Chart Color Schemes
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
Curious about local property values? Filter the chart to assess the volume and appreciation (including resales) trends and regional comparisons, or scroll to the map below view this information at an individual property level.
Find a Recent Sale
Sales Detail
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
As of Aug 2026, the population of the suburb of Rockhampton City stands at approximately 2,056 residents, derived from AreaSearch evaluation of broader ABS population revisions alongside post-Census validated addresses. Compared with the 2,059 people counted in the 2021 Census, this indicates a small reduction of 3 people (0.1%). The figure is informed by an AreaSearch resident estimate of 2,054 following the ABS ERP release from June 2025, coupled with 44 validated new addresses added since the Census date. This population produces a density of 790 persons per square kilometer, aligning closely with typical benchmarks recorded across AreaSearch locations.
Net overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains, generating roughly 52.0% of all recent additions. Projections for the suburb of Rockhampton City incorporate ABS/Geoscience Australia SA2 figures published in 2024 using 2022 as a base, supplemented by 2023 Queensland State Government SA2 series (based on 2021 data) for uncovered areas and years beyond 2032. Because state datasets omit age breakdowns, AreaSearch applies age-cohort distribution weightings derived from 2023 ABS Greater Capital Region projections based on 2022 benchmarks. Moving forward, the suburb of Rockhampton City is projected to follow lower quartile non-capital growth rates, adding 76 persons to 2041 across aggregated SA2 modeling, which represents a cumulative expansion of 3.6% over the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
70 new dwellings have been approved in Rockhampton City over the past five years, an average of 14 a year. That is 8.6 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
Examining ABS residential approval statistics aggregated across statistical boundaries, AreaSearch identifies an annual average of approximately 14 newly approved dwellings in Rockhampton City, amounting to an estimated 70 homes across the preceding 5 financial years. Within FY-25 to date, 19 approvals have been logged. Between FY-21 and FY-25, the addition of only 0.2 new residents per year per approved residence demonstrates that residential construction is keeping pace with or exceeding local demand, expanding options for purchasers and creating capacity for population growth above existing projections, with newly built stock averaging an expected construction cost of $473,000 in line with regional trends.
Non-residential building activity is also significant, with $44.2 million in commercial approvals registered this financial year. Per capita development volume in Rockhampton City exceeds Rest of Qld by 120.0%, broadening opportunities for buyers even as recent activity has eased. Current residential building approvals consist of 12.0% standalone homes and 88.0% attached dwellings, establishing lower price points that appeal to first-time purchasers, downsizers, and property investors. This configuration departs markedly from the prevailing local stock of 62.0% houses, reflecting constrained greenfield availability, changing household preferences, and a growing requirement for diverse housing products. With roughly 179 people per dwelling approval, the locality displays low-density attributes. Demographic projections indicate that Rockhampton City will add 74 residents through to 2041 relative to the most recent quarterly estimate from AreaSearch. Prevailing rates of construction are positioned to comfortably absorb this anticipated demand, creating favourable purchasing conditions while facilitating potential population growth beyond standard forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Rockhampton City
Loading development applications…
| 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
Strategic planning policies and capital works programs exert significant influence over local growth, with AreaSearch cataloging 12 major projects poised to influence the district. Prominent developments include the Browne Park Redevelopment, Central Queensland Defence Industry Precinct Business Case, Rockhampton Museum of Art, and Rockhampton Botanic Gardens and Zoo Redevelopment.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
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.
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.
921 residents of Rockhampton City are employed, from a labour force of 1,081. Unemployment sits at 14.8%, with participation at 61.3%. 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
Rockhampton City maintains a capable local workforce anchored by essential services, registering an unemployment rate of 14.8% alongside an estimated 6.2% annual increase in employment according to AreaSearch statistical aggregations. Across the locality as of March 2026921 residents are employed; however, the local unemployment rate sits 10.9% higher than the Regional Qld benchmark of 3.9%, while labour force participation is moderately reduced at 61.3% compared to 64.2% across Regional Qld. Census records show that only 4.6% of workers worked from home, a metric shaped by prevailing Covid-19 restrictions at the time.
Resident employment is heavily concentrated across accommodation & food, health care & social assistance, and construction. Accommodation & food represents a distinct local specialisation, capturing an employment proportion 2.0 times the broader regional benchmark. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing accounts for only 0.8% of local employment relative to 4.5% across the region. A ratio of 0.7 jobs per resident at the time of the Census points to above-average access to local employment opportunities. AreaSearch analysis of ABS and SALM statistical series shows that across the recent 12-month period, local employment expanded by 6.2% while the total labour pool contracted by 4.8%, leading to an 8.8 percentage points decline in the unemployment rate. Over the identical timeframe across Regional Qld, employment grew by 0.1%, the workforce expanded by 0.3%, and unemployment edged up by 0.1 percentage points. Looking ahead, national forecasts released by Jobs and Skills Australia in Mar-26 project economy-wide employment to increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. When mapped to Rockhampton City's specific industry distribution, these projections indicate potential local employment expansion of 6.8% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, representing a simple illustrative weighting that excludes localized population adjustments.
