Rochedale
Population exploded 170.5% over 10 years and grows at 4.21% annually (580 persons), the fastest rate in this batch, because Rochedale is effectively a new suburb being built on greenfield land. The demographic profile is unlike any traditional Brisbane suburb: 58.9% born overseas (37.3 points above national), 66.5% university qualifications (36.4 points above national), median age 33, and 85.2% of homes have 4+ bedrooms. Chinese ancestry (3,129) outnumbers English (1,158) as the largest group. Household income in the 92nd percentile and IRSAD decile 10 confirm this is a high-income, highly-educated migrant community building from scratch.
Population
7,633
Median Age
33.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,492/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
131
Median House
$743K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated $743,000 median sits in mid-range for new Brisbane estates. Monthly mortgage of $2,600 produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%, well below stress levels. Detached houses dominate at 91.6%, with 85.2% having 4+ bedrooms, the highest proportion in this dataset. Mortgage holders at 54.6% are the dominant tenure, reflecting a community of recent purchasers. Outright ownership at 24.0% is lower than average. Four schools serve the area, all scoring above the national benchmark: Redeemer Lutheran (ICSEA 1,147), Rochedale State School (ICSEA 1,112), St Peter's Primary (ICSEA 1,080) and Rochedale State High (ICSEA 1,034). Public transport use at 8.0% is reasonable.
For Buyers
The estimated $743,000 median sits in mid-range for new Brisbane estates. Monthly mortgage of $2,600 produces a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%, well below stress levels. Detached houses dominate at 91.6%, with 85.2% having 4+ bedrooms, the highest proportion in this dataset. Mortgage holders at 54.6% are the dominant tenure, reflecting a community of recent purchasers. Outright ownership at 24.0% is lower than average. Four schools serve the area, all scoring above the national benchmark: Redeemer Lutheran (ICSEA 1,147), Rochedale State School (ICSEA 1,112), St Peter's Primary (ICSEA 1,080) and Rochedale State High (ICSEA 1,034). Public transport use at 8.0% is reasonable.
For Investors
Renters at 21.3% form a moderate pool. Weekly rent of $600 against the $743,000 estimated median delivers gross yield of approximately 4.2%, above the Brisbane average. The 8.0% vacancy rate is moderate. Development activity is intense at 118 DAs in 12 months, including commercial, warehouse and residential proposals. Net internal migration of 355 per year is the primary driver, supplemented by 166 overseas. The rejuvenating trajectory (young share up 2.9 points, senior share down 3.7) means the tenant pool is young, working, and growing. Rent grew 62.2% over the decade, the highest rate in this batch, indicating strong demand but potential affordability limits.
Development Activity
Total DAs
397
Last 12 Months
131
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+48.9%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Rochedale iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Redeemer Lutheran College
Prep-12 · 1111 students
Rochedale State School
Prep-6 · 989 students
St Peter's Primary School
Prep-6 · 508 students
Rochedale State High School
7-12 · 1547 students
Demographics
The median age of 33 is 7 years below the national median, the largest gap in this batch. Overseas-born at 58.9% is 37.3 points above national, the highest in this dataset. Chinese ancestry (3,129) leads, followed by English (1,158), Indian (665) and Korean (416). Mandarin (1,066), Cantonese (298), Korean (184), Gujarati (80) and Punjabi (57) are the top non-English languages. University qualifications at 66.5% are 36.4 points above national, also the highest in this batch. Average household size of 3.3 is 0.8 above national. Couples with children (4,118) vastly outnumber childless couples (1,210), with 60% of families being two-parent households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.6%
Houses
6.8%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Mortgage holders at 54.6% dominate tenure, well above the national average, because most residents purchased recently in new estates. Outright owners at 24.0% and renters at 21.3% complete the split. Stock is 91.6% detached, with 85.2% having 4+ bedrooms, reflecting the new-build, family-oriented stock. Semi-detached at 6.8% provides limited medium-density. Mortgage-to-income at 24.1% and rent-to-income at 24.1% are identical and both below stress thresholds. The IRSD decile 9 and IRSAD decile 10 place Rochedale in the top tier nationally, driven by the high-income professional household base.
