Rockdale

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

As of February 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Rockdale is around 17,969. This represents an increase of 2,494 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,475. The latest resident population estimate by AreaSearch, following examination of the ABS's June 2024 ERP data release and additional validated new addresses, is 17,659. This results in a population density ratio of 7,274 persons per square kilometer, placing Rockdale in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 16.1% since the 2021 Census exceeds both the SA4 region (7.6%) and the SA3 area, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 88.0% of Rockdale's overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch's projections for Rockdale are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by the former. By 2041, Rockdale is projected to grow by an additional 3,090 persons, reflecting an increase of 15.5% over the 17-year period.

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

Rockdale recorded approximately 75 residential properties granted approval each year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 378 homes were approved, with an additional 22 approved in FY-26. On average, 3.3 people moved to the area for each dwelling built over these five financial years.

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

Recent construction consists of 15.0% standalone homes and 85.0% medium and high-density housing. This trend caters to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers seeking affordable options. With around 173 people per approval, Rockdale reflects a growing area. By 2041, it is projected to gain approximately 2,780 residents. Construction pace maintains reasonable growth, though increasing population may intensify buyer competition.

Rockdale 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 has identified 52 projects likely impacting 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 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 2.5%, with an estimated employment growth of 5.5% over the past year. As of December 2025, 12,297 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 1.7% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Rockdale is high at 82.0%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. According to Census responses, 30.6% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food, with a notable concentration in the latter at 1.9 times the regional average. However, education & training is under-represented, with only 5.5% of Rockdale's workforce compared to Greater Sydney's 8.9%.

The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 5.5%, while the labour force grew by an equal percentage with no significant change in unemployment. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced lower growth rates of 2.2% for employment and 2.3% for labour force, with a marginal rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall growth rates of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. 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, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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 Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $54,788 (median) and $69,312 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023. Census data indicates that household, family and personal incomes in Rockdale are at the 54th percentile nationally. The predominant income cohort spans 37.9% of locals (6,810 people) with incomes between $1,500 - 2,999, similar to surrounding regions where 30.9% fall within this range. High housing costs consume 19.1% of income. Despite this, disposable income is 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 comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% 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, below Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Rockdale was $460, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Rockdale's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 constitute 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, smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. This includes 27.9% with bachelor degrees, 12.5% postgraduate qualifications, and 1.7% graduate diplomas. Vocational credentials are also prevalent at 25.4%, comprising advanced diplomas (13.1%) and certificates (12.3%).

Educational participation is high, with 31.8% of residents 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 offering a mix of train and bus services. These are serviced by 29 routes, providing 6,447 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 113 meters to the nearest stop. As a mainly residential area, most commutes are outward-bound. The car remains the primary mode of transport at 48%, followed by train at 35% and bus at 10%. Vehicle ownership is lower than the regional average, averaging 0.7 per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, 30.6% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 921 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 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 show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups.

Approximately 52% (~9,367 people) have private health cover, which is higher than the average SA2 area but lower than Greater Sydney's 59.9%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 4.7% and 4.2% of residents respectively. Notably, 81.5% of residents report being completely free of medical ailments compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Rockdale has 12.5% (2,246 people) of residents aged 65 and over, which is lower than Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Rockdale are strong and align with national rankings for the general 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 significantly overrepresented compared to the Greater Sydney average, comprising 19.6% of Rockdale's population.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Other (34.5%), Chinese (11.6%), and Australian (8.5%). Notably, Macedonian (5.4%), Spanish (1.0%), and Russian (0.9%) ethnicities have higher representation in Rockdale compared to regional averages.

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 average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Rockdale has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (24.9%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (7.3%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.4%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 13.2% to 14.7%, while the proportion of those aged 45-54 has decreased from 10.1% to 9.4%. By 2041, Rockdale's population is projected to change significantly demographically. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 34%, adding 569 residents to reach a total of 2,259. Conversely, the 0-4 age group is projected to show minimal growth of just 3%, with an increase of only 28 people.