The Rock
Affordability anchors The Rock: the median house price of $425,000 sits well below state and national medians, yet 85% of households own their home outright or carry a mortgage, one of the highest ownership rates you will find in regional NSW. The suburb covers 286 square kilometres with a population of just 1,347, giving a density of 4.7 people per km2. Median age is 42, two years above the national figure. Household income sits in the 35th percentile nationally, reflecting the agricultural and service-sector employment base. The identity here is grounded: detached houses make up 98.9% of dwellings, turnover is low at 15.7%, and 84.3% of residents stayed put over the measured period.
Population
1,347
Median Age
42.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,358/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
31
Median House
$425K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The median house price of $425,000 is well below both the NSW state median and national benchmarks, making The Rock one of the more accessible freehold markets in southern NSW. Prices rose from $385,000 in 2024 to $445,000 in 2025, a 15.6% one-year gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.1%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners account for 43.5% of households and mortgage holders 41.5%, leaving just 15% renting. Dwellings are overwhelmingly detached houses at 98.9% of stock. The bedroom mix skews large: 41.9% are three-bedroom and 40.8% are four-plus bedroom, giving buyers genuine space at prices that compare favourably to metropolitan alternatives.
For Buyers
The median house price of $425,000 is well below both the NSW state median and national benchmarks, making The Rock one of the more accessible freehold markets in southern NSW. Prices rose from $385,000 in 2024 to $445,000 in 2025, a 15.6% one-year gain. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.1%, below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners account for 43.5% of households and mortgage holders 41.5%, leaving just 15% renting. Dwellings are overwhelmingly detached houses at 98.9% of stock. The bedroom mix skews large: 41.9% are three-bedroom and 40.8% are four-plus bedroom, giving buyers genuine space at prices that compare favourably to metropolitan alternatives.
For Investors
The Rock presents a yield-first case rather than a growth play. Weekly rent of $245 against a $425,000 median implies a gross yield of around 3.0%, higher than most metro markets. The renter share is thin at 15%, and the vacancy rate of 6.0% is elevated for a small town, signalling that rental demand is limited. Development activity logged 28 applications in the past 12 months, including a subdivision and a new dwelling house, suggesting modest organic growth. The one-year price gain of 15.6% from $385,000 to $445,000 is strong in nominal terms, though it reflects a thin transaction base rather than broad-based demand. Investors should weigh low entry cost and reasonable yield against the narrow tenant pool and 6.0% vacancy compared to tighter metro rates.
Development Activity
Total DAs
148
Last 12 Months
31
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+24.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in The Rock iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
The Rock Central School
K-12 · 169 students
Demographics
The Rock is demographically stable and Anglo-heritage dominant. The median age of 42 is 2.0 years above the national figure. Overseas-born residents make up just 4.6%, which is 17.0 percentage points below the national average, among the lowest rates in the country. Ancestry is led by English (519), Irish (195) and Scottish (177), with German (89) also represented. Average household size is 2.6, just 0.1 above the national figure. Christianity accounts for 812 of 1,347 residents. The university qualification rate is 20.8%, some 9.3 percentage points below the national average, consistent with a regional workforce concentrated in practical and trade occupations. Volunteering runs at 21.7%, pointing to strong civic participation relative to the population size.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.9%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
1.1%
Apartment
Tenure
Ownership dominates: 43.5% of households own their home outright and 41.5% carry a mortgage, leaving renters at just 15%. That outright ownership rate, above the national average, reflects older median ages and long tenure in an area where 84.3% of residents stayed put. Dwellings are almost entirely detached houses at 98.9%, with apartments accounting for just 1.1%. The bedroom split is generous: 41.9% three-bedroom and 40.8% four-plus bedroom, so the stock is well suited to families. Prices moved from $385,000 in 2024 to $445,000 in 2025, a 15.6% gain, though the price series spans only one year and the volume base is small. Monthly mortgage repayments of $1,300 sit comfortably relative to household incomes at the 35th percentile nationally, with mortgage-to-income at 22.1% and rent-to-income at 18.0%, both below stress thresholds.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,300
