# Balmain East vs The Rocks — 2021 Census comparison

Suburb / Locality comparison · about 1.4 km apart

Balmain East and The Rocks (Sydney - NSW) are neighbouring inner-city areas with distinct housing and cultural profiles. The Rocks (Sydney - NSW) is much more international and transient, with 46.7% of people born overseas and 28.5% using a language other than English at home. It also has a higher share of high-income households, with 58.5% earning $3,000 or more a week. In contrast, Balmain East has more family-oriented housing, with 50.6% of homes having three or more bedrooms compared to just 25.8% in The Rocks (Sydney - NSW). Balmain East also has a higher proportion of people who identify as having no religion (51.5%).

Both areas sit near the national figure for the share of people born overseas, though they vary in how they reach that mark. They share a very similar lifestyle in other ways, including nearly identical typical family incomes and the same 100% access to parks and public transport within a short walk. While Balmain East has a slightly older typical resident (46 compared to 43), both areas are noticeably older than the national average.

## Where they differ most

- 3+ bedrooms: 24.7 pts higher in Balmain East
- Born overseas: 18.7 pts higher in The Rocks
- Other language: 17.8 pts higher in The Rocks
- Recent movers: 17.8 pts higher in The Rocks
- Population: 1,271 larger in Balmain East

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Balmain East | The Rocks | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 1,900 | 629 | 1,271 larger in Balmain East | gap steady |
| Median age | 46 yrs | 43 yrs | 3 yrs older in Balmain East | gap widening |
| First Nations | 0.4% | 0.0% | 0.4 pts higher in Balmain East | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 20.4% | 18.6% | 1.8 pts higher in Balmain East | gap steady |
| Under 15 | 14.3% | 6.8% | 7.5 pts higher in Balmain East | gap steady |
| De facto | 17.4% | 15.8% | 1.5 pts higher in Balmain East | gap narrowing |

### Age structure

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Young adults (25–44) | 24.8% | 41.8% | -17.0 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 31.9% | 29.6% | +2.4 |
| Seniors (65+) | 20.4% | 18.6% | +1.8 |
| Children (0–14) | 14.3% | 6.8% | +7.5 |
| Youth (15–24) | 9.2% | 4.3% | +4.9 |

### Marital status

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 45.1% | 38.0% | +7.1 |
| Never married | 38.5% | 44.7% | -6.2 |
| Divorced | 10.6% | 12.5% | -2.0 |
| Widowed | 2.9% | 2.9% | +0.1 |
| Separated | 2.1% | 2.0% | +0.1 |

### Age profile

Share of each region's population by age band and sex.

| Age band | Balmain East male | Balmain East female | The Rocks male | The Rocks female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 1.6% | 2.1% | 1.7% | 2.2% |
| 5–9 | 2.4% | 2.5% | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| 10–14 | 3.1% | 2.4% | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| 15–19 | 3.0% | 2.7% | 1.2% | 0.5% |
| 20–24 | 1.5% | 2.0% | 1.9% | 1.5% |
| 25–29 | 3.0% | 2.5% | 4.6% | 6.2% |
| 30–34 | 2.8% | 2.9% | 4.2% | 7.4% |
| 35–39 | 3.0% | 3.5% | 5.7% | 4.6% |
| 40–44 | 3.4% | 2.9% | 4.2% | 4.2% |
| 45–49 | 3.5% | 4.1% | 4.9% | 2.9% |
| 50–54 | 4.6% | 4.6% | 2.6% | 3.1% |
| 55–59 | 4.2% | 3.7% | 5.7% | 2.2% |
| 60–64 | 3.5% | 3.6% | 3.7% | 4.3% |
| 65–69 | 2.4% | 3.4% | 3.5% | 1.5% |
| 70–74 | 3.0% | 3.7% | 3.9% | 4.2% |
| 75–79 | 2.1% | 1.9% | 2.2% | 1.2% |
| 80–84 | 1.0% | 1.3% | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| 85+ | 0.8% | 1.4% | 0.5% | 0.0% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Balmain East | The Rocks | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 28.0% | 46.7% | 18.7 pts higher in The Rocks | gap widening |

