Rockdale

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area and new addresses validated by AreaSearch, as of February 2026, Rockdale's estimated population is around 17,969. This reflects an increase of 2,494 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 15,475. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 17,659 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 110 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 7,274 persons per square kilometer, placing Rockdale in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Rockdale's growth of 16.1% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA4 region (7.6%) and the SA3 area. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 88.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where applicable, 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, AreaSearch projects an above median population growth for the suburb, expecting it to grow by 3,093 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 15.8% over the 17 years.

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

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

This significant demand exceeds new supply, typically leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $410,000. In FY-26, Rockdale has registered $8.4 million in commercial approvals, reflecting its primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Rockdale records 17.0% less building activity per person, but it ranks among the 73rd percentile of areas assessed nationally.

Recent construction comprises 15.0% standalone homes and 85.0% medium and high-density housing, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. Rockdale reflects a developing area with around 173 people per approval. By 2041, population forecasts indicate Rockdale will gain approximately 2,842 residents. Construction is maintaining pace with projected growth, but buyers may face growing competition as the population increases.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 52 projects that could impact the area. Notable ones are 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 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.

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 was 2.6% as of September 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.3%.

Residents' unemployment rate is below Greater Sydney's, at 1.6%, and participation rate is higher at 81.3%. A significant portion, 30.6%, works from home. Top industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation & food, with the latter being notably concentrated. Education & training, however, is under-represented.

Employment opportunities appear limited locally. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 4.3%, labour force by 4.6%, leading to a slight unemployment rise of 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia indicate that Rockdale's employment should increase by 6.7% over five years and 13.9% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections.

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

The suburb of Rockdale had a median taxpayer income of $50,329 and an average income of $63,671 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is below the national average of $60,817 (median) and $83,003 (average). Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% from financial year 2023 to September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $54,788 (median) and $69,312 (average). In Rockdale, household, family and personal incomes cluster around the 54th percentile nationally. The predominant income cohort is 37.9% of locals (6,810 people), earning between $1,500 - 2,999 per week, similar to surrounding regions at 30.9%. 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 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, lower than Sydney metro's $2,427. The median weekly rent figure 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 constitute 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 is 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 residents aged 15 and above have a higher educational attainment than national averages. Specifically, 42.1% of Rockdale residents hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and New South Wales' 32.2%. This is driven by Bachelor degrees at 27.9%, postgraduate qualifications at 12.5%, and graduate diplomas at 1.7%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 25.4% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (13.1%) and certificates (12.3%).

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

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 served by 29 routes providing 6,447 weekly passenger trips in total. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 113 meters, indicating excellent accessibility. As a predominantly residential area, most commutes are outward-bound. Car remains the primary mode of transport at 48%, followed by train at 35% and bus at 10%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.7 per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 30.6% of residents work from home, which may be partly due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes is an average of 921 trips per day, equating to approximately 74 weekly trips per 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 remarkable 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.

Private health cover is present at approximately 52% of the total population (~9,367 people), leading that of the average SA2 area but trailing Greater Sydney's 59.9%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 4.7 and 4.2% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 81.5%, report being completely free from medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Rockdale has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 12.5% (2,246 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Notably, health outcomes among seniors in Rockdale align with national rankings and are broadly in line with 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 significant cultural diversity, with 70.0% speaking a language other than English at home and 64.6% born overseas. The predominant religion is Christianity, at 39.2%. Hinduism is notably higher than the regional average, comprising 19.6% compared to Greater Sydney's 5.2%.

In terms of ancestry, 'Other' leads with 34.5%, higher than the regional average of 16.0%. Chinese and Australian ancestries follow at 11.6% and 8.5% respectively, the latter being lower than the regional average of 17.8%. Certain ethnic groups show notable differences: Macedonian is overrepresented at 5.4%, Spanish at 1.0%, and Russian at 0.9%.

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 percentage 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 present, the population of those aged 15 to 24 has increased from 13.2% to 14.7%, while the 45 to 54 age group has decreased from 10.1% to 9.4%. By 2041, significant demographic changes are projected for Rockdale. The 45 to 54 age cohort is expected to grow by 34%, adding 581 residents and reaching a total of 2,271. Conversely, the 0 to 4 age group is projected to have minimal growth of just 3% (30 people).