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
Taxpayer income metrics compiled by AreaSearch from the ATO for financial year 2023 place the suburb of Rockhampton City below national benchmarks. Within the suburb of Rockhampton City, median taxable income is $46,955 and average taxable income is $60,887, whereas Regional Qld records $53,146 and $66,593 respectively. Accounting for an 11.36% increase in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023, indexed estimates reach approximately $52,289 (median) and $67,804 (average) as of March 2026. Data from the 2021 Census places local personal, household, and family earnings between the 8th and 16th percentiles across Australia, with 26.8% of residents (551 individuals) earning in the $800 - 1,499 weekly bracket compared to regional concentration in the $1,500 - 2,999 band (31.7%).
Housing cost pressures are pronounced, with uncommitted earnings at 82.9%, ranking at the 9th percentile nationally.
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
According to the latest Census, the housing stock in Rockhampton City consists of 62.3% houses and 37.7% other dwellings such as apartments and semi-detached properties, whereas Regional Qld comprises 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Outright home ownership stands at 23.6%, trailing broader regional rates, while 21.6% of homes are mortgaged and 54.8% are rented. Financing and rental costs remain comparatively modest: median monthly mortgage commitments sit at $1,083 compared to $1,655 in Regional Qld and an Australian average of $1,863, while median weekly rent is $250 compared to $345 regionally and $375 across the country.
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 constitute 51.0% of local living arrangements, broken down into couples without children (20.6%), single parent families (16.1%), and couples with children (11.2%). The balance of 49.0% consists of non-family living situations, led by lone person households at 43.5% and group households at 5.4%. Median household occupancy is 2.0 people, below the Regional Qld benchmark 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
University attainment in the area is subdued, with 18.4% of residents holding tertiary degrees compared to the Australian benchmark of 30.4%, highlighting a target for educational engagement. Bachelor degrees represent 12.5% of qualifications, followed by postgraduate degrees at 3.9% and graduate diplomas at 2.0%. Vocational training constitutes a core strength, with 36.4% of the population aged 15+ possessing technical qualifications, including certificates (28.8%) and advanced diplomas (7.6%). A substantial 25.5% of local residents are actively engaged in study, encompassing 7.6% attending primary education, 6.1% in secondary schooling, and 5.8% enrolled in 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
AreaSearch assessment of chronic conditions and mortality figures highlights notable health vulnerabilities in Rockhampton City across younger and older demographics, while private health insurance coverage is limited to roughly 51% of residents (~1,055 people). Mental health conditions and arthritis form the most prevalent reported illnesses, affecting 12.1 and 10.7% of residents respectively, while 56.6% report no chronic medical conditions compared to 67.6% across Regional Qld. Chronic health burdens are elevated among working-age individuals. Seniors aged 65 and over account for 20.2% of the local population (415 people), exhibiting health outcomes broadly consistent with broader national trends.
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
Cultural diversity measures in Rockhampton City sit below broader averages, with 82.2% holding citizenship, 85.2% born in Australia, and 91.2% speaking exclusively English at home. Christianity forms the predominant religious affiliation, encompassing 50.3% of residents, while Hinduism shows a notable local concentration at 2.0% compared to 0.8% across Regional Qld. The primary reported ancestral backgrounds in Rockhampton City are English (30.9%), Australian (26.9%), and Irish (8.8%). Notable variations also appear across other cultural heritages, including Australian Aboriginal representation at 6.8% (compared to 3.9% regionally), Filipino background at 1.8% (versus 0.9%), and Spanish background at 0.5% (versus 0.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Rockhampton City is 42. 25.9% 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
Age distributions in Rockhampton City align closely with Regional Qld, with the largest divergence across any broad cohort measuring 3.3 percentage points. As of August 2026, the estimated median age is 42, matching the 2021 Census outcome and sitting 1 year older than the regional median of 41 recorded at that time. The proportion of residents aged 65+ has increased from 18.5% at the Census to an estimated 20.2%. Through to 2041, demographic additions will be led by persons aged 25 - 44, increasing by 64 residents (11%) to 634, whereas younger demographics, middle-aged cohorts, and early retirees are projected to decrease.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Rockhampton City
8 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Oct 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 8 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 2 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 Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 2 months ago headline measures · Jul 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Oct 2026 this month headline measures · Sep 2026 baseline |
| 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 Oct 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 7 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) | Sep 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 3 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Sep 2026 last month all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 3 sections | ||
| 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. | ||
| 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 — 44 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 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 Aug 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.