NSW · Bayside (NSW) Council
Rockdale, NSW, 2216
Desirability index
95.1/100
How this score is calculated#38 among Country & regional suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Rockdale is a mid-sized suburb in the Bayside (NSW) area, home to around 15,475 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 1,678 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with rising year-on-year trends (+8%), roughly 108.4 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $690 (flats $680, houses $810), 4 school and preschool sites in the area, strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, a higher concentration of local shops, services, and recreation amenities, 1 active roadworks or transport incidents on nearby routes, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb and hospitals or GP clinics within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 15,475
- Median age
- 34
- Median household income / week
- $1,906
- Dwelling vacancy
- 10.4%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 652 of 6,240
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,167
- Employment rate
- 58.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 415 / 224 / 3,888
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $680
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $810
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $690
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 347
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · Period: January to March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 1,678
- Against the person
- 380
- Against property
- 751
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 108.4
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 41 residents
- State safety percentile
- 9.8th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- +8.3%
Most common offence types
- Domestic Violence Related Assault98
- Fraud190
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment125
- Malicious Damage To Property147
- Transport Regulatory Offences167
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 4
- Median school ICSEA (4 schools)
- 1,055
- Kyeemagh Public SchoolPrimary
- Rockdale Public SchoolPrimary
- St Dominic Savio SchoolPrimary
- St Joseph's Catholic Primary SchoolPrimary
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
99 public transport stops in this suburb
- Rockdale Station, Geeves Av, Stand A
- Rockdale Station, Geeves Av, Stand B
- Rockdale Station, Geeves Av, Stand C
- Rockdale Station, Geeves Av, Stand D
- Rockdale Station, Railway St, Stand H
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Roadworks & transport
1 active roadworks / incidents
- Check signage. Allow extra travel time. Plan your journey. The road has been reduced to a single lane in each direction 24/7 until approximately September 2026 for work associated with the M6 Stage 1 project.West Botany Street, French Street16 Mar 2025 – 15 Sep 2026
Data sources & freshness
- Road incidents & closures — State road authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · Hourly refresh where supported
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
187 planning-related records
2026· 12 proposals
June 2026
- Business premises; Advertising and signage; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Hours of operation and trading1 ROCKDALE PLAZA DRIVE ROCKDALE 2216Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure10 BESTIC STREET ROCKDALE 2216Under Assessment
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation7 ADOR AVENUE ROCKDALE 2216Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure80 GIBBES STREET ROCKDALE 2216Under Assessment
- Demolition; Residential flat building; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure610 PRINCES HIGHWAY ROCKDALE 2216Under Assessment
May 2026
- Place of public worship; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Community facility5 BAY STREET ROCKDALE 2216Under Assessment
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure75 BESTIC STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Shop3 KING STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Commercial development; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia30 Bay Street, Rockdale, NSW 2216Withdrawn
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure11 HEATHCOTE STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Recreation facility (indoor); Hours of operation and trading462 PRINCES HIGHWAY ROCKDALE 2216Determined
March 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Service station; Hours of operation and trading1 BERMILL STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
2025· 28 proposals
December 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Minor building alterations (internal); Minor building alterations (external)152 BAY STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Demolition; Commercial development; Erection of a new structure; Co-living23-25 FREDERICK STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
October 2025
- Demolition; Subdivision54 BESTIC STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
September 2025
- Signage; Advertising and signage; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Minor building alterations (external); Advertising structure513-517 PRINCES HIGHWAY ROCKDALE 2216Determined
August 2025
- Commercial development; Office Premise; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia651 PRINCES HIGHWAY ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Recreation facility (indoor); Hours of operation and trading507 PRINCES HIGHWAY ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Portable swimming pools and spas and child-resistant barriers64 BESTIC STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Demolition; Commercial development; Erection of a new structure; Co-living23-25 FREDERICK STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Subdivision648-652 PRINCES HIGHWAY ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Commercial development; Office Premise; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia19 KING STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
