Rouse Hill

Rouse Hill lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

As of Feb 2026, the population of the suburb of Rouse Hill is estimated at around 24,131. This reflects an increase of 12,782 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,349 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 20,386, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024) and an additional 2,501 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,882 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 112.6% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the state (7.8%) and the Greater Sydney region, marking it as a growth leader in the area. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration contributing approximately 66.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is predicted to increase by 13,371 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 9.2% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Rouse Hill among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Rouse Hill has seen around 530 new homes approved each year. Over the past 5 financial years, between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 2,650 homes have been approved, with an additional 107 so far in FY-26. This supply meets or surpasses demand at an average of just 1 new resident per year arriving per new home over the past 5 financial years.

The average construction cost value of these new homes is $436,000, slightly above the regional average. In terms of commercial investment activity, $16.1 million in approvals have been registered this financial year. New building activity shows 36.0% detached dwellings and 64.0% townhouses or apartments, a significant departure from existing housing patterns which are currently 55.0% houses. This shift suggests diminishing developable land availability and responds to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs.

The location has approximately 50 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market. Looking ahead, Rouse Hill is expected to grow by 2,214 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Rouse Hill 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 has identified 49 projects likely to affect the region. Notable ones include Rouse Hill Hospital, Tallawong Village, Rouse Hill Town Centre Expansion, and Tallawong Station Precinct Development. The following list details those expected to be most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis places Rouse Hill well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Rouse Hill has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate is 2.9%, lower than the Greater Sydney average of 4.2%. Employment growth in the past year was estimated at 2.6%.

As of September 2025, 9,102 residents are employed, with a local unemployment rate of 3.0% compared to Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Workforce participation is lower at 55.6%, versus Greater Sydney's 70.0%. Home workership stands at 48.6%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade.

Wholesale trade is particularly strong with a share of employment 1.2 times the regional level. However, professional & technical services employ only 10.8% locally, lower than Greater Sydney's 11.5%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 2.6%, while labour force grew by 2.9%, raising the unemployment rate to 3.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project growth of 6.8% over five years and 13.8% over ten years for Rouse Hill, based on its current employment mix.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

The suburb of Rouse Hill had a median taxpayer income of $64,862 and an average income of $77,891 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. Nationally, this is high compared to Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,030 during the same period. Based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 8.86% from financial year 2023 to September 2025, current estimates would be approximately $70,609 (median) and $84,792 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Rouse Hill rank highly nationally, between the 85th and 93rd percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 32.5% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week, reflecting a similar pattern seen in the metropolitan region where 30.9% fall within this range. A substantial proportion, 43.9%, earn above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity throughout the area. High housing costs consume 18.1% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 91st percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Rouse Hill displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Rouse Hill's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 54.6% houses and 45.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rouse Hill stood at 15.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 44.1% and rented ones at 40.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,730, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Rouse Hill was $500, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Rouse Hill's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,730 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Rouse Hill features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 81.0% of all households, including 48.1% couples with children, 20.8% couples without children, and 10.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 19.0%, with lone person households at 16.2% and group households making up 2.7%. The median household size is 3.0 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Rouse Hill demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

The area's educational profile is notable regionally with university qualification rates at 39.3% of residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and NSW's rate of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 25.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.3%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 29.6% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas at 12.1% and certificates at 17.5%.

Educational participation is high, with 34.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.9% in primary education, 9.6% in secondary education, and 6.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Rouse Hill has 145 active public transport stops offering a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 119 different routes, collectively facilitating 13,842 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 131 meters from the nearest stop. As a primarily residential area, most commutes are outward-bound. Cars remain the dominant mode of transport at 82%, while train usage stands at 10%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.5, higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 48.6% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 1,977 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 95 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

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

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Rouse Hill. AreaSearch's assessment indicates low prevalence of common health conditions across both young and old age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 58% of the total population (~13,921 people), compared to 59.9% across Greater Sydney. The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 6.4 and 6.1% of residents respectively. Seventy-eight point four percent of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Nine point one percent of residents are aged 65 and over (2,195 people), which is lower than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

Rouse Hill's population shows high cultural diversity, with 39.8% born overseas and 36.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Rouse Hill, accounting for 54.6% of its population. Hinduism is notably overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, comprising 7.1% versus 5.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are Australian (18.6%), English (18.5%), and Other (16.2%). Some ethnic groups have notable divergences: Filipino (4.3% vs regional 2.0%), Maltese (1.9% vs 1.0%), and South African (1.0% vs 0.5%).

Rouse Hill hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

At age 34 years, Rouse Hill's median age is lower than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years, and considerably younger than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Rouse Hill has a higher proportion of residents aged 35-44 (19.3%), but fewer residents aged 65-74 (5.2%). This concentration of 35-44 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.3%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the proportion of Rouse Hill's population aged 35 to 44 has grown from 17.7% to 19.3%, while the proportion of those aged 5 to 14 has declined from 14.6% to 12.9%. By 2041, demographic forecasts indicate substantial changes in Rouse Hill's population structure. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 124%, adding 900 residents to reach a total of 1,624. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 56% of the population growth, reflecting broader demographic aging trends. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 0-4 and 5-14 years.