Rouse Hill
High incomes and family-scale housing define Rouse Hill: household income sits at $2,643 a week, in the 94.3 percentile, while 55.4% of dwellings have 4 or more bedrooms. Compared with nearby Kellyville and The Ponds, it reads more like a rail-linked town-centre suburb because apartments already make up 25.4% and renters 40.1%. The median age is 34, 6 years below the national figure, but the forecast trajectory is aging, so demand is likely to split between growing families, downsizers and renters wanting access to the Metro and town centre.
Population
11,349
Median Age
34.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,643/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
374
Median House
$765K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Buyers are paying for space and infrastructure rather than scarcity alone. The PSI-derived median house price is $765,000, while the short price series rose from $720,000 in 2024 to $805,000 in 2025 and is 0.0% below its peak because the latest quarter is the peak. Separate houses remain 54.6% of stock, but apartments at 25.4% and semi-detached homes at 20.0% give more entry points. Mortgage costs absorb 23.9% of income, lower than stress territory, helped by household income of $2,643 a week.
For Buyers
Buyers are paying for space and infrastructure rather than scarcity alone. The PSI-derived median house price is $765,000, while the short price series rose from $720,000 in 2024 to $805,000 in 2025 and is 0.0% below its peak because the latest quarter is the peak. Separate houses remain 54.6% of stock, but apartments at 25.4% and semi-detached homes at 20.0% give more entry points. Mortgage costs absorb 23.9% of income, lower than stress territory, helped by household income of $2,643 a week.
For Investors
Rouse Hill has a deeper rental pool than many mortgage-belt suburbs: 40.1% rent, compared with 43.9% carrying a mortgage. Median rent is $500 a week and rent growth in the shift metrics is 10.9%, but the 7.7% vacancy rate signals competition for tenants can be higher than in tighter Sydney pockets. Development is the other watch point, with 332 applications in 12 months. That pipeline can lift amenity through retail and employment uses, yet it may also add choice for renters and cap short-term rent pressure.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1,520
Last 12 Months
374
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+47.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Rouse Hill iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Ironbark Ridge Public School
K-6 · 754 students
Rouse Hill Anglican College
K-12 · 1578 students
Rouse Hill Public School
K-6 · 1058 students
Tallawong Public School
K-6 · 121 students
Rouse Hill High School
7-12 · 1316 students
Demographics
Rouse Hill skews young, educated and internationally connected. The median age is 34, which is 6.0 years below the national figure, while university attainment is 49.2%, 19.1 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents are 39.8%, also 18.2 points higher. English ancestry is the largest named group at 2,676, alongside Chinese 1,066 and Indian 931. Mandarin, Hindi, Persian, Arabic and Urdu speakers reflect migration-led growth, and the average household size of 3.0 is 0.5 above national. Religion counts are led by Christianity 5,847, Hinduism 756 and Islam 609.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
54.6%
Houses
20.0%
Townhouse
25.4%
Apartment
Tenure
The housing market has moved up quickly in the available price series. Median house values rose from the 2024 trough of $720,000 to the 2025 peak of $805,000, an 11.8% lift; peak-to-latest is 0.0% because the latest quarter is also the high. Ownership is still mortgage-led, with 43.9% buying, 16.1% owned outright and 40.1% renting. The stock is larger than an inner apartment market: 55.4% have 4 or more bedrooms, while 19.7% have 2 and 19.8% have 3. Mortgage payments sit at 23.9% of income, below stress settings.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,730
Rent / wk
$500
HH Size
3.0
Personal Income / wk
$1,089
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.7%
Unoccupied
307
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
17.4%
Couples, no children
9,932
Total families
Economy & Employment
Local incomes are supported by a white-collar employment base. Healthcare employs 15.4%, Professional/Tech 13.0%, Education 10.2%, Construction 8.4% and Finance 7.9%, giving Rouse Hill more exposure to stable services than a single-industry area. Professionals number 1,772 and Managers 1,087, which helps explain household income in the 94.3 percentile. Unemployment is 4.9%, full-time work is 70.0% and participation is 65.1%. SEIFA is consistently high: IEO decile 9, IER 10, IRSD 10 and IRSAD 10, with education slightly below the resource and advantage scores.
Unemployment
3.7%
Labour Force
11,609
Unemployed
426
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.0%
Part-time
25.1%
Participation
65.1%
Employed
5,563
Occupations
Top Industries
University
49.2%
Postgraduate
15.1%
Born Overseas
39.8%
Dwellings
3,664
Transport to Work
Daily life is car-oriented despite Metro access: 85.3% drive to work, compared with 5.8% using public transport and 2.6% walking or cycling. School choice is a clear strength, with 5 local schools spanning ICSEA 1067 to 1156. Ironbark Ridge Public School leads at 1156 with 754 enrolments, while Rouse Hill Anglican College adds an Independent combined option at 1137 and 1,578 enrolments. Rouse Hill Public School sits at 1093. IRSAD decile 10 points to high advantage, but the commute pattern means households still price garaging and arterial road access.
Drive
85.3%
Public Transport
5.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.6%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.77%/yr
(+334 people/yr)
EstablishedGrowth is steady rather than speculative. The forecast trend adds 1.77% a year, or 334 people annually, taking the medium population path from 19,512 in 2026 to 21,179 in 2031. Migration is the engine: average net overseas migration is +206 a year, while net internal migration is -29, so new arrivals more than offset local outflow. The shift is labelled Aging, with young share down 7.5 points and senior share up 3.7 points. Gentrification score is 18 and stage is Not gentrifying, lower than a rapid reinvention market.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+206
Net Internal / yr
-29
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Population +23% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +206/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Rouse Hill compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rouse Hill a good suburb to live in?
Yes for households wanting schools, larger homes and Metro-era amenity. It has 5 local schools, household income in the 94.3 percentile and 55.4% of homes with 4 or more bedrooms, but 85.3% still drive to work, so car access matters.
What is the median house price in Rouse Hill?
The PSI-derived median house price is $765,000. The shorter price series shows $805,000 in 2025, up 11.8% from $720,000 in 2024, so buyers should distinguish the current series from the broader median measure.
What schools are in Rouse Hill?
Rouse Hill has 5 local schools. ICSEA scores run from 1067 to 1156, led by Ironbark Ridge Public School, Rouse Hill Anglican College and Rouse Hill Public School; the mix includes Government and Independent options.
Is Rouse Hill safe?
A directly comparable crime rate is not available, so check current NSW Police and local incident maps before deciding. Neighbourhood context is advantaged, with IRSD decile 10 and 2.9% of residents needing assistance, but those are not crime measures.
Is Rouse Hill good for property investment?
It can suit investors who understand supply risk. Renters are 40.1% of households, median rent is $500 a week and rent growth is 10.9%, but vacancy is 7.7% and 332 development applications add competition as well as amenity.
How is Rouse Hill's population changing?
Rouse Hill is still growing, with the trend adding 1.77% or 334 people a year. The medium forecast path reaches 21,179 by 2031, driven mainly by +206 average annual net overseas migration.
What languages are spoken in Rouse Hill?
With 39.8% of residents born overseas, Rouse Hill has a broad language mix. The largest listed non-English language counts are Mandarin 283, Hindi 127, Persian 125, Arabic 108 and Urdu 91.
How much development is happening in Rouse Hill?
Development activity is high, with 332 applications in 12 months. Recent examples include industrial, retail and specialised retail premises, so change is more than housing and may affect traffic, services and local jobs.
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.
Explore Rouse Hill on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map