Rosebery (NSW)

Rosebery lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Feb 2026, the population of the suburb of Rosebery (NSW) is estimated at around 15,214. This reflects an increase of 1,681 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 13,533. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 14,836 residents following examination of ABS data released in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 7,882 persons per square kilometer, placing Rosebery in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 12.4% since the 2021 census exceeded both state (7.8%) and Greater Sydney averages, marking it as a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 76.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch's projections for Rosebery are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for areas not covered by the former. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from these aggregations for years 2032 to 2041. Looking ahead, Rosebery is projected to experience above median population growth, with an expected increase of 2,500 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 13.0% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Rosebery recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Rosebery has seen approximately 140 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 702 homes. As of FY-26, 10 approvals have been recorded. On average, each dwelling accommodates 2.3 new residents per year. The average construction cost value for new homes is $1,008,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment.

This financial year has seen $3.9 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's residential character. New development comprises 7.0% detached houses and 93.0% medium to high-density housing, demonstrating a shift from the existing housing stock of 23.0% houses. With around 1123 people per approval, Rosebery is considered a mature, established area. By 2041, it is projected to grow by 1,976 residents, with current development patterns suggesting that new housing supply will meet demand and potentially facilitate further population growth.

Looking ahead, Rosebery is expected to grow by 1,976 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 46 projects that may affect the area. Notable ones include One Global Gallery (previously Eastlakes Live), Corio Group Seniors Living Rosebery, Green Square Town Centre, and 761-765 Botany Road Mixed Development. The following list details those likely to be 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.

The labour market in Rosebery shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Rosebery has an educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. Its unemployment rate is 2.9%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, 8,923 residents are employed while its unemployment rate is 1.3% lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Rosebery matches Greater Sydney's 70.0%. Census responses indicate that 51.9% of residents work from home, but Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Key industries for employment among residents are professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance. Professional & technical has particularly high representation at 1.3 times the regional average, while health care & social assistance is lower at 10.8% compared to the regional average of 14.1%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work despite local employment opportunities. In a 12-month period ending in September 2025, Rosebery's labour force decreased by 1.3% and employment decreased by 1.6%, leading to an unemployment rate increase of 0.3 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Sydney, where employment grew by 2.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% expansion over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Rosebery's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.0% over five years and 14.0% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

The suburb of Rosebery has an extremely high income level nationally, according to the latest Australian Taxation Office (ATO) data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Rosebery is $64,012, and the average income stands at $81,328. These figures compare to those for Greater Sydney, which are $60,817 (median) and $83,003 (average). Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates project the median income to be approximately $69,683 and the average income to be around $88,534 as of September 2025. According to figures from the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Rosebery rank highly nationally, between the 82nd and 88th percentiles. Income distribution data shows that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates, with 34.3% of residents (5,218 people) falling within this range, closely mirroring regional levels where 30.9% occupy this bracket. Rosebery exhibits considerable affluence, with 35.0% of residents earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 20.5% of income in the suburb, but strong earnings still place disposable income at the 75th percentile nationally. The area's Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Rosebery features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Rosebery's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 23.1% houses and 76.9% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metropolitan area had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rosebery stood at 20.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.4% and rented ones at 51.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,600, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Rosebery was $580, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Rosebery's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 63.9% of all households, including 23.1% couples with children, 32.0% couples without children, and 7.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 36.1%, with lone person households at 27.0% and group households making up 9.1%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Rosebery has a notable educational advantage with 50.3% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 32.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.5%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Vocational pathways account for 23.0% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.5% and certificates at 12.5%. Educational participation is high, with 27.9% currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.8% in tertiary education, 5.2% in primary education, and 3.9% pursuing secondary education.

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

Rosebery has 61 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 20 different routes that collectively facilitate 5,318 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically living within 125 meters of the nearest stop. In this predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 64% of residents, while buses and trains are used by 11% and 10% respectively. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 0.7, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 51.9% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 759 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 87 weekly trips per individual stop.

Rosebery's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Rosebery's health outcomes show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups (AreaSearch, 2021).

The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 59% of the total population (8,982 people). Asthma and mental health issues are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 5.6 and 5.4% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 80.9%, declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney (NSW Health, 2021). Rosebery has 10.7% of residents aged 65 and over (1,627 people), which is lower than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021).

Rosebery is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Rosebery has one of the highest levels of cultural diversity in the country, with 47.2% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 53.8% born overseas. Christianity is the dominant religion in Rosebery, comprising 47.4% of people. Judaism is overrepresented in Rosebery compared to Greater Sydney, making up 1.5% versus 0.8%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (17.4%), Chinese (16.3%), and English (14.3%). Notably, Greek (6.7%) and Russian (1.2%) populations are higher than regional averages of 1.9% and 0.4%, respectively, while Spanish is also slightly overrepresented at 1.0%.

Rosebery's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Rosebery's median age is 33, making it younger than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Rosebery has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (26.8%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (6.2%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national figure of 14.4%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 35 to 44 has grown from 17.4% to 19.4%, while the 15 to 24 age group increased from 12.9% to 14.2%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 25 to 34 has decreased from 29.4% to 26.8%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic changes for Rosebery. The 35 to 44 age group is projected to grow by 35%, adding 1,046 residents to reach a total of 3,998. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 age group is expected to decrease by 166 residents.