Rent / wk
$245
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$636
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.0%
Unoccupied
30
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.1%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
28.0%
Couples, no children
1,056
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the dominant industry at 25.4% of employed residents (86 workers), well above the share typical in comparable small towns. Education follows at 12.1% (41 workers) and Agriculture at 10.0% (34 workers), reflecting the rural setting. Public Administration (8.6%) and Construction (6.5%) round out the top five. By occupation, Managers (82) and Professionals (81) lead, which is notable for a town of 1,347 given the 20.8% university qualification rate sitting 9.3 percentage points below the national figure. The unemployment rate is 2.7%, low by any measure, and the full-time employment rate is 68.3%. Participation at 49.6% is modest, partly because 414 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with an older median age of 42.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
68.3%
Part-time
29.0%
Participation
49.6%
Employed
498
Occupations
Top Industries
University
20.8%
Postgraduate
4.3%
Born Overseas
4.6%
Dwellings
466
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high: 91.4% of residents drive to work, compared to the national average. Walking and cycling account for 3.2%. Public transport data is not available for The Rock, which is typical for towns of this scale in rural NSW. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset. Crime statistics are not available for The Rock, so no direct safety comparison is possible. Housing stress is low: mortgage-to-income at 22.1% and rent-to-income at 18.0% are both below stress thresholds. About 7.7% of residents (97 people) need daily assistance, slightly above what the age profile alone would predict. The volunteering rate of 21.7% and a high 85% homeownership rate suggest a community where long-term residents are invested in the area.
Drive
91.4%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
3.2%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How The Rock compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Rock a good suburb to live in?
The Rock suits buyers who prioritise affordability and space. The median house price of $425,000 is well below state and national medians, and mortgage-to-income sits at a comfortable 22.1%. Car dependency is high at 91.4%, and the town is rural in character with 286 square kilometres and only 1,347 residents. The homeownership rate exceeds 85%, reflecting a settled community.
What is the median house price in The Rock?
The median house price is $425,000. Prices rose 15.6% from $385,000 in 2024 to $445,000 in 2025. Weekly rent averages $245, giving a gross yield near 3.0%, and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,300, which is a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.1%, below the stress threshold.
What schools are in The Rock?
No schools are recorded inside the The Rock boundary in this dataset. Families typically access schools in nearby Lockhart or Culcairn. The local university qualification rate is 20.8%, which is 9.3 percentage points below the national average, reflecting a regional workforce rather than an education-intensive economy.
Is The Rock safe?
Crime statistics are not available for The Rock in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, housing stress is low, with mortgage-to-income at 22.1% and rent-to-income at 18.0%, both below stress thresholds. The homeownership rate exceeds 85% and 84.3% of residents stayed put over the measured period, which is consistent with a stable, low-disadvantage community.
Is The Rock good for property investment?
The entry price of $425,000 is low and the gross yield near 3.0% on $245 weekly rent is reasonable compared to metropolitan markets. However, the vacancy rate is 6.0%, above typical metro rates, and the renter pool is thin at 15% of households. The 15.6% one-year price gain is encouraging but based on a small transaction volume.
How is The Rock's population changing?
The population is stable at 1,347 across a 286 square kilometre catchment. The low turnover rate of 15.7% means 84.3% of residents stayed put, pointing to long-term stability rather than growth. The median age of 42 is 2.0 years above the national figure, suggesting a gradual aging trend rather than new family formation driving population changes.
How much development is happening in The Rock?
There were 28 development applications lodged in the past 12 months, including a subdivision, a new dwelling house and a swimming pool via Complying Development Certificate. That is a moderate level of activity for a town of 1,347 people, suggesting steady rather than speculative building interest.
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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