Rockingham
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Rockingham are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Rockingham's population is 18,597 as of November 2025. This figure reflects a growth of 2,186 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,411. The increase was inferred from ABS estimates and validated new addresses between June 2024 and the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 520 persons per square kilometer. Rockingham's growth rate of 13.3% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 8.9%. Interstate migration contributed approximately 61.7% 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 and post-2032 estimations, AreaSearch utilises growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future population trends project an above median growth for Rockingham, with an expected increase of 3,881 persons to 2041, reflecting a total increase of 20.1% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Rockingham among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Rockingham has received approximately 46 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 232 homes. As of FY-26, 23 approvals have been recorded. On average, each home built between FY-21 and FY-25 attracts around 9 new residents per year. This high demand coupled with limited supply typically leads to price growth and increased buyer competition.

The average construction cost for new homes is $329,000. In the current financial year, there have been $830.2 million in commercial approvals, indicating significant local commercial activity. However, Rockingham has significantly less development activity compared to Greater Perth, with 70.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new properties often strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Recent periods have seen an increase in development activity, though it remains under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations.

New developments consist of 82.0% detached dwellings and 18.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving Rockingham's low-density character with a focus on detached housing appealing to space-seeking buyers. Notably, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests (64.0% at Census), indicating strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. With around 270 people per dwelling approval, Rockingham exhibits a developing market. Future projections estimate Rockingham will add 3,747 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

Rockingham has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 28thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified a total of 37 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Rockingham General Hospital Expansion Stage 2, Waikiki Hotel Site Redevelopment, Atwater Estate Rockingham, and Seaside Estate Madora Bay. 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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Employment drivers in Rockingham are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Rockingham has a balanced workforce with white and blue collar jobs. The unemployment rate is 8.3%, with an estimated employment growth of 3.7% over the past year.

As of June 2025, there are 9,197 residents employed, but the unemployment rate is higher at 4.5% compared to Greater Perth's 3.9%. Workforce participation is lower at 51.7%, compared to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Leading industries include public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and construction. Public administration & safety has notably high representation with employment levels at 2.7 times the regional average.

Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 3.3% versus the regional average of 8.2%. The worker-to-resident ratio is 1.0, indicating substantial local employment opportunities. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 3.7%, while labour force grew by 5.8%, causing unemployment to rise by 1.9 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Perth saw employment grow by 3.7% and unemployment increase by only 0.1%. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Rockingham's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.7% over five years and 12.3% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

Rockingham's median income among taxpayers was $56,146 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $67,869 during the same period. These figures compare to Greater Perth's median and average incomes of $58,380 and $78,020 respectively. By September 2025, estimates suggest Rockingham's median income will be approximately $64,119 and average income around $77,506, based on a Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, personal income in Rockingham ranked at the 27th percentile with weekly earnings of $692, while household income was at the 10th percentile. Income distribution showed that 27.2% of locals (5,058 people) fell into the $400 - $799 category, contrasting with the broader area where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket led at 32.0%. Housing affordability pressures were severe in Rockingham, with only 82.0% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 10th percentile.

Rockingham displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Rockingham's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 64.0% houses and 36.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Perth metro's figures of 90.5% houses and 9.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Rockingham stood at 35.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.5% and rented ones at 37.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, lower than Perth metro's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Rockingham was recorded at $300, compared to Perth metro's $330. Nationally, Rockingham's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Rockingham features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 56.2 percent of all households, including 17.2 percent couples with children, 27.6 percent couples without children, and 10.5 percent single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 43.8 percent, with lone person households at 40.8 percent and group households comprising 2.9 percent of the total. The median household size is 2.0 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Educational outcomes in Rockingham fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 13.9%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 9.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 44.2% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 11.1% and certificates at 33.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 25.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.3% in primary, 7.0% in secondary, and 3.9% in tertiary education. The area has 13 schools serving 4,264 students, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 985) offering balanced educational opportunities. Educational provision is split between 6 primary and 7 secondary institutions. School capacity exceeds residential needs at 23.0 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 17.1, indicating it serves as an educational center for the broader region. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Rockingham has 145 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 10 different routes that together facilitate 2,592 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is considered good, with residents on average being located 227 meters from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, buses make an average of 370 trips per day, which translates to approximately 17 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Rockingham is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Rockingham faces significant health challenges, as indicated by its health data.

Both younger and older age groups have notable prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 53% (~9,930 people) of Rockingham's total population has private health cover. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.0%) and mental health issues (9.4%), while 61.2% of residents report having no medical ailments. This is lower than the 68.5% reported across Greater Perth. As of 2021, Rockingham has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 27.8% (5,160 people), compared to Greater Perth's 15.6%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, generally aligning with the overall population's health profile.

Rockingham was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Rockingham's cultural diversity was evident with 10.1% speaking a language other than English at home, and 36.8% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 48.1%. The 'Other' religious category was slightly overrepresented at 0.8%, compared to Greater Perth's 0.7%.

In terms of ancestry, English (36.3%), Australian (22.7%), and Scottish (8.6%) were the top groups. Notably, Welsh (0.9% vs regional 0.9%), Serbian (0.8% vs 0.3%), and Maori (1.3% vs 2.0%) showed significant divergences in representation compared to Greater Perth.

Rockingham hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Rockingham's median age is 47 years, significantly higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 and the national average of 38 years. The 65-74 age group constitutes 14.0% of Rockingham's population compared to Greater Perth, while the 35-44 cohort makes up 10.3%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 75-84 age group has increased from 9.0% to 9.9%, and the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 12.3% to 10.9%. Demographic modeling predicts significant changes in Rockingham's age profile by 2041, with the 75-84 cohort projected to grow by 69%, adding 1,271 residents to reach 3,111. The 65+ age group is expected to drive 78% of population growth. Meanwhile, declines are projected for the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts.