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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
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Rockhampton City has an estimated 2,056 residents. That puts 791 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
In the suburb of Rockhampton City, the estimated headcount stands at approximately 2,056 as of May 2026, according to analysis of ABS demographic updates and address details verified by AreaSearch subsequent to the Census. This represents a minor reduction of 3 people (0.1%) from the 2021 Census, when the registry stood at 2,059 people. The revised figure is drawn from an estimated resident base of 2,054 calculated by AreaSearch using the ABS ERP release from June 2025 alongside an extra 45 validated new addresses documented after the Census. This population level yields a density of 790 persons per square kilometer, which aligns closely with typical numbers observed across other locations tracked by AreaSearch.
The chief catalyst for population expansion in this locality was international migration, which accounted for roughly 52.0% of the aggregate demographic gains in recent times. Projections established by the ABS and Geoscience Australia released in 2024 (using 2022 as the anchor year) are utilized for SA2 zones, and for any locations not included in this release, or for intervals past 2032, Queensland State Government SA2 projections from 2023 (utilizing 2021 baseline records) are deployed. Because these state-level projections omit age breakdowns, AreaSearch scales the cohorts by applying growth proportions sourced from the 2023 ABS Greater Capital Region projections, which used 2022 data. Future trends point toward growth rates matching the lower quartile of countrywide non-metropolitan districts, with the aggregate SA2 models indicating an addition of 86 persons by 2041, representing a total rise of 4.1% over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
61 new dwellings have been approved in Rockhampton City over the past five years, an average of 12 a year. That is 5.9 approvals per 1,000 residents. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 19, running ahead of that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this Suburb (SAL) boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
According to AreaSearch's evaluation of ABS residential building approvals mapped from statistical divisions, the suburb of Rockhampton City has averaged approximately 12 new residential approvals on an annual basis, totaling an estimated 61 homes during the 5 financial years spanning FY-21 to FY-25, and 18 additional dwellings throughout the course of FY-26 so far. With an average gain of just 0.3 new residents per constructed dwelling annually across the 5 financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, the volume of new housing is keeping pace with or tracking ahead of demand, providing buyers with considerable variety and unlocking potential for population gains beyond current forecasts, with new builds carrying an average construction value of $392,000.
Additionally, commercial building approvals have reached $44.2 million this financial year, reflecting a healthy pace of commercial expansion. When contrasted against the Rest of Qld, the suburb of Rockhampton City exhibits 54.0% higher construction approvals per capita, giving buyers a broad array of options, despite a recent slowdown in building velocity. The mix of new construction includes 13.0% detached houses and 87.0% semi-detached dwellings or apartments. This concentration of high-density living options yields budget-friendly entry points that appeal to downsizers, real estate investors, and first-time buyers. This trend is a clear shift from the existing housing profile, where houses make up 62.0% of properties, pointing to a scarcity of vacant land suitable for subdivision and reacting to shifting lifestyle choices and affordability requirements. With roughly 243 people per dwelling approval, the area exhibits characteristics consistent with low-density environments. Long-term outlooks suggest the suburb of Rockhampton City will add 84 residents by 2041, measured from the most recent quarterly calculation by AreaSearch. In light of established development characteristics, the pipeline of new housing is expected to easily satisfy demand, maintaining favorable conditions for purchasers and potentially supporting population growth that outpaces current expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Rockhampton City
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| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 7 current infrastructure and development projects inside Rockhampton City, worth an estimated $37 million. A further 47 sit in the immediately surrounding suburbs, taking the tracked pipeline within reach of the area to $4.65 billion. 17 are already under construction and 12 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, sports & recreation and transport & logistics. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Local infrastructure projects, planning changes, and major works are key drivers of regional performance. AreaSearch has identified a total of 12 projects that are expected to influence the local area. Principal projects include the Browne Park Redevelopment, the Central Queensland Defence Industry Precinct Business Case, the Rockhampton Museum of Art, and the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens and Zoo Redevelopment, with details provided on the most relevant schemes.
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Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Rockhampton Museum of Art
Three storey regional art museum built by Rockhampton Regional Council on Quay Street, opened in 2022. Around 4,700 sqm GFA with multiple exhibition spaces, learning studios, shop and a cafe, positioned on the Fitzroy River waterfront (Tunuba).
Browne Park Redevelopment
A major redevelopment project to upgrade Browne Park, including a new 3,500-seat grandstand, changerooms, amenities, food/beverage outlets, corporate and media facilities. The project aims to improve the facility and attract larger sporting and cultural events to Rockhampton.
Rockhampton Large Format Retail Centre (Anaconda anchor)
A large format retail development on the corner of Yaamba Road (Bruce Highway) and Moores Creek Road in Park Avenue, anchored by a 2,500 square metre Anaconda showroom. Following an approved change application in March 2025, the project now comprises six showroom tenancies plus advertising signage, with the previously proposed shopping centre, smaller shops and 24-hour service station components removed. The site provides 258 car parking spaces and is owned by the Spotlight Retail Group through SPG Developments.The development brings additional outdoor, lifestyle and homewares retail to the northern Rockhampton retail strip on the Bruce Highway.
