North Rocks
Chinese ancestry (2,033) surpasses English (1,962) as the leading heritage group, a demographic crossover that reflects the broader transformation of Sydney's north-west corridor. Mandarin (532 speakers), Cantonese (260) and Korean (231) dominate non-English languages, and 42.5% of residents were born overseas, 20.9 points above the national average. The median house price dropped 18.7% in one year, from $1,660,000 (2024) to $1,350,000 (2025), a steep correction for a suburb at the 89.4th household income percentile. SEIFA scores are among the highest in this cohort: IER decile 10, IRSAD decile 10, IRSD decile 10 and IEO decile 9, confirming both wealth and education at elite national levels.
Population
9,136
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,354/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
65
Median House
$1.5M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $1,500,000 median (PSI-derived) represents the blended price, but the year-on-year drop from $1,660,000 to $1,350,000 (-18.7%) signals significant correction. Detached houses at 78.1% dominate, with four-plus bedrooms at 50.3% and three-bedrooms at 34.2%. Monthly mortgage repayments of $2,817 produce a 27.6% mortgage-to-income ratio, approaching but not exceeding the stress line. Outright ownership at 36.2% and mortgage holders at 39.6% together total 75.8%, indicating a strong owner-occupied base. Three schools all exceed the 1,000 ICSEA benchmark, with North Rocks Public School at 1,137 (881 students) leading. The 78.9% residential stability suggests a settled community, though the 18.7% price drop will concern recent buyers.
For Buyers
The $1,500,000 median (PSI-derived) represents the blended price, but the year-on-year drop from $1,660,000 to $1,350,000 (-18.7%) signals significant correction. Detached houses at 78.1% dominate, with four-plus bedrooms at 50.3% and three-bedrooms at 34.2%. Monthly mortgage repayments of $2,817 produce a 27.6% mortgage-to-income ratio, approaching but not exceeding the stress line. Outright ownership at 36.2% and mortgage holders at 39.6% together total 75.8%, indicating a strong owner-occupied base. Three schools all exceed the 1,000 ICSEA benchmark, with North Rocks Public School at 1,137 (881 students) leading. The 78.9% residential stability suggests a settled community, though the 18.7% price drop will concern recent buyers.
For Investors
Renters at 24.2% provide a moderate tenant pool, and the 4.9% vacancy rate is tight. At $505/week rent against a $1,500,000 median, gross yield is approximately 1.8%, low even by Sydney standards. The 18.7% price decline creates a potential entry point, but gross yield remains suppressed. Net overseas migration of 91 per year is modest, and internal migration is slightly negative at 26 departures annually. With 66 DAs lodged in 12 months, development activity is moderate for a 5.46 km2 suburban footprint. The 21.1% turnover rate is low, meaning tenants tend to stay, reducing void costs. Rent-to-income at 21.5% indicates tenants are not financially stressed.
Development Activity
Total DAs
405
Last 12 Months
65
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-8.5%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in North Rocks iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
North Rocks Public School
K-6 · 861 students
Christ The King Primary School
K-6 · 279 students
Muirfield High School
7-12 · 836 students
Demographics
Chinese ancestry at 2,033 leads, followed by English (1,962), Irish (634) and Scottish (604), reflecting a demographic shift from Anglo-Celtic to East Asian dominance. The 42.5% overseas-born share is 20.9 points above the national average. Mandarin (532), Cantonese (260), Korean (231), Arabic (102) and Persian (93) lead non-English languages. Median age of 40 matches the national figure, and average household size of 2.9 is 0.4 above the national norm. Couples with children (3,765) strongly outnumber couples without (1,779) by 2.1:1. University qualifications at 53.9% are 23.8 points above the national average, consistent with the SEIFA IEO decile 9 reading.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
78.1%
Houses
7.8%
Townhouse
14.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Detached houses account for 78.1%, with apartments at 14.1% and semi-detached at 7.8%. Four-plus bedrooms dominate at 50.3%, with three-bedrooms at 34.2%, leaving under 16% for smaller units. Outright owners at 36.2% and mortgage holders at 39.6% control 75.8% of tenure, with renters at 24.2%. The median dropped from $1,660,000 (2024) to $1,350,000 (2025), a 18.7% correction. Mortgage-to-income at 27.6% is elevated but below the stress threshold. The price-to-income ratio is roughly 12.3 times annual household income. SEIFA IER decile 10 confirms top-tier economic resources at the area level.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,817
Rent / wk
$505
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$938
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.9%
Unoccupied
155
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.1%
Couples, no children
8,050
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads at 16.7% (559 workers), followed by Professional/Tech at 13.2% (442), Education at 12.5% (417), Construction at 7.7% (258) and Finance at 7.4% (248). Professionals (1,442) and Managers (724) dominate occupations, consistent with the IEO decile 9 reading. Full-time employment at 67.9% is above the national average, and unemployment at 4.8% is moderate. The participation rate of 53.4% is lower than expected for such a high-income suburb, with 2,617 people outside the labour force, partly reflecting stay-at-home parents in this family-heavy suburb. SEIFA IRSAD decile 10 and IRSD decile 10 confirm elite socio-economic standing across both advantage and low-disadvantage measures.
