Rokeby
Statistical Area - sa2

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 9,211 as of August 2025. This reflected an increase of 1,337 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 7,874 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,004 in June 2024 and an additional 737 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a density ratio of 597 persons per square kilometer. Rokeby's growth rate of 17.0% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region (4.2%) and the metropolitan area, indicating it was a growth leader in the region. Interstate migration contributed approximately 70.2% of overall population gains during recent periods, with all drivers being positive factors.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and to estimate growth by age group post-2032, Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 were adopted with adjustments made using weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Population projections indicated an above median growth for statistical areas across the nation, with Rokeby expected to increase by 2,183 persons to 2041, recording a gain of 21.4% over the 17 years.

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

Rokeby averages approximately 159 new dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) produces development approval data on a financial year basis, with 799 homes approved in the past five years from FY-21 to FY-25, and 15 approvals so far in FY-26. Each dwelling has accommodated an average of 2.4 new residents annually over these five years, reflecting strong demand that supports property values. The average construction cost value of new homes is $393,000, aligning with broader regional development trends.

In FY-26, $33.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating robust commercial development momentum. Compared to Greater Hobart, Rokeby has 227.0% more building activity per person, offering buyers ample choice, although recent periods have seen a moderation in development activity. This high level of activity is significantly above the national average, suggesting strong developer interest in the area. New development primarily consists of detached dwellings (99.0%) with townhouses or apartments making up the remaining 1.0%, preserving Rokeby's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 78 people per dwelling approval, Rokeby exhibits characteristics of a growth area.

Future projections indicate Rokeby adding 1,976 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Rokeby has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 9thth percentile nationally

Area performance is significantly influenced by local infrastructure changes. Two projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Notable projects include Lauderdale Primary School, Cambridge-Clarence Recycled Water Interconnector, Droughty Peninsula Structure Plan, and Tasman Highway Duplication Project. The following details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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

Rokeby has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 7.3%.

In Rokeby, 4,128 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is higher by 3.1% compared to Greater Hobart's rate of 4.1%, indicating potential improvement needed. Workforce participation in Rokeby is similar to Greater Hobart's figure of 61.6%. The leading employment industries among residents include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and public administration & safety.

However, professional & technical services have limited representation with only 4.3% employment compared to the regional average of 6.6%. An analysis of AreaSearch data shows that over a 12-month period ending in June 2025, Rokeby's labour force decreased by 1.6% and employment declined by 0.6%, resulting in a fall in unemployment rate by 1 percentage point. In comparison, Greater Hobart experienced an employment contraction of 1.5%, a labour force decrease of 1.6%, and a slight reduction in unemployment rate of 0.2 percentage points during the same period. State-level data from September 2025 indicates that Tasmania's employment grew by 0.77% year-on-year, adding 1,170 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. This compares favourably to the national unemployment rate of 4.5%, where Tasmania's employment growth outpaced the national average of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest that Rokeby's employment could grow by approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.3% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation using industry-specific projections.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Rokeby's median income among taxpayers was $50,089 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $53,327 during the same period. These figures compare to Greater Hobart's median and average incomes of $51,272 and $63,777 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.94% from financial year 2022 to March 2025, current estimates would be approximately $56,070 (median) and $59,694 (average). According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census Data from 2021, household incomes in Rokeby rank between the 22nd and 34th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 34.2% of residents fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket, with 3,150 people in this category. This pattern is similar to that seen in the metropolitan region where 32.2% occupy this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Rokeby, 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

Dwelling structure in Rokeby, as evaluated at the latest Census held on 28 August 2016, comprised 94.8% houses and 5.2% other dwellings. In comparison, Hobart metro had 93.4% houses and 6.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rokeby was 19.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 40.0% and rented dwellings at 40.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area, as of June 2021, was $1,387, lower than Hobart metro's $1,538. The median weekly rent figure for Rokeby, also as of June 2021, 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 constitute 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 comprise the remaining 30.3%, with lone person households at 26.9% and group households at 3.3%. 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 has university qualification rates at 19.1%, substantially below 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%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 35.6% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – 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. Rokeby's 5 schools have a combined enrollment of 1,167 students. The educational mix in Rokeby includes 3 primary, 1 secondary, and 1 K-12 school.

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

Rokeby has 76 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. They are served by 82 different routes that together facilitate 11,476 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to these stops is rated excellent, with residents on average being located 171 meters from the nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 1,639 trips across all routes, which amounts to approximately 151 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Rokeby is well below average with considerably higher than average prevalence of common health conditions and to an even higher degree among older age cohorts

Rokeby faces substantial health challenges with a higher prevalence of common health conditions compared to average, particularly among older age cohorts. Approximately 47% (~4,329 people) have private health cover, lower than Greater Hobart's 51.4% and the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues impact 13.0% of residents, while asthma affects 9.6%.

63.6% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to Greater Hobart's 64.2%. Rokeby has 12.0% (1,108 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Hobart's 21.8%, but health outcomes among seniors require more attention.

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

Rokeby had a low cultural diversity, with 86.1% citizens, 87.1% born in Australia, and 89.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the primary religion at 36.0%. The 'Other' category was overrepresented at 1.2%, compared to Greater Hobart's 0.9%.

Top ancestry groups were English (33.0%), Australian (32.9%), and Other (6.4%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal (5.6%) Korean (0.3%) and Sri Lankan (0.2%) groups were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 2.8%, 0.2% and 0.1% respectively.

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

Rokeby's median age is 31, which is younger than Greater Hobart's figure of 39 and Australia's figure of 38. Compared to Greater Hobart, Rokeby has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (20.7%) but fewer residents aged 55-64 (7.9%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the proportion of residents aged 35 to 44 has increased from 13.7% to 17.6%, while the proportion of those aged 15 to 24 has decreased from 12.7% to 11.3%. The proportion of residents aged 5 to 14 has also dropped, from 14.7% to 13.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 suggest substantial demographic changes in Rokeby. The 45 to 54 age group is projected to grow by 91%, adding 764 residents to reach a total of 1,603. Conversely, the 35 to 44 age group is expected to decrease by 43 residents.