Rockbank
Rockbank's 5.75% annual growth outlook stands out against its small current size of 2,583 residents. The median age is 31, or 9 years below the national comparison, while 47.9% of residents were born overseas, 26.3 percentage points above the national figure. Near Aintree and Cobblebank, Rockbank is a young, detached-home growth market where internal migration and new development are reshaping demand.
Local council: Melton
Population
2,583
Median Age
31.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,781/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
16
Median House
$638K
October to December 2025
Rockbank suits buyers seeking a detached family home in Melbourne's western growth corridor. Separate houses account for 87.7% of dwellings, while 49.5% have 4 or more bedrooms and 36.5% have 3 bedrooms. A typical mortgage is listed at $1,800 per month, equal to 23.3% of household income, so borrowing pressure is below a severe-stress threshold. The trade-off is that 67.6% of workers drive, making car access important.
For Buyers
Rockbank suits buyers seeking a detached family home in Melbourne's western growth corridor. Separate houses account for 87.7% of dwellings, while 49.5% have 4 or more bedrooms and 36.5% have 3 bedrooms. A typical mortgage is listed at $1,800 per month, equal to 23.3% of household income, so borrowing pressure is below a severe-stress threshold. The trade-off is that 67.6% of workers drive, making car access important.
For Investors
Rockbank's investor profile is supported by a 32.4% rental share, a weekly median rent of $360 and a 5.6% vacancy rate. Forecast rent growth of 122.2% reflects strong change over time, but it should not be treated as a guarantee of future returns. Internal migration is the primary growth driver because new housing attracts households moving within Victoria. Investors should compare rental demand with the pace of new subdivisions, as additional stock can improve choice for tenants and increase competition between landlords.
Development Activity
Total DAs
40
Last 12 Months
16
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+33.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Rockbank
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Rockbank Primary School
Demographics
Rockbank has a young population, with a median age of 31 that is 9 years below the national comparison. Overseas-born residents account for 47.9%, or 26.3 percentage points above the national figure, while university attainment is 37.2%, 7.1 points above national levels. Punjabi is the most prominent listed language at 213 people, followed by Hindi at 48 and Urdu at 26. Couples with children make up 51.1% of families, consistent with the suburb's 49.5% share of homes with 4 or more bedrooms. Residential turnover is high at 66.1%, with only 33.9% staying at the same address, because new estates attract recent movers. Nearby Aintree and Cobblebank share this broader growth-area setting, although Rockbank remains distinctly small at 2,583 residents.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
87.7%
Houses
1.1%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is strongly detached, with 87.7% separate houses and only 1.1% semi-detached dwellings recorded. The tenure mix is led by mortgages at 51.7%, followed by renting at 32.4% and outright ownership at 15.1%. Larger homes dominate, with 49.5% containing 4 or more bedrooms compared with 36.5% containing 3 bedrooms, supporting the suburb's family-oriented housing profile.
Mortgage / mo
$1,800
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$360
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$896
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.6%
Unoccupied
54
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.2%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.3%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
51.1%
Couples with children
32.7%
Couples, no children
13.0%
Single parent
663
Total families
Economy & Employment
Rockbank's employment base combines essential services and construction-linked work. Healthcare is the largest industry at 17.6% or 154 workers, followed by Transport at 11.7% or 102, Construction at 10.6% or 93, Professional and Technical services at 10.0% or 87, and Retail at 7.2% or 63. The leading occupations are Machinery and Drivers at 218, Professionals at 215, Clerical and Administrative workers at 176, Trades at 171, and Community and Personal Service workers at 146. Labour-force participation is 69.7%, unemployment is 5.9%, and 61.4% of employed residents work full time. Household income is at the 62.8th percentile nationally. SEIFA results are relatively strong: IER ranks in decile 9, above IEO, IRSD and IRSAD, which each rank in decile 7. This indicates household resources rank higher than the other socioeconomic measures.
Unemployment
5.9%
Labour Force
1,398
Unemployed
82
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.4%
Part-time
30.6%
Participation
69.7%
Employed
1,316
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
37.2%
Postgraduate
12.7%
Born Overseas
47.9%
Dwellings
899
Transport to Work
Daily life in Rockbank is car-led: 67.6% of residents travel as car drivers, compared with 4.2% using public transport and 0.5% walking or cycling. Working from home accounts for 23.3%, which can reduce some commuting pressure but does not replace local transport access. Rockbank Primary School is the local government primary option listed, so families should check the exact enrolment zone and nearby secondary choices before purchasing. The recorded crime rate is 113.4 offences per 1,000 residents, with 293 total offences; property and deception offences account for 191 and crimes against the person for 49. This rate warrants practical attention to security and current local advice. IRSAD sits in decile 7, an above-median socioeconomic position, but transport dependence remains higher than in more established activity centres.
Drive
67.6%
Public Transport
4.2%
Walk / Cycle
0.5%
Work from Home
23.3%
Growth Outlook
Rockbank is classified as a high-growth market, with forecast annual growth of 5.75% driven primarily by internal migration. The wider area's population change is projected at 559.1% over 10 years, while the shift profile is labelled Rejuvenating, with the young share up 14.6 points and the senior share down 4.3 points. Rent growth of 122.2% reinforces the scale of change, although affordability worsened from 38.5% in 2011 to 42.3% in 2021. The gentrification score is 0: one forecast label calls the stage New development, while the shift assessment describes it as Not gentrifying. Compared with a mature, settled suburb, Rockbank's growth is being created by subdivision, new housing and incoming households rather than by established-area upgrading.
Population trend: Melton council area
Rockbank sits in the Melton council area. These are the council area's residents, not Rockbank's.
Residents 2025
231,567
Growth, 5 yr average
+5.9%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+5.8%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
293
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
113.4
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Rockbank compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rockbank a good suburb to live in?
Rockbank can suit households wanting newer detached housing and a western growth setting. The median age is 31, 87.7% of homes are separate houses, and 67.6% of commuters drive, so car access matters. Buyers should also consider the 113.4 offences per 1,000 residents crime rate.
What schools are in Rockbank?
Rockbank has 1 listed local school: Rockbank Primary School, a government primary campus. Families should check the exact enrolment zone and secondary-school options for each address, particularly as new development changes practical school access.
Is Rockbank safe?
Rockbank recorded 293 offences at a rate of 113.4 per 1,000 residents in the reported period. Property and deception offences accounted for 191 cases, while crimes against the person accounted for 49, so buyers should review current local police information and assess home security.
How is Rockbank's population changing?
Rockbank has 2,583 residents today and a forecast profile described as Rejuvenating. Population change across the wider area is 559.1% over 10 years, with annual growth modelled at 5.75% and internal migration identified as the primary driver.
What languages are spoken in Rockbank?
Rockbank has an overseas-born share of 47.9%. Punjabi is the most prominent listed language at 213 people, followed by Hindi at 48, Urdu at 26, Arabic at 21 and Gujarati at 19, reflecting strong multilingual demand for local services.
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), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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