Rosanna

Population growth drivers in Rosanna are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Nov 2025, Rosanna's estimated population is around 9,277, reflecting a 661 person increase since the 2021 Census. The 2021 Census reported a population of 8,616 in the suburb. This growth is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 9,221 following examination of ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and validation of additional 98 new addresses since the Census date. Rosanna's population density ratio stands at 2,728 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. The suburb's growth rate of 7.7% since the 2021 census exceeded its SA3 area's growth rate of 5.1%. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains during recent periods for Rosanna.

AreaSearch adopts 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 VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, Rosanna is predicted to grow exceptionally over the period, increasing by 4,467 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 47.2% over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Rosanna when compared nationally

Rosanna averaged approximately 56 new dwelling approvals per year. Between FY21 and FY25, around 283 homes were approved, with an additional 14 approved so far in FY26. The average population increase per dwelling built over these years was about 0.8 people.

This suggests that supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction cost value of new homes being built is approximately $468,000, consistent with regional patterns. In FY26, commercial development approvals totalled $23.6 million, indicating balanced commercial development activity in the area. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Rosanna has comparable new home approvals per capita, maintaining market equilibrium similar to surrounding areas. The current development composition is 31.0% standalone homes and 69.0% attached dwellings, reflecting a shift from the existing housing stock which is currently 81.0% houses.

This change may indicate decreasing availability of developable sites and a response to changing lifestyles requiring more diverse and affordable housing options. Rosanna has around 167 people per dwelling approval, characteristic of a growth area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the population is forecasted to grow by approximately 4,382 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth in the future.

Rosanna 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 seven projects potentially impacting the area. Notable projects are Rosanna Village Masterplan & Redevelopment, Austin Hospital Emergency Department Expansion, The Austin Heidelberg, and Heidelberg Structure Plan Implementation. Relevant projects are listed below.

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.

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

Rosanna has a highly educated workforce with prominent professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.0% in the past year, showing an estimated employment growth of 1.9%.

As of June 2025, there are 5,092 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.7%, below Greater Melbourne's 4.6%. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Leading industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Notably, professional & technical employment is at 1.3 times the regional average, while construction employs just 7.2% of local workers, below Greater Melbourne's 9.7%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 1.9%, labour force by 1.5%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with a rise in unemployment of 0.5 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to Rosanna's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.1% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch reports that Rosanna had a median taxpayer income of $59,175 and an average income of $84,688 in financial year 2022. These figures are among the highest in Australia, compared to Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761. By September 2025, estimated median income is approximately $66,371 and average income is around $94,986, based on a 12.16% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census shows Rosanna's household incomes rank between the 76th and 78th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that 27.9% of residents earn $1,500-$2,999 weekly, with another 37.1% earning over $3,000 weekly. Housing accounts for 13.5% of income, and Rosanna ranks in the 81st percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Rosanna is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Rosanna's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 81.2% houses and 18.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 76.0% houses and 24.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rosanna was 41.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 35.0% and rented ones at 23.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,482, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,167. Median weekly rent in Rosanna was $421, compared to Melbourne metro's $399. Nationally, Rosanna's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Rosanna has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 72.5% of all households, including 37.5% that are couples with children, 25.3% that are couples without children, and 8.9% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 27.5%, with lone person households at 24.4% and group households comprising 2.9%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.5.

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

Rosanna's residents aged 15+ have a higher proportion with university qualifications (48.5%) compared to Australia (30.4%) and the SA4 region (32.8%). Bachelor degrees are most common at 28.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.7%) and graduate diplomas (6.0%). Vocational pathways account for 22.7% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.5% and certificates at 13.2%. Educational participation is high, with 29.1% currently enrolled in formal education: primary (10.7%), secondary (7.4%), and tertiary (6.0%).

Rosanna's five schools have a combined enrollment of 2,004 students, focusing exclusively on primary education. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages with an ICSEA score of 1129.

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

Rosanna has 45 active public transport stops, serving a mix of train and bus routes. These stops are covered by 6 different routes that facilitate 3,405 weekly passenger trips in total. The average distance from residents to the nearest transport stop is 191 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

Across all routes, there are an average of 486 daily trips, which translates to approximately 75 weekly trips per individual stop.

Rosanna's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data shows relatively positive outcomes for Rosanna residents regarding common health conditions across both young and old age cohorts.

Approximately 60% of the total population (5,586 people) have private health cover, a rate exceptionally high compared to other areas. The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 7.8% of residents and arthritis impacting 7.4%. A majority, 70.3%, report being completely free from medical ailments, slightly higher than the Greater Melbourne average of 69.3%. As of [month year], 20.0% of Rosanna's population are aged 65 and over (1,855 people), broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

Rosanna was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Rosanna's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 27.1% born overseas and 24.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Rosanna, making up 47.7%. However, Judaism was overrepresented, comprising 0.1%, compared to 0.2% across Greater Melbourne.

The top three ancestry groups were English (22.9%), Australian (20.4%), and Italian (9.6%). Hungarian was notably overrepresented at 0.4%, Macedonian at 0.9%, and Croatian at 0.9%.

Rosanna hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Rosanna's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and somewhat older than Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Rosanna has a notably over-represented cohort of 45-54 year-olds at 14.7%, while those aged 25-34 are under-represented at 10.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15 to 24 grew from 10.3% to 11.7%, and the 45 to 54 cohort increased from 13.6% to 14.7%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group declined from 14.0% to 13.2%. Demographic modeling indicates that Rosanna's age profile will change significantly by 2041, with the strongest projected growth in the 45 to 54 cohort, which is expected to increase by 60%, adding 815 residents to reach a total of 2,179.