Rochedale South
Detached housing defines Rochedale South: 88.4% of dwellings are separate houses and 47.1% of homes carry a mortgage, giving it a mortgaged family profile closer to Rochedale and Springwood than apartment-heavy inner suburbs. The 15,228 residents have a median age of 37, which is 3.0 years below national, while household income sits in the 71.9 percentile. Growth is subdued at 0.13% a year because net internal movement is -126 annually even as overseas migration adds 117.
Population
15,228
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,924/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
280
Median House
$499K
Estimated from rent (2025)
Price visibility is limited because a current median house price is not available, so buyers should anchor budgets to repayment capacity: the typical mortgage payment is $1,800 a month and mortgage costs take 21.6% of income. The suburb suits buyers wanting land because 88.4% of homes are separate houses, well above apartments at 1.7%, while 54.5% have 3 bedrooms and 37.0% have 4 or more. The high 47.1% mortgage share points to competing family buyers rather than a mainly downsizer market.
For Buyers
Price visibility is limited because a current median house price is not available, so buyers should anchor budgets to repayment capacity: the typical mortgage payment is $1,800 a month and mortgage costs take 21.6% of income. The suburb suits buyers wanting land because 88.4% of homes are separate houses, well above apartments at 1.7%, while 54.5% have 3 bedrooms and 37.0% have 4 or more. The high 47.1% mortgage share points to competing family buyers rather than a mainly downsizer market.
For Investors
Rochedale South is an income play with a modest renter base: 23.0% rent, compared with 29.9% owned outright and 47.1% under mortgage. Weekly rent is $395 and rent-to-income is 20.5%, so affordability is not showing rental stress, but the 5.3% vacancy rate means landlords need to compete harder than in tighter markets. The 82 development applications over 12 months, including dual occupancy and secondary dwelling activity, can add stock because detached lots dominate.
Development Activity
Total DAs
522
Last 12 Months
280
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+409.1%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Rochedale South iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Rochedale South State School
Prep-6 · 478 students
Springwood Road State School
Prep-6 · 435 students
Demographics
Rochedale South is young by national standards, with a median age of 37 that is 3.0 years below the national figure. Education levels are above average: 35.0% hold a university qualification, 4.9 percentage points higher than national. Overseas-born residents are 27.4%, 5.8 points above national, adding Mandarin 164, Korean 144 and Punjabi 139 speakers to a mainly English, Irish, Scottish and German ancestry mix. Household size is 2.8, 0.3 above national, which fits the large family housing stock.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.4%
Houses
9.9%
Townhouse
1.7%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing market is detached and family-sized rather than unit-based: 88.4% of dwellings are separate houses, 9.9% are semi-detached and only 1.7% are apartments. Bedroom mix reinforces that pattern, with 54.5% 3-bedroom homes and 37.0% at 4 or more. Tenure is owner-led because 29.9% are owned outright and 47.1% have a mortgage, compared with 23.0% renting. Costs are manageable on current incomes, with rent-to-income at 20.5% and mortgage-to-income at 21.6%, both showing no stress flag.
Mortgage / mo
$1,800
Rent / wk
$395
HH Size
2.8
Personal Income / wk
$840
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.3%
Unoccupied
296
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
23.1%
Couples, no children
13,062
Total families
Economy & Employment
Local employment is anchored in services rather than one dominant employer group. Healthcare leads at 17.7% with 943 workers, followed by education at 15.2% with 809, construction at 11.2% with 593, professional/tech at 8.5% with 450 and public admin at 7.3% with 389. Healthcare and education together reach 32.9%, supporting steadier incomes because both are less cyclical sectors. Professionals number 1,885, above clerical/admin at 1,148 and managers at 827. SEIFA sits at IEO decile 6, IER decile 7, IRSD decile 7 and IRSAD decile 6.
Unemployment
2.1%
Labour Force
9,257
Unemployed
199
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.0%
Part-time
29.4%
Participation
61.5%
Employed
6,965
Occupations
Top Industries
University
35.0%
Postgraduate
8.3%
Born Overseas
27.4%
Dwellings
5,320
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented: 88.0% of commuters drive, well above public transport at 5.1% and walking or cycling at 1.4%, so households usually benefit from 2-car flexibility. School choice is local and primary-focused, with 2 government schools. Rochedale South State School has ICSEA 1028 and 478 enrolments, while Springwood Road State School has ICSEA 1009 and 435 enrolments, giving an ICSEA range of 1009 to 1028. IRSAD decile 6 is above the national midpoint, supporting solid amenity without premium inner-city density.
Drive
88.0%
Public Transport
5.1%
Walk / Cycle
1.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.13%/yr
(+21 people/yr)
EstablishedRochedale South is forecast to grow slowly: the trend is 0.13% a year, or 21 people, with medium scenario population moving from 16,003 in 2026 to 16,107 in 2031. That is lower than rent growth of 19.7%, showing price pressure can move faster than population. Migration explains the flat line because overseas migration adds an average 117 people a year while internal movement subtracts 126. The trajectory is Aging, senior share is up 4.8, and the gentrification score is 10 with stage Not gentrifying.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+117
Net Internal / yr
-126
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -126/yr, COVID recovered (-2% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Rochedale South compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rochedale South a good suburb to live in?
Yes for households wanting detached homes, local primary schools and car access. Separate houses make up 88.4% of dwellings, the median age is 37, and household income sits in the 71.9 percentile.
What is the median house price in Rochedale South?
A current median house price is not available. Buyers can still benchmark holding costs against a typical $1,800 monthly mortgage payment and a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.6%.
What schools are in Rochedale South?
There are 2 local government primary schools: Rochedale South State School with ICSEA 1028 and 478 enrolments, and Springwood Road State School with ICSEA 1009 and 435 enrolments.
Is Rochedale South safe?
A local crime rate per 1,000 residents is not available, so safety should be checked at street level. Broader stability signals include IRSD decile 7 and 29.9% of homes owned outright.
Is Rochedale South good for property investment?
It suits investors seeking established family housing more than high-density rental stock. Renters are 23.0% of households, weekly rent is $395, vacancy is 5.3%, and there were 82 development applications in 12 months.
How is Rochedale South's population changing?
Growth is slow, with a forecast trend of 0.13% a year or about 21 people. The medium scenario rises from 16,003 in 2026 to 16,107 in 2031, with overseas migration adding 117 a year and internal movement subtracting 126.
What development is happening in Rochedale South?
Development activity is active for an established suburb, with 82 applications over 12 months. Recent examples include a dual occupancy, a secondary dwelling and carport, and an attached house extension.
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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