Anaconda Large Format Retail Development Rockhampton
Spotlight Group large format retail development beside the existing Spotlight store near Moores Creek Road and Yaamba Road. The current approved scheme includes a 2500 sqm stand-alone Anaconda anchor store, additional large format retail tenancies, loading areas, signage, landscaping, bicycle parking and more than 230 car spaces. Rockhampton Regional Council approved amended plans in 2025, tenders were called in mid-2025, and Paynters was reported as the builder with construction expected to commence in early 2026.
Central Queensland Defence Industry Precinct Business Case
Supported by $1 million in Queensland Government funding, this business case aims to develop Central Queensland as a strategic hub for Australia's defence industry, leveraging the region's geographic location, ports, airports, and military training facilities.
Rockhampton Region Planning Scheme
The primary planning scheme for the Rockhampton Region, guiding future growth and development over a ten-year horizon. It identifies appropriate land uses, prevents incompatible developments, and commenced on 24 August 2015, with ongoing amendments and reviews. The overarching planning scheme for the Rockhampton Region, including Bajool, it guides land use, development, and environmental management.
Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP)
Forms an integral part of the Rockhampton Region Planning Scheme, the LGIP guides the provision of trunk infrastructure. The current version commenced in March 2020, with a five-year review currently in progress to update planning assumptions and infrastructure plans.
Rockhampton Region Economic Development Strategy and Action Plans 2023-2028
A strategic framework developed by Advance Rockhampton to guide the region's economic growth and leverage opportunities. It focuses on key pillars such as future jobs, investment attraction, infrastructure, regional promotion, collaboration, and talent retention.
925 residents of Rockhampton City are employed, from a labour force of 1,082. Unemployment sits at 14.5%, with participation at 60.4%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 6.8% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 2,282, about 111% of the resident population, so the area draws in more workers than it sends out. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The suburb of Rockhampton City has a qualified labor force with solid representation in critical public and community services, displaying a jobless rate of 14.5% and a yearly employment expansion estimated at 6.4%, drawing from AreaSearch calculations of regional data. In March 2026, there were 925 employed locals, while the unemployment rate remained 10.6% above the 3.9% recorded in Regional Qld, pointing to potential for workforce absorption, and the participation rate of 60.4% fell below the Regional Qld benchmark of 64.3%. Census returns show a minor 4.6% of workers performing their duties from home, though this figure should be interpreted with reference to the influence of pandemic lockdowns.
Locals are predominantly employed within the sectors of health care & social assistance, accommodation & food, and construction. The concentration of jobs in accommodation & food is particularly high, tracking at 2.0 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing is a minor contributor, employing 0.8% of the local workforce compared to 4.5% across the region. A ratio of 0.7 workers for every resident at the time of the Census indicates that local job density is higher than average. Analysis by AreaSearch using SALM and ABS statistics shows that over the 12-month span, the number of employed people rose by 6.4% while the overall labor force shrank by 4.7%, which drove a decline in the unemployment rate of 8.9 percentage points. This stands in contrast to Regional Qld, which recorded a 0.1% rise in employment, a 0.3% increase in the labor force, and a 0.1 percentage point rise in unemployment. Long-term national employment forecasts released in May-25 by Jobs and Skills Australia provide further context regarding prospective worker demand in the suburb of Rockhampton City. These five and ten-year projections have been modeled against local industrial sectors to estimate growth. Locally, this modeling suggests employment gains of 6.8% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, based on weighting national industry expansion projections (forecast to rise 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years) against the local workforce mix, without adjustments for localized population changes.
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Rockhampton City is $1,118 a week (about $58,000 a year), with median personal income at $635 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $46,955 a year against an average of $60,887. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
Tax data from the ATO for financial year 2023 aggregated by AreaSearch indicates that the suburb of Rockhampton City has income levels that sit below the national average. The median income of taxpayers in the suburb of Rockhampton City is $46,955 and the average is $60,887, compared to Regional Qld values of $53,146 and $66,593. Factoring in Wage Price Index growth of 11.36% since financial year 2023, current estimates for March 2026 are approximately $52,289 for the median and $67,804 for the average. Census data places household, family, and individual incomes in the suburb of Rockhampton City between the 8th and 16th percentiles nationwide.
The dominant weekly income bracket is $800 - 1,499, accounting for 26.8% of the population (551 residents), differing from the wider region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket is largest at 31.7%. Financial pressure from housing is high, with only 82.9% of income remaining after housing costs, putting the area in the 9th percentile.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Rockhampton City had 830 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 62% detached houses and 29% apartments. 22% are owned with a mortgage, 55% rented and 24% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $250 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,083 a month. Rent absorbs 22.4% of household income here and mortgage repayments 22.4%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
The distribution of housing types in the suburb of Rockhampton City at the time of the Census stood at 62.3% houses and 37.7% alternative housing options, such as terrace homes, apartments, and other dwellings, compared to Regional Qld where houses represented 76.4% and alternative types stood at 23.6%. Home ownership rates in the suburb of Rockhampton City lagged the regional benchmark, sitting at 23.6%, with the remaining properties being held under mortgages (21.6%) or occupied by tenants (54.8%). The median monthly home loan payment was significantly below the regional benchmark at $1,083, and the median weekly rent was recorded at $250, compared to Regional Qld averages of $1,655 and $345.