July 2025
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation77 FARR STREET ROCKDALE 2216Withdrawn
June 2025
- Shop top housing; Erection of a new structure2 FOX LANE ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure55 KING STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
May 2025
- Dual occupancy; Subdivision; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Residential Accommodation65 BESTIC STREET ROCKDALE 2216Withdrawn
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure24 KING EDWARD STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Advertising and signage; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Recreation facility (indoor); Hours of operation and trading462 PRINCES HIGHWAY ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure16 HOLLAND AVENUE ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure46 GIBBES STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
April 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Recreation facility (indoor)453 PRINCES HIGHWAY ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Residential flat building; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation588 PRINCES HIGHWAY ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Office Premise; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia19 KING STREET ROCKDALE 2216Withdrawn
March 2025
- Demolition413-425 Princes Highway RockdaleWithdrawn
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure5 BEDFORD PLACE ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; General industry44 KING STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure41 GIBBES STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces40 GLOUCESTER STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space32-36 CHAPEL STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
February 2025
- Advertising and signage; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Food and drink premise; Take away food and drink466 WEST BOTANY STREET ROCKDALE 2216Determined
2024· 29 proposals
29 proposals lodged in 2024. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2023· 26 proposals
26 proposals lodged in 2023. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2022· 35 proposals
35 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2021· 45 proposals
45 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2020· 12 proposals
12 proposals lodged in 2020. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020; 2020–2026; 2021… · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
176 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Hotel Rockdale Bottle ShopAlcohol
- Mr LiquorAlcohol
14 King Street
- Al Sultan PastryBakery
- Alexander's BakeryBakery
- Balkan Oven BakeryBakery
Unit 2 1-3 King Street, Rockdale
- Cedars Pizza & BakeryBakery
- i BakeBakery
- Kings Pizza & BakeryBakery
- Le Meilleur Gout BakeryBakery
- Willstep bakeryBakery
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
6 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Bicentennial ParkPark
- Chapel Street ReservePark
- McCarthy ReservePark
- Rockdale ParkPark
- Rockdale Womens SportsfieldsPark
- Yamba Woora ReservePark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 8
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Alderson's Pharmacypharmacy
- Bay Healthcare - Medical Centreclinic
- Chemist Outletpharmacy
- Equine Blood SolutionsPrinces Highwaypharmacy
- Equine Blood SolutionsPrinces Highwaypharmacy
- Grbevski Associatesoptometrist
- Health Save Rockdale Pharmacypharmacy
- Rockdale Compound Pharmacypharmacy
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 7/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 3/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Heritage
3 state heritage places
- Lydham Hall18 Lydham Avenue RockdaleSHR
- Rockdale Railway Station GroupIllawarra railway, RockdaleSHR
- Wilsons Farm House310 West Botany Street RockdaleSHR
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site
Childcare
2 childcare services from OpenStreetMap
- Integricare Rockdale Early Learning CentreCameron Streetkindergarten
- Integricare Rockdale Plaza Early Learning CentreRockdale Plaza Drivekindergarten
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Period: current · Updated on site
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 15
- Parks (OSM)
- 12
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 95.1/100
- Cohort rank
- #38 among Country & regional suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Rockdale Station, Geeves Av, Stand Atransport
- Rockdale Station, Geeves Av, Stand Btransport
- Rockdale Station, Geeves Av, Stand Ctransport
- Rockdale Station, Geeves Av, Stand Dtransport
- Rockdale Station, Railway St, Stand Htransport
- Integricare Rockdale Early Learning CentrechildcareCameron Streetkindergarten
- Integricare Rockdale Plaza Early Learning CentrechildcareRockdale Plaza Drivekindergarten
- Lydham Hallheritage18 Lydham Avenue RockdaleSHR
- Rockdale Railway Station GroupheritageIllawarra railway, RockdaleSHR
- Wilsons Farm Househeritage310 West Botany Street RockdaleSHR
Data sources & freshness
- Childcare services — OpenStreetMap · Updated on site
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Updated on site
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
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