Rowville - Central
Statistical Area - sa2

Rowville - Central is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Rowville - Central's population is around 16052 as of August 2025. This reflects an increase of 634 people, a 4.1% rise since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 15418 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 15786 in June 2024 and an additional 157 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1957 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Rowville - Central's growth of 4.1% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area (3.9%) and the SA4 region, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 78.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing 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. Moving forward, demographic trends suggest Rowville - Central will experience a population increase just below the median of statistical areas across the nation. By 2041, based on the latest population numbers, the area is expected to grow by 922 persons, recording a gain of approximately 3.7% in total over the 17 years.

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

Rowville - Central has seen approximately 73 new homes approved annually. Development approval data from the ABS shows 369 homes over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with 17 approved so far in FY-26. Despite a declining population, development activity has been adequate relative to population changes, benefiting buyers. New properties are constructed at an average cost of $587,000, slightly above the regional average, indicating focus on quality developments.

Commercial approvals this financial year totalled $14.8 million, suggesting balanced commercial development activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Rowville - Central has similar development levels per person, maintaining market equilibrium with surrounding areas. New building activity comprises 63.0% detached houses and 37.0% medium and high-density housing, expanding affordable options. This shift from the area's existing 92.0% houses suggests decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyles.

With around 186 people per dwelling approval, Rowville - Central shows characteristics of a low density area. Population forecasts indicate an increase of 601 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, potentially facilitating population growth beyond projections.

Rowville - Central has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified eight projects expected to impact the region. Notable ones are Bankside Rowville, The Rowville Plan, Rowville Mixed Use Development, and Henderson Road and Kelletts Road Intersection Upgrade.

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

AreaSearch analysis places Rowville - Central well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Rowville Central has a highly educated workforce with significant representation in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate is 2.8%, lower than the Greater Melbourne average of 4.6%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 0.9%. As of June 2025, 9,002 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8% below Greater Melbourne's rate. Workforce participation is similar to Greater Melbourne's (67.1% vs 64.1%). Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

Retail trade shows strong specialization, with an employment share 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, professional & technical services have lower representation at 8.1%. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 0.9% while labour force grew by 0.7%, reducing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded higher employment growth of 3.5% but also saw unemployment rise by 0.5%. State-wide in Victoria as of Sep-25, employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, slightly above the national average of 4.5%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Rowville Central's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows median income in Rowville - Central is $55,155 and average income is $66,800. This is slightly above national averages of $54,376 median and $66,490 average. Greater Melbourne's figures are median $54,892 and average $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Rowville - Central would be approximately $60,731 median and $73,553 average as of March 2025. Census 2021 income data shows incomes in Rowville - Central cluster around the 63rd percentile nationally. Income brackets indicate that 35.2% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999 annually, aligning with metropolitan region's 32.8%. Housing accounts for 13.4% of income. Residents rank within the 75th percentile for disposable income and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

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

In Rowville - Central, as per the latest Census evaluation, 91.6% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 8.4% being semi-detached, apartments, or other dwellings. This contrasts with Melbourne metro's figures of 83.4% houses and 16.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rowville - Central stood at 37.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 42.8% and rented ones at 19.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, aligning with Melbourne metro's average, while the median weekly rent was $425, higher than Melbourne metro's $400. Nationally, Rowville - Central's mortgage repayments were higher ($2,000 vs $1,863), and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 81.3% of all households, including 42.9% couples with children, 26.3% couples without children, and 11.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 18.7%, with lone person households at 17.0% and group households comprising 1.7%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.7.

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

Educational qualifications in Rowville - Central trail regional benchmarks indicate that 31.1% of residents aged 15 years and above hold university degrees, compared to 37.0% in Greater Melbourne. This difference suggests potential for educational development and skill enhancement. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 20.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 30.9% of residents aged 15 years and above holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 12.0% and certificates for 18.9%.

Educational participation is notable, with 26.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 8.2% in primary, 7.4% in secondary, and 5.2% pursuing tertiary education. Rowville - Central's five schools have a combined enrolment reaching 3,208 students as of the latest data. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1059. Education provision is balanced with three primary and two secondary schools serving distinct age groups. As of the latest statistics, Rowville - Central functions as an education hub with 20.0 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 12.0, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Public transport analysis shows 75 active transport stops operating in Rowville - Central, with a mix of buses serving these stops. There are 18 individual routes providing service to these stops, collectively resulting in 5,329 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 251 meters from the nearest transport stop.

Service frequency averages 761 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 71 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Rowville - Central is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Rowville - Central shows better-than-average health outcomes for both younger and older age groups, with low prevalence of common health conditions.

Approximately 8,411 residents have private health cover, which is slightly higher than the average SA2 area at around 52%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting about 7.5% and 7.2% of residents respectively. Around 71.1% of residents reported no medical ailments, compared to 69.4% in Greater Melbourne. About 3,056 people (19%) are aged 65 or over. Health outcomes among seniors are generally good, similar to those of the wider population.

Rowville - Central is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Rowville-Central has a high level of cultural diversity, with 37.6% of its population born overseas and 34.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Rowville-Central, making up 48.2% of its population. Buddhism, however, is more prevalent here compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 5.1% vs 4.6%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (19.6%), Australian (19.0%), and Chinese (12.3%). Notably, Sri Lankan, Hungarian, and Italian ethnicities are overrepresented in Rowville-Central compared to regional averages: Sri Lankan at 1.9% vs 1.4%, Hungarian at 0.6% vs 0.4%, and Italian at 5.3% vs 3.7%.

Rowville - Central's median age exceeds the national pattern

Rowville - Central's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and slightly older than Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne's averages, Rowville - Central has a notably over-represented 55-64 cohort (14.2%) and an under-represented 25-34 age group (12.2%). Post the 2021 Census, the 65-74 age group increased from 9.6% to 11.3%, while the 55-64 cohort decreased from 15.7% to 14.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Rowville - Central's age profile. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 56%, adding 497 residents to reach 1,380. Residents aged 65 and older will represent 77% of the anticipated population growth. However, population declines are projected for the 15-24 and 0-4 age cohorts.