Rozelle

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

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation for the broader area, the estimated population of Rozelle as of Feb 2026 is around 8,842. This reflects an increase of 289 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,553. The increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 8,829 residents following examination of ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and four additional validated addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 4,831 persons per square kilometer, placing Rozelle in the top 10% nationally according to AreaSearch. The suburb's 3.4% growth since census is within 0.4 percentage points of its SA3 area (3.8%), indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 66.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

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, NSW State Government's SA2-level projections are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends project above-median growth, with Rozelle expected to increase by 1,690 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 19.0% over the 17-year period.

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

Rozelle has seen approximately 53 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years ending June 2021, totalling an estimated 266 homes. As of July 2021, 11 approvals have been recorded for the current financial year ending June 2022. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings in Rozelle is around $1,219,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment. In terms of commercial development, approximately $30.8 million in approvals have been registered this financial year.

Compared to Greater Sydney, Rozelle has seen 105.0% more construction activity per person as of July 2021. New building activity in Rozelle consists of 15.0% detached dwellings and 85.0% attached dwellings, promoting higher-density living which creates more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. As of June 2021, Rozelle reflects a low density area with around 81 people per approval. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate released in June 2021, Rozelle is projected to gain approximately 1,677 residents by 2041. Construction activity has been maintaining a reasonable pace with projected population growth, although increasing competition among buyers may be expected as the population continues to grow.

Population forecasts indicate Rozelle will gain 1,677 residents through to 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Construction is maintaining a reasonable pace with projected growth, although buyers could encounter growing competition as population increases.

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 that could impact the area. Notable ones include Rozelle Village Mixed-Use Precinct, Rozelle Village, Balmain Shores - Harbourwatch Building G, and The Bays Metro Station Development. 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.

Rozelle has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Rozelle has a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector prominent. Its unemployment rate is 4.4%, according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation as of December 2025. There are 5,394 employed residents, with an unemployment rate at 4.6% compared to Greater Sydney's 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Rozelle stands at 75.4%, higher than Greater Sydney's 70.2%. Census responses indicate that 66.8% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Dominant employment sectors include professional & technical, finance & insurance, and health care & social assistance. Rozelle has a notable concentration in professional & technical jobs, with levels at 1.8 times the regional average.

Conversely, health care & social assistance is under-represented, comprising only 10.8% of Rozelle's workforce compared to Greater Sydney's 14.1%. The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as shown by the Census working population vs resident population count. Between December 2024 and December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.7%, with employment decreasing by 1.8%, keeping unemployment broadly flat. In contrast, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with a marginal rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Rozelle's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 14.7% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

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

Rozelle's median taxpayer income was $90,355 with an average of $131,767 according to AreaSearch's postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2023. Nationally, this is exceptionally high compared to Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,030. By September 2025, estimates project these figures to be approximately $98,360 (median) and $143,442 (average), based on an 8.86% Wage Price Index growth since the financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, Rozelle's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 98th and 99th percentiles. Income analysis shows that 41.6% of the community (3,678 individuals) earns $4,000 or more per week, contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - $2,999 band dominates at 30.9%. This indicates strong economic capacity in Rozelle, with a substantial proportion of high earners (52.8% above $3,000/week). High housing costs consume 16.6% of income, yet strong earnings place disposable income at the 97th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it 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, comprised 24.6% houses and 75.4% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rozelle was at 26.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 33.1% and rented ones at 40.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,500, higher than Sydney metro's average of $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 make up the remaining 33.5%, consisting of 29.1% lone person households and 4.2% group households. 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 higher than national averages. Among residents aged 15+, 58.5% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 32.2% in NSW. 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, with advanced diplomas at 10.6% and certificates at 10.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 25.5% 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 collectively facilitate 8,250 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 159 meters from the nearest stop. Most Rozelle residents commute outward daily. Car remains the dominant mode of transportation at 64%, while bus accounts for 13% and walking for 10%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.7 per dwelling in the area, which is below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a high percentage of residents, specifically 66.8%, work from home, which may be partly due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 1,178 trips per day, resulting in 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 exceptional results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 79% of the total population (6,964 people), compared to 59.9% in Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions are mental health issues affecting 7.9% of residents and asthma impacting 7.2%. A significant majority, 74.3%, report being completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 14.9% of residents aged 65 and over (1,317 people), with health outcomes among seniors ranking broadly in line with the general population nationally.

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, surveyed in June 2016, had a higher linguistic diversity than most local areas, with 14.0% of residents speaking a language other than English at home. In terms of birthplace, 31.1% were born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 39.7%.

Judaism, though small at 0.6%, was higher than Greater Sydney's average of 0.8%. Ancestry-wise, English (27.4%) and Australian (19.4%) groups were prominent, with Irish (11.5%) also notable. French (0.9%), Welsh (0.8%), and Russian (0.6%) ethnicities showed significant representation compared to regional averages of 0.5%, 0.4%, and 0.4% respectively.

Rozelle's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Rozelle's median age is 40, which is slightly higher than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's median age of 38. The 45-54 age group is notably over-represented in Rozelle at 15.0%, compared to the Greater Sydney average, while those aged 15-24 are under-represented at 10.1%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 7.8% to 10.1% of Rozelle's population, while the 55-64 cohort has risen from 11.3% to 13.0%. Conversely, the 35-44 age group has decreased from 18.8% to 17.3%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Rozelle's age profile. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 336 people (73%), from 459 to 796. Meanwhile, the 5-14 age group is expected to grow modestly by 2% (20 people).