Rokeby

Rokeby lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Rokeby's population was around 9,429 as of May 2026. This showed an increase of 1,555 people from the 2021 Census figure of 7,874. The growth was inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 9,227 in June 2025 and validated new addresses since then. This resulted in a density ratio of 611 persons per square kilometer. Rokeby's growth rate of 19.7% since the 2021 Census exceeded the SA4 region's 3.9%. Interstate migration contributed approximately 46.1% to 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 by this data, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Future population projections indicate an above median growth for statistical areas nationwide. Rokeby is expected to increase by 1,947 persons to 2041, reflecting an 18.5% total gain over the 16 years.

The level of residential development activity in Rokeby was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Rokeby averaged approximately 159 new dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, a total of 799 homes were approved, with an additional 94 approvals in FY26 as of present. On average, 2.4 people moved to the area per new home constructed over these five years, reflecting strong demand that supports property values.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $248,000. This financial year has seen $33.2 million in commercial approvals, indicating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Hobart, Rokeby has 217% more building activity per person, offering buyers ample choice, although development activity has moderated recently. This figure is significantly above the national average, suggesting robust developer interest in the area. New development primarily consists of detached dwellings (99%), with townhouses or apartments making up the remaining 1%.

This preserves Rokeby's low-density nature and attracts space-seeking buyers. With around 78 people per dwelling approval, Rokeby exhibits characteristics of a growth area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Rokeby is projected to add 1,745 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand adequately, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Rokeby has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 4thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects expected to impact the region. Notable projects are Lauderdale Primary School, Cambridge-Clarence Recycled Water Interconnector, Droughty Peninsula Structure Plan, and Tasman Highway Duplication Project. The following list details those most relevant:.

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

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AreaSearch assessment indicates Rokeby faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Rokeby has a skilled workforce with well-represented essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 7.3%, slightly higher than Greater Hobart's 4.0%. Employment stability in Rokeby over the past year has been relative.

As of December 2025, 4,232 residents are employed, indicating room for improvement. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Hobart's at 63.7%. According to Census responses, a low 5.7% of residents work from home.

Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and public administration & safety. Professional & technical services have limited presence with 4.3% employment compared to the regional average of 6.6%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data. Over a 12-month period ending December 2025, employment increased by 0.1%, while labour force remained stable at 0.0%, resulting in a 0.1 percentage point decrease in unemployment rate. This contrasts with Greater Hobart where employment rose by 0.1%, labour force fell by 0.1%, and unemployment decreased by 0.2 percentage points. 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 Rokeby's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows Rokeby SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $54,003 and an average income of $56,385. These figures are below the national average. In Greater Hobart, the median income was $54,577 and the average was $65,190. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.95% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for March 2026 would be approximately $59,916 (median) and $62,559 (average). Census data indicates household, family, and personal incomes in Rokeby rank modestly, between the 21st and 34th percentiles. The earnings profile shows 34.2% of residents earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, which aligns with the surrounding region at 32.2%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 80.3% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 18th percentile.

Rokeby is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Rokeby's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 94.8% houses and 5.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Hobart metro's 85.3% houses and 14.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rokeby stood at 19.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 40.0% and rented ones at 40.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,387, lower than Hobart metro's $1,517. Median weekly rent in Rokeby was $325, compared to Hobart metro's $350. Nationally, Rokeby's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households comprise 69.7% of all households, including 25.2% couples with children, 21.7% couples without children, and 21.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 30.3%, with lone person households at 26.9% and group households comprising 3.3% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, larger than the Greater Hobart average of 2.4.

Rokeby faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 19.1%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 32.8%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 11.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.7%) and graduate diplomas (2.0%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 35.6% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 7.4% and certificates at 28.2%. Educational participation is high, with 31.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 12.6% in primary education, 7.4% in secondary education, and 3.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Rokeby has 72 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 188 individual routes, offering a total of 14,522 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents' homes to the nearest transport stop is 172 meters, indicating excellent accessibility. In this predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Car remains the primary mode of transportation, used by 88% of residents, while 8% use buses. On average, there are 1.2 vehicles per dwelling, lower than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 5.7% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 2,074 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 201 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Rokeby is well below average with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Rokeby faces substantial health challenges, according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high, affecting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 48% of the total population (~4,478 people), compared to 51.7% in Greater Hobart and the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 13.0% and 9.6% of residents respectively. Only 63.6% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 65.5% in Greater Hobart. Working-age residents face notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 12.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,155 people), lower than the 20.0% in Greater Hobart. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Rokeby ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Rokeby had low cultural diversity, with 86.1% citizens, 87.1% born in Australia, and 89.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion at 36.0%. The 'Other' category was slightly overrepresented at 1.2%, compared to Greater Hobart's 1.1%.

In terms of ancestry, English (33.0%) and Australian (32.9%) were the most common, followed by Other (6.4%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal (5.6%), Korean (0.3%), and Sri Lankan (0.2%) groups were more prevalent in Rokeby than regionally.

Rokeby hosts a very young demographic, ranking in the bottom 10% of areas nationwide

Rokeby's median age is 31, which is lower than Greater Hobart's figure of 39 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Hobart, Rokeby has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (20.4%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (7.7%). This 25-34 concentration is significantly higher than the national figure of 14.6%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 35 to 44 has increased from 13.7% to 18.1%, while the 15 to 24 cohort has decreased from 12.7% to 11.0% and the 5 to 14 group has dropped from 14.7% to 13.0%. Population forecasts for Rokeby indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041, with the strongest projected growth in the 45 to 54 age group, which is expected to grow by 87%, adding 759 residents to reach a total of 1,636. Conversely, the 35 to 44 age group is forecasted to contract by 151 residents.