Rockingham

Population growth drivers in Rockingham are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Rockingham's population is around 18,497 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 2,086 people (12.7%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 16,411 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 18,463 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 142 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 517 persons per square kilometer, providing significant space per person and potential room for further development. Rockingham's 12.7% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the national average (9.9%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by interstate migration, which contributed approximately 61.7% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth across all areas in the years post-2032, AreaSearch is utilising the growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). As we examine future population trends, an above-median population growth compared to national areas is projected, with the area expected to increase by 3,881 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 20.8% in total over the 17 years.

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

Rockingham has experienced around 46 dwellings receiving development approval each year, totalling 232 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 30 approvals have been recorded. At an average of 9 new residents per year for every home built over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), demand significantly exceeds new supply, which usually results in price growth and increased buyer competition, while new homes are being built at an average value of $329,000. There have also been $830.2 million in commercial approvals this financial year, demonstrating high levels of local commercial activity.

Relative to Greater Perth, Rockingham has significantly less development activity (70.0% below regional average per person). This scarcity of new properties typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties, though development activity has picked up in recent periods. This is similarly under the national average, indicating the area's established nature and suggesting potential planning limitations. New development consists of 82.0% detached dwellings and 18.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving the area's low density nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. Interestingly, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests (64.0% at Census), indicating continued strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. With around 270 people per dwelling approval, Rockingham shows a developing market.

Future projections show Rockingham adding 3,847 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). 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 22ndth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 38 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Rockingham General Hospital Expansion Stage 2, Seaside Estate Madora Bay, Waikiki Hotel Site Redevelopment, and Rockingham Marina, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

Employment drivers in Rockingham are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Rockingham has a balanced workforce spanning white and blue collar employment, with essential services sectors well represented, an unemployment rate of 8.4%, and 0.5% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 8,934 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 4.3% above Greater Perth's rate of 4.1%, showing room for improvement, and workforce participation lags significantly (59.6% compared to Greater Perth's 71.9%). Based on Census responses, a low 5.7% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and construction. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in public administration & safety, 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 ratio of 1.0 workers for each resident, as at the Census, indicates substantial local employment opportunities.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 0.5% while the labour force increased by 0.8%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Perth, where employment rose by 2.3%, the labour force grew by 2.6%, and unemployment rose 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Rockingham. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Rockingham's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.7% over five years and 12.3% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

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

The Rockingham SA2's income level is above the national average according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Rockingham SA2's median income among taxpayers is $59,073 and the average income stands at $71,530, which compares to figures for Greater Perth's of $60,748 and $80,248 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $64,756 (median) and $78,411 (average) as of September 2025. From the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 26th percentile ($692 weekly), while household income sits at the 9th percentile. Looking at income distribution, the predominant cohort spans 27.2% of locals (5,031 people) in the $400 - 799 category, contrasting with the broader area where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 32.0%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.0% of income remaining, ranking at the 10th percentile.

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

Dwelling structure within Rockingham, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 64.0% houses and 36.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Perth metro's 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Rockingham was well beyond that of Perth metro, at 35.8%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (26.5%) or rented (37.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well below the Perth metro average at $1,517, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $300, compared to Perth metro's $1,907 and $350. Nationally, Rockingham's mortgage repayments are significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are 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 dominate at 56.2% of all households, comprising 17.2% couples with children, 27.6% couples without children, and 10.5% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 43.8%, with lone person households at 40.8% and group households comprising 2.9% of the total. The median household size of 2.0 people 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 faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (13.9%) substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 9.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.4%) and graduate diplomas (1.7%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 44.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (11.1%) and certificates (33.1%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 25.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.3% in primary education, 7.0% in secondary education, and 3.9% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 165 active transport stops operating within Rockingham, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 10 individual routes, collectively providing 2,608 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 228 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 80%, with 8% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.0 per dwelling, which is below the regional average. A relatively low 5.7% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 372 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 15 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

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

Rockingham faces significant health challenges, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is fairly high at approximately 55% of the total population (~10,154 people), compared to 59.0% across Greater Perth.

The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 11.0% and 9.4% of residents, respectively, while 61.2% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 71.9% across Greater Perth. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 28.8% of residents aged 65 and over (5,325 people), which is higher than the 16.3% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Rockingham was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Rockingham was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 10.1% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 36.8% born overseas. The main religion in Rockingham is Christianity, which makes up 48.1% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Other, which comprises 0.8% of the population, compared to 1.4% across Greater Perth.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Rockingham are English, comprising 36.3% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 28.0%, Australian, comprising 22.7% of the population, and Scottish, comprising 8.6% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Welsh is notably overrepresented at 0.9% of Rockingham (vs 0.7% regionally), Serbian at 0.8% (vs 0.3%) and Maori at 1.3% (vs 0.9%).

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

At 47 years, Rockingham's median age is considerably higher than the Greater Perth average of 37 and substantially exceeds the 38-year national average. The 65 - 74 age group shows strong representation at 14.5% compared to Greater Perth, whereas the 35 - 44 cohort is less prevalent at 10.2%. This 65 - 74 concentration is well above the national 9.5%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 9.0% to 10.2% of the population, while the 65 to 74 cohort increased from 13.4% to 14.5%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 12.3% to 10.6%. Demographic modeling suggests Rockingham's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 75 to 84 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 65%, adding 1,229 residents to reach 3,111. Senior residents (65+) will drive 74% of population growth, underscoring demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 cohorts.