Rooty Hill
More than half of Rooty Hill residents were born overseas, at 53.2%, which is 31.6 percentage points above the national share and shapes a household size of 3.2. The suburb is more detached than many western Sydney rail nodes, with 76.7% separate houses and only 3.2% apartments. Median pricing is tightly clustered around $880,000 to $880,500, making it a mortgage-belt alternative between Mount Druitt and Plumpton for buyers who want houses rather than higher-density stock.
Population
16,176
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,001/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
70
Median House
$880K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
For homebuyers, Rooty Hill is mainly a family-house market. The median house price is $880,000, backed by 76.7% separate houses, 19.7% semi-detached homes and 41.5% of dwellings with 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage repayments average $2,167 a month, and mortgage-to-income is 25.0%, only 4.0 points above the 21.0% rent-to-income measure because household income sits at the 75.1 percentile. The constraint is choice: apartments are just 3.2%, so lower-entry options are limited.
For Buyers
For homebuyers, Rooty Hill is mainly a family-house market. The median house price is $880,000, backed by 76.7% separate houses, 19.7% semi-detached homes and 41.5% of dwellings with 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage repayments average $2,167 a month, and mortgage-to-income is 25.0%, only 4.0 points above the 21.0% rent-to-income measure because household income sits at the 75.1 percentile. The constraint is choice: apartments are just 3.2%, so lower-entry options are limited.
For Investors
Investors see a mixed but active market. The $420 weekly rent is supported by 33.4% renting, lower than the 41.7% mortgage share but still a sizeable tenant pool. Vacancy at 4.9% points to more leasing risk than fully occupied markets, so pricing and property condition matter. Supply is active, with 64 development lodgements in 12 months, while migration is positive from overseas at +298 per year compared with -264 internal outflow; that helps demand but points to selective, not automatic, yield growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
362
Last 12 Months
70
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+25.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Rooty Hill iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Aidan's Primary School
K-6 · 391 students
St Agnes Catholic High School
7-12 · 926 students
Rooty Hill Public School
K-6 · 645 students
Rooty Hill High School
7-12 · 1110 students
Demographics
Rooty Hill is younger than the national profile, with a median age of 37, or 3.0 years below the national figure. Education is relatively strong: 40.8% hold university qualifications, 10.7 points above national. The majority-overseas pattern is clear, with 53.2% born overseas, Filipino ancestry at 3,395 people and Indian ancestry at 1,341. Christianity remains largest at 8,904 people, while Islam counts 2,003 and Hinduism 1,553, supporting Urdu, Hindi, Arabic, Nepali and Punjabi-speaking households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
76.7%
Houses
19.7%
Townhouse
3.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Rooty Hill's housing market has been almost flat in the available price run: $880,000 in 2024 and $880,500 in 2025, a 0.1% earliest-to-latest lift, 0.1% CAGR and 0.0% below peak because the latest quarter is also the peak. Tenure skews toward buyers, with 24.9% owned outright and 41.7% mortgaged compared with 33.4% renting. Family-sized homes dominate: 48.3% are 3 bedroom dwellings and 41.5% have 4 or more bedrooms, matching the $2,001 median weekly household income base.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$420
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$742
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.9%
Unoccupied
237
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.0%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
15.3%
Couples, no children
13,390
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare anchors Rooty Hill's worker profile at 22.6% and 996 workers, well above manufacturing at 9.6%, retail at 8.8%, transport at 8.3% and professional/tech at 7.1%. Occupations are broad: 1,300 professionals sit alongside 1,040 clerical/admin workers and 999 machinery/drivers. The SEIFA split explains the mixed feel: economic resources rank in decile 6, higher than education/occupation decile 4 and IRSD decile 4, because household finances are stronger than qualification and disadvantage indicators. Unemployment is 8.0% with 48.1% participation.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
13,122
Unemployed
598
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
69.3%
Part-time
22.7%
Participation
48.1%
Employed
5,714
Occupations
Top Industries
University
40.8%
Postgraduate
9.1%
Born Overseas
53.2%
Dwellings
4,589
Transport to Work
Livability is practical and car-oriented, with 81.4% of commuters driving compared with 8.5% using public transport and 1.8% walking or cycling. Families get 4 local schools across Catholic and Government sectors; the strongest ICSEA results are St Aidan's Primary at 1052, St Agnes Catholic High at 1007 and Rooty Hill Public at 990, with the full suburb range from 958 to 1052. IRSAD decile 5 is middle-ranked nationally, so amenity is solid but not premium, and daily convenience depends heavily on road access.
Drive
81.4%
Public Transport
8.5%
Walk / Cycle
1.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.95%/yr
(+220 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is modest rather than speculative: the trend adds 0.95% a year, or about 220 people, and the medium forecast moves from 23,872 in 2026 to 24,971 in 2031. Migration is the key engine because overseas inflow averages +298 a year compared with internal outflow of -264. The age structure is shifting older, with seniors up 4.6 points and young residents down 1.4 points. A gentrification score of 15 is labelled Not gentrifying, lower than the earlier shift score of 30, so change is more demographic than luxury-led.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+298
Net Internal / yr
-264
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +15% since 2011, Net internal outflow -264/yr, Strong overseas inflow +298/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Rooty Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rooty Hill a good suburb to live in?
Rooty Hill suits households wanting space, schools and road access. It has 76.7% separate houses, an average household size of 3.2 and 4 local schools, but commuting is car-heavy at 81.4%.
What is the median house price in Rooty Hill?
The median house price in Rooty Hill is $880,000, with the latest price point at $880,500 in 2025. Prices have been flat, rising just 0.1% from the 2024 level.
What schools are in Rooty Hill?
Rooty Hill has 4 local schools across Catholic and Government sectors. ICSEA scores range from 958 to 1052, led by St Aidan's Primary, St Agnes Catholic High and Rooty Hill Public.
Is Rooty Hill safe?
Published suburb-level crime rates can vary by boundary, so buyers should check NSW Police or BOSCAR before purchase. Local routines are shaped by 4 schools and 8.5% public transport use.
Is Rooty Hill good for property investment?
Rooty Hill has a usable tenant base, with 33.4% renting and median rent of $420 per week. Vacancy is 4.9%, so investors need careful pricing, but 64 development lodgements show active renewal.
How is Rooty Hill's population changing?
The forecast trend is for 0.95% annual growth, or about 220 people per year. The medium scenario rises from 23,872 in 2026 to 24,971 in 2031, led by overseas migration.
What languages are spoken in Rooty Hill?
Rooty Hill has 53.2% of residents born overseas. Common non-English language groups include Urdu with 421 speakers, Hindi with 293, Arabic with 195, Nepali with 190 and Punjabi with 142.
Is there much development in Rooty Hill?
Yes. Rooty Hill recorded 64 development lodgements over 12 months, including dual occupancy, secondary dwelling and subdivision examples. That level of activity is high enough to affect local supply.
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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