Rowville

Rowville has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

As of May 2026, the estimated population of Rowville is around 34,063, reflecting an increase of 492 people since the 2021 Census. The 2021 Census reported a population of 33,571 in Rowville. This estimation is based on AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025, which estimated the resident population at 34,053. An additional 275 validated new addresses were identified since the Census date. The current population density in Rowville is approximately 1,561 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch.

Overseas migration contributed about 73.0% of overall population gains recently. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, they utilize the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Rowville's population is projected to increase by approximately 1,415 persons, reflecting a gain of 4.1% over the 16-year period, based on aggregated SA2-level projections.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Rowville according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Rowville saw around 96 new homes approved annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Approximately 480 homes were approved over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, with an additional 95 approved in FY26 so far. The area's population decline suggests that new supply has kept pace with demand, offering buyers good choices.

New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost value of $567,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment. In FY26, $22.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting steady commercial investment activity. Building activity shows 65.0% detached dwellings and 35.0% townhouses or apartments, expanding medium-density options and creating a mix of housing opportunities across price brackets.

This represents a significant change from the current housing mix of 92.0% houses, likely due to reduced development site availability and shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. Rowville has approximately 304 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects Rowville's population to grow by 1,405 residents through to 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further population growth beyond current projections.

Rowville has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Infrastructure changes significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 12 projects potentially impacting the area. Notable projects are Scoresby Village Residential Estate, The Rowville Plan, Bankside Rowville, and Wellington Village Shopping Centre. The following list details those 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.

Employment conditions in Rowville demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Rowville has a well-educated workforce with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented. The unemployment rate in Rowville is 3.1%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.8%. There was an estimated employment growth of 1.4% over the past year based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data.

As of December 2025, there are 19,655 residents employed with a workforce participation rate matching Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 28.7% of residents work from home. The dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Rowville has a particular specialization in manufacturing, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level.

However, professional & technical services show lower representation at 8.0% compared to the regional average of 10.1%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 1.4%, labour force increased by 1.5%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Rowville's employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, assuming local industry-specific projections align with national trends.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released on 30 June 2023, the suburb of Rowville's median income among taxpayers is $55,389. The average income for Rowville is $67,088. This places Rowville's incomes around the national average. Comparing to Greater Melbourne, Rowville's median income is lower at $57,688 with an average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Rowville would be approximately $60,717 (median) and $73,542 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census, household income ranks at the 78th percentile ($2,205 weekly), while personal income sits at the 57th percentile. Income analysis shows that the largest segment comprises 33.7% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly (11,479 residents). This pattern is similar to the surrounding region where 32.8% occupy this income range. Notably, 32.3% of Rowville's residents earn above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity in the area. After housing costs, residents retain 86.8% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

In Rowville, as per the latest Census evaluation, 91.9% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 8.1% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rowville stood at 37.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 46.9% and rented ones at 15.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,055, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in Rowville was $441, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Rowville's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,055 versus the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 83.3% of all households, including 46.0% couples with children, 26.2% couples without children, and 10.1% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 16.7%, with lone person households at 15.0% and group households comprising 1.6%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

The educational profile of Rowville exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Rowville's educational qualifications lag behind regional benchmarks. Among residents aged 15 and above, 31.0% hold university degrees, compared to Greater Melbourne's 37.0%. This discrepancy suggests potential for educational development and skill enhancement. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 21.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.5%).

Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 30.9% of residents aged 15 and above holding them - advanced diplomas account for 12.3%, while certificates make up 18.6%. Educational participation is notably high in Rowville, with 27.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.5% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 5.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transportation in Rowville indicates that there are 138 active transport stops operating within the area, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by 16 individual routes that collectively provide 3,912 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport services is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 261 meters from their nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward for work or other purposes, with the car being the dominant mode of transportation at 93%. On average, there are 1.9 vehicles per dwelling in Rowville, which is higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a high percentage of residents, specifically 28.7%, work from home, which may reflect the conditions brought about by COVID-19.

The service frequency averages approximately 558 trips per day across all routes, equating to roughly 28 weekly trips per individual stop. A map accompanies this analysis and shows the locations of the 100 nearest transport stops to the area's centerpoint.

Rowville'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 Rowville. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were assessed by AreaSearch, revealing low prevalence of common health conditions in both young and old age cohorts.

Private health cover rate was approximately 53% of the total population (~18,176 people), leading that of the average SA2 area but lagging behind Greater Melbourne's 56.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions were asthma (7.6%) and arthritis (6.8%), while 71.9% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Under-65 population health outcomes were better than average. Rowville has 19.8% of residents aged 65 and over (6,744 people), higher than Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Rowville 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

Rowville has a high level of cultural diversity, with 35.8% of its population born overseas and 32.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Rowville, comprising 49.9% of the population. Buddhism is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 5.2% versus 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (20.1%), Australian (19.5%), and Other (12.5%). Notably, Sri Lankan, Hungarian, and Chinese ethnicities have higher representation in Rowville than the regional average: Sri Lankan at 2.1% versus 0.8%, Hungarian at 0.5% versus 0.3%, and Chinese at 10.4% versus 6.5%.

Rowville's median age exceeds the national pattern

Rowville's median age is 41 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and slightly above Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Rowville has a notably higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (14.7% locally) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (11.0%). According to the 2021 Census, the 65-74 age group grew from 9.2% to 11.0%, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 4.9% to 6.3%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 14.9% to 13.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Rowville's age profile will change significantly. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 45%, adding 968 residents to reach 3,114. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 86% of the population growth, while declines are projected for the 25-34 and 0-4 age cohorts.