Median house price
$730k
+11% change
NSW · Lismore Council
Rock Valley, 2480
Est. population · Jun 2025
260
Growth (1 yr)
+0.4%
Growth (5 yr)
+3.2%
Median age
53
Median income
$1,346/wk
Employment rate
55.3%
Median house price · October to December 2025
$730,000
Languages at home
6.8%non-English
Mostly English at home
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Rock Valley is a quieter smaller community in Lismore Council, where peace, space and a country-town pace still dominate. An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice.
Everyday basics may be close by, but bigger shopping and services typically require a trip to a nearby centre. Local green pockets are modest, with bigger outdoor outings usually found in neighbouring areas. Buses make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward.
Property sits in a premium price band and is harder to enter for many buyers. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
Versus similar regional towns, the suburb reads below average on desirability, chiefly because growth momentum trail behind. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Rock Valley snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
$550/wk
Houses $620 · Units $425
Population (ERP)
260
+0.4% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
9.2%
Census unoccupied dwellings
Livability profile
Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Desirability
#231
among Country & regional · Mature
Safety
73rd
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
46th
percentile in NSW
Advantage (IRSAD)
3/10
national SEIFA decile
Population growth
Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years
Housing mix
Dwelling types from the 2021 Census
Risks & flags
Quick scan — open a section below for full context
Living here
Desirability
Ranks & confidence
- Desirability score
- 36.8/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4326th in Australia
- State rank
- 1366th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #231 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #494 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 71%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $425
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $620
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $550
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 252
- Median house price (October to December 2025)
- $730,000
- Median price change
- +11.4%
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent and sales tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · January to March 2026; October to December 2025 · Updated · Quarterly releases
Population
Estimated resident population
260(June 2025)
+0.4% annual · +3.2% over 5 years · 46th percentile in NSW
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +0.4%
- 5-year growth
- +3.2%
- Change in 1 year
- +1
- Change in 5 years
- +8
- Growth rank in NSW
- 46th percentile
ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.
Methodology
Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.
The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~250), extrapolated at +0.4% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 266
- Median age
- 53
- Median household income / week
- $1,346
- Dwelling vacancy
- 9.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 11 of 120
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,517
- Employment rate
- 55.3%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 107 / 0 / 0
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
- Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 26
- Against the person
- 7
- Against property
- 10
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 100
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 38 residents
- State safety percentile
- 72.9th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -10.1%
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions513
- Fraud284
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment361
- Malicious Damage To Property360
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault312
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated · Rolling 12-month windows
Family & Lifestyle
Public transport
40 public transport stops in this suburb
- 165B Cawongla Rd
- 566 Rock Valley Rd
- Cawongla Rd At Chelmsford Rd
- Cawongla Rd Opp 165B
- Rock Valley Rd Opp 566
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · current · Updated · Nightly GTFS feed
Amenities
1 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
Local character & venue list
Local character
- A car helps for daily errands
- Well connected by public transport — 40 public transport stops
- Walkability proxy
- 30/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 0
Other(1)
- Camp MarshCamp Site
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Lismore Base Hospital - Riverlands Drug and Alcohol Service (15.4 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 8
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 30.8
Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.
For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.
Data sources & freshness
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 28° / 19°
- Rainfall
- 370 mm · ~46 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 25° / 15°
- Rainfall
- 330 mm · ~41 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 20° / 8°
- Rainfall
- 140 mm · ~18 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 25° / 14°
- Rainfall
- 202 mm · ~25 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal.
2026· 2 proposals
July 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure94A Cawongla ROCK VALLEY Lot 139 DP755693Determined
February 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure94A Cawongla ROCK VALLEY Lot 139 DP755693Determined
2025· 1 proposal
October 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Extractive Industries (non-mining)56 BOGGUMBIL ROAD ROCK VALLEY 2480Under Assessment
2024· 1 proposal
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure4 2 CORDYLINE ROAD ROCK VALLEY 2480Determined
2023· 3 proposals
December 2023
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure352 QUILTY ROAD ROCK VALLEY 2480Determined
August 2023
- Dwelling; Shed50 CORDYLINE ROAD ROCK VALLEY 2480Determined
February 2023
- Other751 Rock Valley Road Rock ValleyDetermined
2022· 3 proposals
August 2022
- Pools / decks / fencing; Change of use158 Moras Road Rock Valley NSW 2480Determined
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing59 CHELMSFORD ROAD ROCK VALLEY 2480Determined
May 2022
- Dwelling; Shed50 CORDYLINE ROAD ROCK VALLEY 2480Determined
2021· 2 proposals
November 2021
- Dwelling280 CAWONGLA ROAD ROCK VALLEY 2480Determined
September 2021
- Shed150 MORAS ROAD ROCK VALLEY 2480Determined
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · 2026 · Updated · Daily feed (from Oct 2018)
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Page
- Member of Parliament
- Kevin HOGAN (The Nationals)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 129,373
- Turnout (2025)
- 91.8%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- +1.4 pp toward Labor
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 59.3%Labor 40.7%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 15.1 km away).
Coalition 46.2%Labor 53.8%
13.1 percentage points more Labor-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: +5.3 pp toward Labor
Nearest polling places
- JiggiLabor 69.3% · Coalition 30.6% TPP (2025)5.9 km away
- GoolmangarLabor 44.0% · Coalition 56.0% TPP (2025)7.1 km away
- BentleyLabor 41.6% · Coalition 58.4% TPP (2025)7.7 km away
- The ChannonLabor 80.7% · Coalition 19.3% TPP (2025)13.4 km away
- CaniabaLabor 33.1% · Coalition 66.9% TPP (2025)13.8 km away
Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.
Data sources & freshness
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 3/10
ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?
IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.
IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.
A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
More in Lismore Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.