### Country of birth

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 66.8% | 46.4% | +20.4 |
| England | 8.5% | 7.6% | +0.8 |
| China | 1.2% | 5.1% | -3.9 |
| New Zealand | 1.7% | 2.7% | -1.0 |
| India | 0.4% | 2.5% | -2.2 |
| South Africa | 1.5% | 1.3% | +0.2 |
| Philippines | 0.6% | 0.6% | -0.1 |
| Italy | 0.4% | 0.5% | -0.1 |
| Vietnam | 0.4% | 0.0% | +0.4 |
| Nepal | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English | 43.6% | 25.4% | +18.2 |
| Australian | 27.3% | 14.6% | +12.7 |
| Irish | 18.1% | 11.4% | +6.6 |
| Chinese | 3.8% | 13.8% | -10.0 |
| Scottish | 12.3% | 8.4% | +3.8 |
| Italian | 3.4% | 5.9% | -2.5 |
| German | 4.3% | 3.7% | +0.6 |
| Indian | 1.2% | 3.3% | -2.1 |
| Greek | 2.2% | 1.1% | +1.1 |
| Dutch | 2.1% | 1.4% | +0.6 |
| Filipino | 0.8% | 1.1% | -0.3 |
| Vietnamese | 0.6% | 0.0% | +0.6 |

## Language

| Statistic | Balmain East | The Rocks | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 10.6% | 28.5% | 17.8 pts higher in The Rocks | gap widening |
| Limited English | 1.0% | 2.4% | 1.4 pts higher in The Rocks | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 84.6% | 65.5% | +19.1 |
| Mandarin | 1.1% | 4.9% | -3.9 |
| Cantonese | 0.6% | 4.1% | -3.5 |
| Italian | 0.4% | 1.6% | -1.2 |
| Arabic | 0.8% | 1.4% | -0.6 |
| Hindi | 0.3% | 1.0% | -0.6 |
| Vietnamese | 0.0% | 0.6% | -0.6 |
| Greek | 0.5% | 0.6% | -0.2 |
| Punjabi | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| Tagalog | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Balmain East | The Rocks | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 51.5% | 40.7% | 10.8 pts higher in Balmain East | gap narrowing |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 51.5% | 40.7% | +10.8 |
| Christianity | 39.1% | 39.1% | 0.0 |
| Not stated | 6.3% | 8.6% | -2.3 |
| Buddhism | 1.1% | 4.1% | -3.0 |
| Hinduism | 0.5% | 3.2% | -2.7 |
| Judaism | 0.5% | 1.9% | -1.4 |
| Other religions | 0.4% | 1.6% | -1.2 |
| Islam | 0.2% | 1.3% | -1.1 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Balmain East | The Rocks | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 81.2% | 83.6% | 2.4 pts higher in The Rocks | gap narrowing |
| Bachelor+ | 56.7% | 59.2% | 2.4 pts higher in The Rocks | gap narrowing |
| Schools/1k kids | 3.68 | 23.26 | 19.58 more in The Rocks |  |
| Schools ≤3 km | 44 | 45 | 1 more in The Rocks |  |
| Avg size | 671 | 673 | 2 larger in The Rocks |  |
| ICSEA | 1,166 | 1,168 |  |  |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 81.2% | 83.6% | -2.4 |
| Year 10 | 8.0% | 5.3% | +2.7 |
| Year 11 | 1.9% | 2.6% | -0.7 |
| Year 9 or below | 2.4% | 0.7% | +1.7 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bachelor degree | 42.2% | 47.6% | -5.4 |
| Postgraduate degree | 24.2% | 21.5% | +2.7 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 9.3% | 11.6% | -2.3 |
| Certificate III / IV | 7.7% | 3.9% | +3.8 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 4.7% | 3.1% | +1.6 |
| Certificate I / II | 0.5% | 0.8% | -0.3 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Management & commerce | 23.8% | 34.6% | -10.8 |
| Society & culture | 22.1% | 19.3% | +2.8 |
| Health | 7.1% | 8.3% | -1.2 |
| Education | 7.4% | 1.9% | +5.5 |
| Engineering & related | 7.2% | 5.0% | +2.2 |
| Creative arts | 7.1% | 5.6% | +1.5 |
| Architecture & building | 5.7% | 4.3% | +1.4 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 4.0% | 3.3% | +0.7 |
| Information technology | 3.1% | 3.7% | -0.6 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 2.1% | 3.3% | -1.2 |
| Agriculture & environment | 1.4% | 1.0% | +0.3 |