Locally, mortgage obligations are much lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents are also well below the national median of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Rockhampton City counted 830 households at the 2021 Census, averaging 2.0 people each. 11% are couples with children, fewer than in 97% of areas nationally, against 21% couples without children. 44% of households are people living alone, and families average 1.8 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families represent the majority of households at 51.0%, which is made up of couples with children at 11.2%, couples without children at 20.6%, and single parent households at 16.1%. The remaining 49.0% consists of non-family households, with single person households accounting for 43.5% and group living situations representing 5.4% of the total. The median household occupancy of 2.0 individuals is lower than the Regional Qld average of 2.5.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
18.4% of adults in Rockhampton City hold a university qualification, including 12.5% with a bachelor degree and 3.9% with postgraduate qualifications, lower than 87% of areas nationally. A further 28.8% hold a vocational qualification. 1 school serves the area, with 105 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 926 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
The local community experiences lower rates of tertiary attainment, with university graduation rates at 18.4% compared to the national average of 30.4%, presenting opportunities for focused educational support. Bachelor degrees are the most common higher education credential at 12.5%, followed by postgraduate degrees at 3.9% and graduate diplomas at 2.0%. Vocational and technical skills are common, with 36.4% of residents aged 15+ holding a vocational qualification, consisting of advanced diplomas at 7.6% and certificates at 28.8%. The level of educational enrollment is high, with 25.5% of the local population currently undertaking formal studies.
This total is comprised of 7.6% of residents attending primary school, 6.1% in high school, and 5.8% studying at tertiary institutions.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Getting around Rockhampton City means driving: households keep an average of 0.9 vehicles, and no scheduled public transport appears in the current timetable feeds. Service data is built from operators' published GTFS timetables; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
56.6% of residents in Rockhampton City report no long-term health condition, a less healthy profile than 95% of areas nationally. 8.2% need daily assistance with core activities, and 51.3% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 8.9 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Analysis of mortality rates and chronic illness prevalence by AreaSearch highlights significant health difficulties within the suburb of Rockhampton City, with diverse medical issues impacting both younger and older cohorts, alongside a low rate of private health insurance coverage, which is held by about 51% of the population (~1,055 people). Mental health challenges and arthritis represent the most prevalent medical conditions locally, affecting 12.1% and 10.7% of the population. Meanwhile, 56.6% of residents reported having no chronic medical conditions, compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. Chronic health issues are elevated among working-age individuals.
Seniors aged 65 and over make up 19.4% of the population (398 people), and health outcomes for this demographic are generally in line with national averages.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
Rockhampton City is largely Australian-born, at 85.2% of residents, with 8.8% speaking a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (30.9%) and Australian (26.9%). 6.8% of residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
The suburb of Rockhampton City has lower cultural diversity metrics compared to national averages, with citizens making up 82.2% of the population, 85.2% of residents born in Australia, and 91.2% speaking only English at home. Christianity is the primary religious affiliation, representing 50.3% of the community. The most distinct religious overrepresentation is Hinduism, which is practiced by 2.0% of the population, compared to 0.8% across Regional Qld. In terms of parent country of birth, the three most common backgrounds reported in the suburb of Rockhampton City are English at 30.9%, Australian at 26.9%, and Irish at 8.8%.
In addition, there are notable differences in ancestral composition compared to the wider region, with Australian Aboriginal ancestry representing 6.8% of the local population (compared to 3.9% regionally), Filipino ancestry at 1.8% (compared to 0.9%), and Spanish ancestry at 0.5% (compared to 0.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Rockhampton City is 42. 27.9% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The median age of 42 years in the suburb of Rockhampton City is similar to the Regional Qld average of 41 and higher than the Australian median of 38. The 25 - 34 age bracket is overrepresented at 17.2% compared to Regional Qld, while children aged 5 - 14 are underrepresented at 8.0%. Since the 2021 Census, the proportion of residents aged 0 to 4 grew from 4.0% to 5.9%, and the 25 to 34 cohort expanded from 15.3% to 17.2%, while the 15 to 24 cohort shrank from 13.7% to 10.7% and the 45 to 54 cohort fell from 13.9% to 12.8%.
Long-range projections for 2041 point to demographic shifts, with the 25 to 34 age group expected to grow by 52 people (15%), rising from 353 to 406, while the 45 to 54 and 5 to 14 age cohorts are projected to contract.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Rockhampton City
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Aug 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to May 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | May 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to May 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Jun 2026 2 months ago headline measures · May 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Aug 2026 this month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Aug 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, State agencies, Local governments Daily | Aug 2025 about a year ago all 7 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated Aug 2025. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 5 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Aug 2026 this month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 45 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for May 2026, not a 2021 count (2,059 at the 2021 Census → 2,056 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to May 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL32449). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.