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 resident population estimate of 12,518, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 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 that of its SA3 area (5.6%) and SA4 region, indicating it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 79.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is using ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where applicable, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Population projections indicate a significant increase in the top quartile of national statistical areas, with Rhodes expected to increase by 3,699 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 17.6% over the 17-year period.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Rhodes has recorded approximately 214 residential properties granted approval each year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 1071 homes. So far in FY-26, no approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.2 new residents per year have arrived for every new home approved between FY-21 and FY-25. The average construction value of these new homes is $522,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

This financial year has seen $28.8 million in commercial approvals, reflecting strong commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Sydney, Rhodes shows 178% higher construction activity per person. The new development consists of 1% standalone homes and 99% attached dwellings, promoting higher-density living which creates more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. There are approximately 33 people per dwelling approval in the location, indicating an expanding market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Rhodes is projected to add 2421 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 14 projects likely impacting the area. Notable ones are Marquet and Mary, Rhodes Bay, Harmony - Rhodes Central East, and Rhodes East Mixed-Use Development. The following 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.

Rhodes ranks among the top 25% of areas assessed nationally for overall employment performance

Rhodes has an educated workforce with the technology sector prominent. Its unemployment rate is 2.3%, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation. As of December 2025, 8,331 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.9% lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Rhodes is 76.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. Census responses show 57.8% of residents work from home, considering Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Leading employment industries are professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. Rhodes has a high specialization in professional & technical jobs with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level, while education & training has limited presence at 5.9% compared to 8.9% regionally.

The worker-to-resident ratio is 0.8, indicating substantial local employment opportunities. Over the year to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.0%, and employment declined by 2.3%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Rhodes' employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year 2023, Rhodes had a median income among taxpayers of $55,745 and an average income of $75,667. These figures are above national averages of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively across Greater Sydney. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Rhodes would be approximately $60,684 (median) and $82,371 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Rhodes rank highly nationally, between the 77th and 86th percentiles. Income brackets show that 36.2% of locals (4,994 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly earnings category, which is similar to regional levels at 30.9%. Higher earners make up a substantial presence in Rhodes, with 31.3% exceeding $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 23.1% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 65th percentile nationally. 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 structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 3.2% houses and 96.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Sydney metro's figures of 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 recorded at $560, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Rhodes' mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are 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 make up the remaining 35.1%, with lone person households at 25.7% and group households comprising 9.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is 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 proportion of residents with university qualifications than Australia as a whole or New South Wales (NSW). Specifically, 67.7% of Rhodes' residents aged 15 and above hold such qualifications, compared to the national average of 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. The most common type of qualification is bachelor degrees, held by 39.3% of residents in this age group. Postgraduate qualifications follow at 25.9%, with graduate diplomas making up 2.5%.

Vocational pathways account for 15.3% of qualifications among Rhodes' residents aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 9.5% and certificates at 5.8%. Educational participation is high in the area, 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 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 14 routes that collectively facilitate 8,527 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 123 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode at 56%, followed by train at 28% and walking at 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.4 per dwelling, below the regional average.

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

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

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Rhodes, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions have a very low prevalence across all age groups.

Private health cover is found to be very high at approximately 57% of the total population (around 7,838 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney. The most common medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 3.6 and 3.3% of residents respectively. 88.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. As of the assessment date (not specified), 8.5% of residents are aged 65 and over (1,172 people), which is 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 predominant religion in Rhodes, making up 26.7% of people there, while Buddhism comprises 7.0%, higher than the Greater Sydney average of 4.1%. The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (39.7%), Other (16.2%), and Korean (10.6%).

These figures are significantly higher than the regional averages for these groups. Notably, Indian (6.8%) and Vietnamese (1.8%) are overrepresented in Rhodes compared to the region, as is Filipino (2.4%).

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 national average 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, Rhodes's residents have aged by an average of 1.8 years, with the median age rising from 32 to 34. Specifically, the proportion of residents aged 45-54 has increased from 6.5% to 8.9%, while the proportion of those aged 15-24 has risen from 10.0% to 12.1%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 has declined 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 the year 2041 indicate significant demographic changes for Rhodes, with the strongest projected growth in the 25-34 age group, which is expected to increase by 21%, adding 931 residents to reach a total of 5,332. Meanwhile, both the 5-14 and 0-4 age groups are projected to decrease in number.