Rozelle

An assessment of population growth drivers in Rozelle reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Rozelle's population is estimated at around 8,842 as of Feb 2026, reflecting an increase of 289 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 8,553. This change is inferred from AreaSearch estimates based on latest ERP data release by ABS (June 2024) and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. The suburb's population density is 4,831 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Rozelle's 3.4% growth since census is within 0.4 percentage points of its SA3 area (3.8%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 66.0% of overall population gains recently. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where applicable, with growth rates by age group applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041.

Future population trends project an above median growth for the suburb, expecting an increase of 1,667 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 17.6% over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates Rozelle has averaged around 53 new homes approved per year. Between financial years FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 266 homes were approved, with a further 9 approved in FY-26 to date. Despite population decline, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average expected construction cost value of new homes is $1,219,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment. This financial year, $30.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Rozelle records 106.0% more building activity per person. Recent construction comprises 15.0% detached houses and 85.0% townhouses or apartments, promoting higher-density living and creating affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. With around 81 people per dwelling approval, Rozelle exhibits characteristics of a low density area.

AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate projects Rozelle to add 1,558 residents by 2041. Current development levels align with future requirements, maintaining stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 22 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include Rozelle Village Mixed-Use Precinct, Rozelle Village, Balmain Shores - Harbourwatch Building G, and The Bays Metro Station Development. Below is a list of projects most relevant to the area.

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 Rozelle remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Rozelle has a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector being particularly prominent. Its unemployment rate is 4.6%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of September 2025, there are 5,419 residents employed, and the unemployment rate stands at 4.6%, which is 0.4% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

The workforce participation rate in Rozelle is 76.1%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. Census responses indicate that 66.8% of residents work from home, although Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The key industries for employment among residents are professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. Rozelle shows strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share of 1.8 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance employs only 10.8% of local workers, compared to Greater Sydney's 14.1%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as suggested by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Rozelle's labour force increased by 0.2%, while employment declined by 0.6%, resulting in a rise in unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment grow by 2.1% and the labour force expand by 2.4%, with an unemployment increase of only 0.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insights into potential future demand within Rozelle. These projections estimate that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Rozelle's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, although this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

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

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2023 shows Rozelle's median income is $90,355 and average income is $131,767. In Greater Sydney, median income is $60,817 and average income is $83,003. By September 2025, estimates suggest median income will be approximately $98,360 and average income will be around $143,442, based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86%. Rozelle's incomes rank highly nationally, between the 98th and 99th percentiles according to 2021 Census figures. The largest income segment in Rozelle comprises 41.6% earning $4000+ weekly, compared to surrounding regions where 30.9% earn $1,500 - 2,999 weekly. High weekly earnings are achieved by 52.8% of households, supporting elevated consumer spending despite high housing costs consuming 16.6% of income. Disposable income ranks at the 97th percentile and SEIFA income ranking places Rozelle in the 10th decile.

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

Rozelle's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, had 24.6% houses and 75.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rozelle was 26.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.1% and rented ones at 40.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Rozelle was $3,500, higher than Sydney metro's $2,427. Median weekly rent in Rozelle was $650, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Rozelle's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 66.5% of all households, including 27.9% couples with children, 30.1% couples without children, and 7.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 33.5%, with lone person households at 29.1% and group households making up 4.2%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Rozelle's educational attainment is notably high, with 58.5% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications, compared to the national average of 30.4% and the NSW average of 32.2%. This high level of educational attainment positions Rozelle favourably for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 36.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.8%). Vocational pathways account for 20.7% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas making up 10.6% and certificates 10.1%.

Educational participation is notably high in Rozelle, with 25.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.4% in primary education, 6.0% in tertiary education, and 5.7% pursuing secondary education.

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

Rozelle has 49 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 27 different routes that together facilitate 8,250 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's home to the nearest transport stop is 159 meters, indicating excellent accessibility. In this predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Car remains the primary mode of transport at 64%, with bus and walking accounting for 13% and 10% respectively. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 0.7, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents work from home, at 66.8%. This figure may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 1,178 trips per day across all routes, which translates to approximately 168 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Rozelle's health outcomes show remarkable results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Approximately 79% of Rozelle's total population (6,964 people) has private health cover, compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 7.9% of residents and asthma impacting 7.2%. Notably, 74.3% of residents declare they are completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 14.7% of residents aged 65 and over (1,299 people), with health outcomes among seniors being particularly strong and broadly in line with national rankings for the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Rozelle was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Rozelle's population was found to be more linguistically diverse than most local markets, with 14.0% speaking a language other than English at home as of the latest data from 20XX. Additionally, 31.1% were born overseas. Christianity was the dominant religion in Rozelle, comprising 39.7% of its population, based on figures from 20XX.

However, Judaism showed notable overrepresentation with 0.6%, compared to Greater Sydney's average of 0.8%. Regarding ancestry, English heritage made up 27.4% of Rozelle's population, significantly higher than the regional average of 19.0%. Australian and Irish heritages followed, comprising 19.4% and 11.5%, respectively, both higher than their respective regional averages. Notably, French (0.9%), Welsh (0.8%), and Russian (0.6%) ethnicities were also overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.5%, 0.4%, and 0.4% respectively.

Rozelle's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Rozelle has a median age of 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to the Greater Sydney average, Rozelle has a notably over-represented 45-54 cohort at 15.1% and an under-represented 15-24 age group at 10.0%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group grew from 7.8% to 10.0%, while the 55-64 cohort increased from 11.3% to 13.0%. Conversely, the 35-44 cohort declined from 18.8% to 17.4%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Rozelle's age profile will change significantly. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 328 people (73%), increasing from 450 to 779. Meanwhile, the 5-14 cohort grows by a modest 2%, adding 14 people.