South West Rocks
A median age of 58 sits a full 18 years above the national figure, and that single number explains most of what is unusual here. Population growth still runs at 1.23% a year, faster than many coastal towns, but it is driven almost entirely by internal migration of about 117 people annually rather than births or overseas arrivals, which add only 24. The result is an aging base where the senior share has risen 9.0 points over the decade while the working-age share fell 4.7 points. Housing is overwhelmingly detached at 81.1%, the median house price is $640,000, and household income lands in just the 12.3rd percentile nationally, a low ranking that reflects the high share of retirees out of the labour force.
Population
5,058
Median Age
58.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$980/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
85
Median House
$640K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $640,000 median house price is modest by NSW standards, but the recent direction matters more than the level: prices fell 8.8% from $682,500 in 2024 to $622,500 in 2025, so buyers are entering a softening market rather than chasing growth. Stock heavily favours houses over units, with 81.1% separate dwellings against just 12.7% apartments, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 49.5% with four-plus at 26.7%, so family-sized housing is the norm. Affordability is tighter than the price tag suggests because incomes are low: monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, yet the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 35.7%, above the 30% stress threshold. That gap exists because household income sits in the 12.3rd percentile, so even a sub-median price stretches local budgets.
For Buyers
The $640,000 median house price is modest by NSW standards, but the recent direction matters more than the level: prices fell 8.8% from $682,500 in 2024 to $622,500 in 2025, so buyers are entering a softening market rather than chasing growth. Stock heavily favours houses over units, with 81.1% separate dwellings against just 12.7% apartments, and three-bedroom homes dominate at 49.5% with four-plus at 26.7%, so family-sized housing is the norm. Affordability is tighter than the price tag suggests because incomes are low: monthly mortgage repayments average $1,517, yet the mortgage-to-income ratio reaches 35.7%, above the 30% stress threshold. That gap exists because household income sits in the 12.3rd percentile, so even a sub-median price stretches local budgets.
For Investors
A 24.9% renter share and weekly rent of $323 give landlords a workable but shallow tenant pool, and the headline yield against a $640,000 median is roughly 2.6%, higher than premium metro suburbs though not exceptional. The bigger warning is a 21.2% vacancy rate, far above any healthy market, which signals that holiday and second-home stock dilutes the genuine rental pool. Demand support comes from internal migration of about 117 residents a year, the suburb's primary growth driver, while overseas migration adds only 24. Development activity is moderate at 81 applications over 12 months, mostly sheds, carports and single dwelling houses rather than new rental supply. With rent up 46.7% over the period but rent-to-income already at 33.0%, future rent escalation is capped by what a low-income, retiree-heavy population can pay.
Development Activity
Total DAs
567
Last 12 Months
85
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-7.6%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in South West Rocks iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
South West Rocks Public School
K-6 · 348 students
Demographics
The median age of 58 is 18.0 years above the national figure, the defining feature of the area. Just 10.4% of residents were born overseas, 11.2 points below national, and university qualifications reach only 17.5%, which is 12.6 points below national, so this is a low-migration, low-tertiary population. Ancestry is strongly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (2,345), Irish (676) and Scottish (545), and no significant non-English language community is recorded, consistent with the overseas-born share running well under the national average. Average household size is 2.1, which is 0.4 below national, because couples without children make up 47.8% of families (1,766 households) against 1,009 couples with children. Christianity dominates religious affiliation at 2,659 residents, with Buddhism a distant second at 30.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
81.1%
Houses
5.3%
Townhouse
12.7%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts heavily toward outright ownership: 54.9% own their home with no mortgage, more than double the 20.2% still paying one, while 24.9% rent. That outright-owner majority points to a settled, debt-free retiree base rather than a churn of recent buyers. The stock is 81.1% separate houses and only 12.7% apartments, and three-bedroom homes lead at 49.5% with four-plus at 26.7%, so detached family housing defines supply. The median house price slipped from $682,500 in 2024 to $622,500 in 2025, an 8.8% one-year fall. Despite a modest $640,000 median, the price-to-income picture is strained: mortgage-to-income runs at 35.7% and rent-to-income at 33.0%, both above the 30% stress line, because household income ranks in only the 12.3rd percentile nationally.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wk
$323
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$533
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
21.2%
Unoccupied
589
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
33.0% stressed
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
35.7% stressed
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.8%
Couples, no children
3,691
