, 67.7% of Rhodes residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 32.2% in New South Wales (NSW). This high level of educational attainment positions the area favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 39.3%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 25.9% and graduate diplomas at 2.5%.

Vocational pathways account for 15.3% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 9.5% and certificates 5.8%. Educational participation is notably high in Rhodes, with 27.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.1% in tertiary education, 4.5% in primary education, and 2.1% pursuing secondary education.

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

Rhodes has 34 operational public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 14 different routes, facilitating 8,527 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is rated highly, with residents typically residing 123 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 56%, followed by trains at 28% and walking at 6%. On average, there are 0.4 vehicles per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 57.8% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,218 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 250 weekly trips per stop.

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

Rhodes' health outcomes show excellent results according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups.

Private health cover was found to be high at approximately 57% of the total population (around 7,838 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney. The most prevalent medical conditions were asthma and mental health issues, affecting 3.6% and 3.3% of residents respectively. 88.0% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. The area has 8.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,158 people), lower than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Rhodes has a high level of cultural diversity, with 77.9% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 75.4% born overseas. Christianity is the main religion in Rhodes, making up 26.7% of people there. However, Buddhism is more prevalent in Rhodes compared to Greater Sydney, comprising 7.0% versus 4.1%.

The top three ancestry groups in Rhodes are Chinese (39.7%), Other (16.2%), and Korean (10.6%). These figures are significantly higher than the regional averages of 8.4%, 5.5%, and 1.1%, respectively. Notably, Indian (6.8%) and Vietnamese (1.8%) groups are also overrepresented in Rhodes compared to their regional averages of 3.6% and 1.8%.

Rhodes hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Rhodes's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Rhodes has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (31.9%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (5.4%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, residents have aged on average by 1.8 years, with the median age rising from 32 to 34 years. Specifically, the proportion of residents aged 45-54 has increased from 6.5% to 8.9%, while those aged 15-24 have risen from 10.0% to 12.0%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 has decreased from 37.7% to 31.9%, and the proportion of those aged 0-4 has dropped from 7.0% to 5.5%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Rhodes, with the strongest projected growth in the 25-34 age group (21%), adding 928 residents to reach a total of 5,329. Meanwhile, both the 5-14 and 0-4 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.