Unemployment
1.5%
Labour Force
5,221
Unemployed
79
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
67.9%
Part-time
27.3%
Participation
53.4%
Employed
3,735
Occupations
Top Industries
University
53.9%
Postgraduate
17.0%
Born Overseas
42.5%
Dwellings
3,020
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 87.4%, with public transport at 3.9% and walking/cycling at 2.2%. Three schools all score well above the 1,000 ICSEA benchmark: North Rocks Public School (1,137, 861 students, Government), Christ The King Primary (1,102, 279 students, Catholic), and Muirfield High School (1,082, 836 students, Government Secondary). SEIFA IRSAD decile 10 and IRSD decile 10 confirm top-tier advantage. The 4.8% need-assistance rate (430 people) is moderate. Rent-to-income at 21.5% and mortgage-to-income at 27.6% are manageable for the high-income resident base. The 15.5% volunteering rate sits near the national median.
Drive
87.4%
Public Transport
3.9%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.55%/yr
(+48 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grows at 0.55% per year (48 persons), slow for a Sydney suburb. The 10-year population change of 10.8% is below the national average. Internal migration is marginally negative at 26 departures per year, with overseas migration adding 91. The senior share expanded 2.7 points over the decade, and the working-age share contracted 1.9 points, indicating gradual aging. Real income growth of 10.3% over the decade is modest. The gentrification stage is recorded as not gentrifying, which is consistent with a suburb that is already at the upper end of the socio-economic spectrum. Projected population reaches approximately 8,987 by 2031.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+91
Net Internal / yr
-26
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How North Rocks compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is North Rocks a good suburb to live in?
North Rocks scores IRSAD decile 10 and sits at the 89.4th household income percentile. Three schools all exceed ICSEA 1,082, and 53.9% of residents are university qualified. Mortgage stress at 27.6% is manageable. The 18.7% price correction from $1,660,000 to $1,350,000 is a concern for recent buyers but may benefit new entrants.
What is the median house price in North Rocks?
The median is $1,500,000 (PSI-derived, 2024-2025), with prices falling 18.7% from $1,660,000 to $1,350,000 year-on-year. Monthly mortgage repayments of $2,817 produce a 27.6% mortgage-to-income ratio. Median weekly rent is $505.
What schools are in North Rocks?
Three schools serve the suburb, all above the 1,000 ICSEA benchmark: North Rocks Public School (1,137, 861 students, Government), Christ The King Primary (1,102, 279 students, Catholic), and Muirfield High School (1,082, 836 students, Government Secondary). All rank in the top tier nationally.
Is North Rocks safe?
Crime data is not available for North Rocks in the current dataset. SEIFA IRSD decile 10 indicates minimal disadvantage, and IRSAD decile 10 confirms top-level advantage. The 78.9% residential stability rate and 75.8% owner-occupancy suggest a low-turnover, settled community.
Is North Rocks good for property investment?
The 24.2% renter share is moderate, but gross yield of approximately 1.8% ($505/week on $1,500,000) is very low. The 4.9% vacancy rate is tight. The 18.7% price correction creates a potential entry opportunity, but yield compression is structural in this premium market. Overseas migration adds 91 per year, and 66 DAs in 12 months show moderate activity.
How is North Rocks's population changing?
Population grows at 0.55% per year (48 persons), with 10.8% change over the decade. Overseas migration adds 91 per year, while internal migration is slightly negative at 26 departures. The senior share grew 2.7 points over the decade. Chinese ancestry (2,033) now exceeds English (1,962) as the leading heritage group.
What languages are spoken in North Rocks?
With 42.5% born overseas (20.9 points above national), Mandarin (532 speakers), Cantonese (260), Korean (231), Arabic (102) and Persian (93) lead non-English languages. Chinese ancestry (2,033) exceeds English (1,962), making North Rocks one of Sydney's north-west corridor suburbs where East Asian heritage has become the plurality.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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