Roselands

Roselands has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

As of November 2025, Roselands' population is estimated at approximately 13,458 people. This represents an increase of 1,102 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,356 people in the suburb. This growth reflects an 8.9% increase from the previous census figure. AreaSearch validated this estimate using resident population data from June 2024 ABS ERP release and additional new addresses since the Census date. The estimated resident population was 12,855, with a total of 304 new addresses confirmed after the Census date. Roselands' population density stands at approximately 4,911 persons per square kilometer, placing it within the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch nationwide.

This high density indicates significant demand for land in the area. Roselands' growth rate since the 2021 Census outpaced both its SA3 area (4.8%) and SA4 region, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed around 67% of Roselands' overall population gains during recent periods, driving this growth. AreaSearch uses 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 employs NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022, using the 2021 Census as its base year. Growth rates derived from these aggregations are applied to all areas until 2041. Looking ahead, Roselands is projected to experience population growth slightly below the Australian median for statistical areas. By 2041, the suburb's population is expected to increase by approximately 1,049 persons, reflecting a total growth rate of around 3.2% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Roselands when compared nationally

Roselands has recorded approximately 68 residential properties granted approval annually. Between FY21 and FY25, around 340 homes were approved, with an additional 14 approved in FY26 to date. On average, one new resident arrives per year for each new home built over the past five financial years. However, this ratio has increased to 4.4 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $458,000, aligning with broader regional development trends. Commercial approvals in Roselands totalled $11.9 million in FY26, indicating balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Roselands has 95.0% more construction activity per person, offering greater choice for buyers. However, building activity has slowed in recent years. New building activity consists of 42.0% detached dwellings and 58.0% attached dwellings, promoting higher-density living to create more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This shift represents a notable change from the area's existing housing composition, which is currently 61.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and demand for diverse, affordable housing options.

With around 269 people per dwelling approval, Roselands exhibits a developing market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the population is forecasted to grow by 432 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified nine projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include 71-83 Graham Road Residential Development in Narwee (2015), 280-300 Lakemba Street Wiley Park Plaza Development (2016), Rail Service Improvement Program - T4 Illawarra & Eastern Suburbs Line (commencing 2019), and Sydney Metro City & Southwest (scheduled for completion in 2024). The following list details projects most relevant to the area.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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Employment performance in Roselands has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Roselands has a skilled workforce with diverse sector representation. The unemployment rate in Roselands was 4.8% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.2%. Residents' unemployment rate was 0.6% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, and workforce participation lagged at 51.3% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area had a particular specialization in transport, postal & warehousing, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services were under-represented at 7.9% compared to Greater Sydney's 11.5%. Employment opportunities appeared limited locally based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 2.2%, while labour force grew by 2.6%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 0.4 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.6%, labour force expand by 2.9%, and unemployment rise by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 projected national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Roselands' employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not account for localized population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Roselands had a median taxpayer income of $41,245 and an average income of $52,383. Nationally, the median was $56,994 and the average was $80,856. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $46,446 (median) and $58,988 (average), based on a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. The 2021 Census ranks Roselands' household income at the 46th percentile ($1,685 weekly) and personal income at the 22nd percentile. Income analysis reveals that 33.0% of locals (4,441 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 category, similar to the surrounding region where 30.9% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 80.9% of income remaining, ranking at the 43rd percentile. Roselands' SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Roselands displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Roselands' dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 61.0% houses and 39.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Sydney metro's 48.7% houses and 51.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Roselands stood at 32.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 37.1% and rented ones at 30.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,281, surpassing Sydney metro's average of $2,167. Weekly rent in Roselands averaged $410, slightly higher than Sydney metro's $390. Nationally, Roselands' mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 76.8% of all households, including 42.0% that are couples with children, 19.2% that are couples without children, and 13.9% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 23.2%, with lone person households at 20.7% and group households comprising 2.4% of the total. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.9.

Educational attainment in Roselands aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 26.5%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 19.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.9%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 30.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (11.4%) and certificates (18.9%). Educational participation is high at 32.0%, with 10.5% in primary education, 8.9% in secondary education, and 6.2% pursuing tertiary education.

McCallums Hill Public School serves Roselands with an enrollment of 328 students as of the latest data. The area has typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 1002) offering balanced educational opportunities. It has one primary school; secondary options are available nearby due to limited local capacity (2.4 places per 100 residents vs 9.6 regionally), leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Roselands has 80 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. There are 21 different bus routes serving these stops, together offering 3,230 weekly passenger trips. Residents have excellent access to transportation, with an average distance of 123 meters to the nearest stop.

On average, there are 461 daily trips across all routes, which translates to about 40 weekly trips per individual stop.

Roselands's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis shows Roselands had low prevalence of common health conditions across all ages. Private health cover was found to be lower than national average at approximately 48%.

Common medical conditions were arthritis and diabetes impacting 6.1% and 5.4% respectively, while 76.1% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to Greater Sydney's 77.7%. Roselands has 16.6% residents aged 65 and over (2,234 people). Senior health outcomes were strong, aligning with general population's profile.

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

Roselands has a high level of cultural diversity, with 40.6% of its population born overseas and 61.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Roselands, comprising 57.1% of people. Islam is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 24.3% of Roselands' population versus 24.7%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (23.0%), Lebanese (13.6%), and Greek (13.0%). Notably, Macedonian (1.2%) and Vietnamese (2.0%) are overrepresented compared to regional figures of 0.5% and 3.7%, respectively. Spanish is also slightly overrepresented at 0.7%.

Roselands's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Roselands is close to Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and equivalent to Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Roselands has a higher percentage of residents aged 45-54 (13.6%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (12.3%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the population aged 15-24 grew from 12.9% to 13.8%, while the 35-44 age group decreased from 13.3% to 12.3%. By 2041, Roselands is projected to experience significant changes in its age composition. The 75-84 age group is expected to grow by 43%, reaching 1,117 people from the current 780. The population aged 65 and above is projected to comprise 63% of the total growth. Conversely, declines are projected for the 25-34 and 0-4 age groups.