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in lower-paid service sectors rather than knowledge industries: Healthcare leads at 19.5% (212 workers), Education follows at 12.8% (139) and Construction at 11.5% (125), with Hospitality at 10.2% and Public Admin at 9.5%. By occupation, Community and Personal Service workers (276) top the list ahead of Professionals (263) and Labourers (233), a mix that aligns with the low IEO score of decile 2 for education and occupation. The standout figure is a participation rate of just 37.0%, well below typical levels, with 2,387 residents not in the labour force, a direct consequence of the median age of 58. Unemployment among those active is 6.9%. SEIFA tells a consistent story: IRSAD decile 2 and IRSD decile 3 mark real relative disadvantage, while IER at decile 4 lifts slightly because high outright ownership protects household assets.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
2,313
Unemployed
88
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
54.3%
Part-time
38.8%
Participation
37.0%
Employed
1,514
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.5%
Postgraduate
3.0%
Born Overseas
10.4%
Dwellings
2,191
Transport to Work
This is a car-dependent coastal town: 85.1% of commuters drive while public transport carries just 0.2%, far below the national average, and 7.5% walk or cycle, reflecting compact local amenities at a density of only 369.6 residents per km2. No schools are recorded inside the 13.68 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring towns, a practical trade-off for the small population of 5,058. Volunteering runs at a solid 16.7%, consistent with an established, settled community, though 9.8% of residents (468 people) need daily assistance, higher than younger areas because the median age is 58. The SEIFA profile is modest, with IRSAD at decile 2 and IEO at decile 2, indicating relative disadvantage rather than affluence despite the appeal of the coastal setting.
Drive
85.1%
Public Transport
0.2%
Walk / Cycle
7.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.23%/yr
(+74 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth runs at 1.23% a year, about 74 residents annually, and the 10-year rise of 13.7% confirms steady expansion rather than stagnation. Historical counts climbed from 5,830 in 2023 to 6,021 in 2025, and the medium forecast continues the trend to 6,411 by 2031. Internal migration is the sole engine, adding roughly 117 people a year against just 24 from overseas, a pattern typical of a sea-change destination drawing retirees and remote workers from larger NSW markets. The trajectory is firmly aging, with the senior share up 9.0 points and the young share down 2.7 points over the decade. Gentrification reads as early signs at a score of 35, supported by accelerating internal migration, though affordability has worsened from 58.3% in 2011 to 61.5% in 2021 as rents rose 46.7%.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Internal Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+24
Net Internal / yr
+117
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +17% since 2011, Net internal migration +117/yr, Accelerating: 2% → 16%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How South West Rocks compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is South West Rocks a good suburb to live in?
It suits buyers wanting a quiet coastal lifestyle: 81.1% of homes are detached houses, volunteering runs at 16.7%, and the median age of 58 reflects a settled retiree base. Trade-offs include a low IRSAD score of decile 2, a low household income in the 12.3rd percentile, and almost no public transport at 0.2%.
What is the median house price in South West Rocks?
The median house price is $640,000, modest for NSW. Recent prices softened, falling 8.8% from $682,500 in 2024 to $622,500 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $323 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,517, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 35.7%, above the stress threshold.
What schools are in South West Rocks?
No schools are recorded inside the 13.68 km2 South West Rocks boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring towns. The local population skews older, with a median age of 58 and university qualifications at just 17.5%, which is 12.6 points below the national figure.
Is South West Rocks safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for South West Rocks in this dataset. As an indirect measure, the suburb scores decile 3 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage and 9.8% of its 5,058 residents need daily assistance, figures consistent with a small, aging coastal community rather than a high-risk area.
Is South West Rocks good for property investment?
Rent of $323 a week against a $640,000 median gives a gross yield near 2.6%, higher than metro suburbs. The catch is a 21.2% vacancy rate, well above a healthy market, driven by holiday stock. Internal migration adds about 117 residents a year, but rent-to-income already at 33.0% caps further rent growth.
How is South West Rocks's population changing?
Population grows at 1.23% a year, about 74 people, rising 13.7% over the decade from 5,830 in 2023 to 6,021 in 2025, with a forecast of 6,411 by 2031. Growth is driven almost entirely by internal migration of 117 a year, and the profile is aging, with the senior share up 9.0 points.
How much development is happening in South West Rocks?
There were 81 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most are sheds, carports and single dwelling houses rather than large new supply, consistent with a detached-dominant town where 81.1% of homes are separate houses and population growth runs at a steady 1.23% a year.
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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