Mortgage / mo
$2,600
Rent / wk
$600
HH Size
3.3
Personal Income / wk
$973
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.0%
Unoccupied
201
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
17.6%
Couples, no children
6,875
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads at 18.9% (564 workers), followed by Professional/Tech at 14.3% (426), Education at 9.1% (270), Retail at 8.1% (242) and Construction at 7.5% (222). The Professional/Tech share at 14.3% is above the national average. Professionals (1,399) dominate occupations, with Managers (620) and Clerical/Admin (492) following. Full-time employment at 65.4% is above average, though unemployment at 5.9% is also above average. Participation at 66.6% is high. The IEO decile 9 and IER decile 10 confirm top-tier educational and economic outcomes. The 17.9% real income growth over the decade outpaced many comparable suburbs.
Unemployment
1.8%
Labour Force
7,535
Unemployed
137
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.4%
Part-time
28.7%
Participation
66.6%
Employed
3,557
Occupations
Top Industries
University
66.5%
Postgraduate
23.5%
Born Overseas
58.9%
Dwellings
2,320
Transport to Work
Four schools serve Rochedale, all above the national ICSEA benchmark: Redeemer Lutheran College (independent combined, 1,147, 1,111 students), Rochedale State School (government primary, 1,112, 989), St Peter's Primary (Catholic, 1,080, 508) and Rochedale State High (government secondary, 1,034, 1,547). Combined enrolment of 4,155 students indicates strong educational infrastructure. Public transport at 8.0% is reasonable, with car dependency at 84.9%. The IRSAD decile 10 is the top national tier. No crime data is available. Need for assistance at 2.3% (173 people) is well below average.
Drive
84.9%
Public Transport
8.0%
Walk / Cycle
1.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+4.21%/yr
(+580 people/yr)
High GrowthPopulation grows at 4.21% per year (580 persons), far above the national average and classified as high growth. The 10-year change was 170.5%, the largest in this dataset. Medium forecasts project 16,718 by 2031 from 13,761 in 2025. Internal migration at 355 per year is the primary driver, with overseas migration at 166. The suburb is rejuvenating: young share up 2.9 points, senior share down 3.7 points, working-age share up 3.3 points. Affordability worsened from 54.5% (2011) to 60.9% (2021), with rent surging 62.2% over the decade. The high residential turnover of 32.8% reflects the new-suburb churn of incoming buyers and renters.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+166
Net Internal / yr
+355
Gentrification Signal
New development
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Rochedale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rochedale a good suburb to live in?
Rochedale ranks in IRSAD decile 10, the top national tier. University qualifications at 66.5% are 36.4 points above average, the highest in this batch. Four schools all score above the ICSEA benchmark. The trade-off is rapid development (118 DAs in 12 months) creating an evolving construction environment, and worsening affordability trends.
What is the median house price in Rochedale?
The estimated median house price is $743,000 (2025 rent-derived). Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,600, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.1%. Weekly rent is $600, among the highest in this batch. Rent grew 62.2% over the decade, outpacing income growth of 17.9%.
What schools are in Rochedale?
Four schools operate in Rochedale: Redeemer Lutheran College (independent, ICSEA 1,147, 1,111 students), Rochedale State School (government, ICSEA 1,112, 989), St Peter's Primary (Catholic, ICSEA 1,080, 508) and Rochedale State High (government, ICSEA 1,034, 1,547). All exceed the 1,000 national benchmark.
Is Rochedale safe?
No crime rate data is currently available for Rochedale. The IRSD decile 9 indicates very low socioeconomic disadvantage, which nationally correlates with lower crime rates. Need for assistance at 2.3% (173 people) is well below the national average.
Is Rochedale good for property investment?
Gross yield of approximately 4.2% ($600/week on $743,000) is above the Brisbane average. Population growth of 4.21% per year (580 persons) is the fastest in this dataset. Renters at 21.3% form a moderate pool with a working-age, high-income profile. The 118 DAs in 12 months indicate significant new supply, which could moderate capital growth.
How is Rochedale's population changing?
Population grows at 4.21% per year (580 persons), with a 170.5% increase over 10 years. Medium forecasts project 16,718 by 2031. Internal migration of 355 per year drives growth, with 166 overseas arrivals. The median age of 33 is 7 years below national, and 58.9% of residents are born overseas, 37.3 points above national.
What languages are spoken in Rochedale?
With 58.9% born overseas, Rochedale is one of Australia's most diverse suburbs. Mandarin (1,066 speakers) dominates non-English languages, followed by Cantonese (298), Korean (184), Gujarati (80) and Punjabi (57). Chinese ancestry (3,129) is the largest group, ahead of English (1,158) and Indian (665).
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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