Rockdale

An assessment of population growth drivers in Rockdale reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

The population of the Rockdale statistical area (Lv2) is estimated to be around 17,968 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 2,493 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,475. The change is inferred from the resident population of 17,659 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 103 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio for Rockdale (SA2) stands at 7,274 persons per square kilometer, placing it within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. This high density makes land in the area a highly-sought resource. Rockdale's growth rate since the 2021 Census was 16.1%, exceeding both the SA4 region (7.5%) and the state average.

This growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 88.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, population projections indicate an above median growth rate for the Rockdale (SA2) area. It is expected to grow by 3,093 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 15.8% over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Rockdale recorded approximately 75 residential properties granted approval annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 378 homes were approved, with an additional 20 approved in FY-26. On average, 3.3 people moved to the area for each dwelling built over these five years.

This high demand exceeds new supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. The average construction cost of new properties is $410,000. In FY-26, Rockdale has registered $8.4 million in commercial approvals, indicating its primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Rockdale records 17.0% less building activity per person but ranks among the 73rd percentile nationally.

Recent construction comprises 15.0% standalone homes and 85.0% medium and high-density housing. This trend towards denser development caters to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. Rockdale reflects a developing area with around 173 people per approval. Population forecasts indicate Rockdale will gain approximately 2,841 residents by 2041. Construction maintains a reasonable pace with projected growth, though increasing population may lead to growing competition among buyers.

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

The performance of an area is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 52 such projects that are expected to impact the area. Notable projects include Northern Georges River Submain Upgrade, Fox Lane Rockdale, 588-592 Princes Highway Mixed-Use Development, and Rockdale Community and Cultural Centre. 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.

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

Rockdale has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate is 2.6%, lower than the Greater Sydney average of 4.2%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.2%. As of September 2025, 12,157 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.6% below Greater Sydney's rate. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Sydney's at 62.5%. Leading industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food, with notable concentration in the latter (1.9 times the regional average).

However, education & training is under-represented, comprising only 5.5% of Rockdale's workforce compared to Greater Sydney's 8.9%. The area may offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data analysis. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 4.2%, labour force by 4.6%, leading to a slight unemployment rate rise of 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced lower growth rates with an unemployment rate increase of only 0.2 percentage points. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted slightly by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. National forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industries. Applying these projections to Rockdale's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

Rockdale suburb has a median taxpayer income of $50,329 and an average income of $63,671 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is lower than the national average, which was $60,817 (median) and $83,003 (average) in Greater Sydney during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from financial year 2023 to September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $54,788 and average income around $69,312 by that date. Census data indicates that incomes in Rockdale cluster around the 54th percentile nationally. The predominant income cohort spans 37.9% of locals (6,809 people) with incomes between $1,500 and $2,999, similar to surrounding regions where 30.9% fall within this range. High housing costs consume 19.1% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 56th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

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

Rockdale's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 24.4% houses and 75.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Sydney metro had 39.8% houses and 60.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rockdale was at 23.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.3% and rented ones at 48.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Rockdale was $2,167, lower than Sydney metro's $2,383. The median weekly rent in Rockdale was $460, similar to Sydney metro's $480. Nationally, Rockdale's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were also higher at $460 versus the national figure of $375.

Rockdale features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 66.6% of all households, including 28.4% couples with children, 26.9% couples without children, and 9.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 33.4%, with lone person households at 23.7% and group households comprising 9.7%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which matches the Greater Sydney average.

Rockdale shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Rockdale's educational attainment is notably higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 42.1% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. This includes 27.9% with bachelor degrees, 12.5% with postgraduate qualifications, and 1.7% with graduate diplomas. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 25.4% of residents holding such qualifications, comprising 13.1% advanced diplomas and 12.3% certificates.

Educational participation is high, with 31.8% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.1% in tertiary education, 6.4% in primary education, and 4.5% pursuing secondary education.

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

Rockdale has 87 active public transport stops serving a mix of train and bus routes. These stops are covered by 29 different routes, offering a total of 6,447 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 113 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

On average, there are 921 daily trips across all routes, which translates to around 74 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Rockdale's health outcomes data shows excellent results with a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups.

The rate of private health cover in Rockdale is approximately 52% of the total population (~9,366 people), slightly higher than the average SA2 area. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 4.7% and 4.2% of residents respectively. A majority, 81.5%, report being completely free from medical ailments compared to 77.5% in Greater Sydney. Rockdale has 11.9% of its population aged 65 and over (2,138 people), which is lower than the 16.4% in Greater Sydney. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors require more attention than those in the broader population.

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

Rockdale has a high level of cultural diversity, with 70.0% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 64.6% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Rockdale, accounting for 39.2% of the population. Hinduism is notably overrepresented, comprising 19.6% compared to the Greater Sydney average of 6.6%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups are Other at 34.5%, Chinese at 11.6%, and Australian at 8.5%. There are significant differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Macedonian is overrepresented at 5.4% compared to the regional average of 3.8%, Spanish at 1.0% versus 0.9%, and Russian at 0.9% against 0.6%.

Rockdale hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Rockdale's median age is 34 years, which is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Rockdale has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 at 25.4%, but fewer residents aged 5-14 at 7.2%. This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the population of residents aged 15 to 24 has grown from 13.2% to 14.7%, while the population of those aged 45 to 54 has declined from 10.1% to 9.3%. By 2041, Rockdale's population is projected to undergo substantial demographic changes. The most significant growth is expected in the 45-54 age group, with a projected increase of 36%, adding 600 residents and reaching a total of 2,272. In contrast, the 0-4 age group shows minimal growth, with only a 3% increase (adding 27 people).