## Income

| Statistic | Balmain East | The Rocks | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $1,550 | $1,911 | $361 higher in The Rocks | gap widening |
| Household income | $3,020 | $4,374 | $1,354 higher in The Rocks | gap widening |
| Family income | $4,641 | $4,764 | $123 higher in The Rocks | gap widening |
| High earners | 36.7% | 44.2% | 7.5 pts higher in The Rocks | gap steady |
| High-income homes | 47.4% | 58.5% | 11.1 pts higher in The Rocks | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $4,000 or more | 37.9% | 49.1% | -11.2 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 20.0% | 18.9% | +1.1 |
| Under $650 | 13.3% | 7.3% | +6.1 |
| $650–$1,499 | 11.2% | 6.5% | +4.6 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 9.6% | 9.5% | +0.1 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $3,000 or more | 24.0% | 30.7% | -6.7 |
| Under $650 | 25.6% | 17.5% | +8.1 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 24.0% | 24.6% | -0.6 |
| $650–$1,499 | 19.7% | 20.3% | -0.6 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Balmain East | The Rocks | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 24.6% | 21.3% | 3.3 pts higher in Balmain East |  |
| Mental health | 7.7% | 5.1% | 2.6 pts higher in Balmain East |  |
| Needs assistance | 2.7% | 1.1% | 1.6 pts higher in Balmain East | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Asthma | 8.5% | 6.2% | +2.3 |
| Mental health | 7.7% | 5.1% | +2.6 |
| Other condition | 6.8% | 5.4% | +1.4 |
| Arthritis | 6.1% | 4.0% | +2.1 |
| Heart disease | 3.3% | 3.8% | -0.5 |
| Cancer | 2.7% | 3.5% | -0.8 |
| Diabetes | 1.9% | 3.3% | -1.4 |
| Lung condition | 1.6% | 1.0% | +0.6 |
| Stroke | 1.0% | 0.0% | +1.0 |
| Dementia | 0.6% | 0.0% | +0.6 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 68.2% | 70.0% | -1.8 |
| One condition | 18.2% | 16.9% | +1.3 |
| Two conditions | 4.5% | 3.5% | +1.0 |
| Three or more | 2.1% | 1.1% | +0.9 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Balmain East | The Rocks | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 19.5% | 15.9% | 3.6 pts higher in Balmain East | gap narrowing |
| Unpaid carers | 11.6% | 8.6% | 2.9 pts higher in Balmain East | gap narrowing |
| Unpaid child care | 21.8% | 13.6% | 8.2 pts higher in Balmain East | gap narrowing |
| Defence service | 2.1% | 2.9% | 0.8 pts higher in The Rocks |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 21.0% | 13.6% | 7.4 pts higher in Balmain East | gap narrowing |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Balmain East | The Rocks | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 8 | 0 | 8 larger in Balmain East |  |
| Median age | 36 yrs | 49 yrs | 13 yrs older in The Rocks |  |
| Median income | $450 | $2,500 | $2,050 higher in The Rocks |  |
| Household income | $900 | $2,250 | $1,350 higher in The Rocks |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Balmain East | The Rocks | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.2 | 1.7 | 0.5 larger in Balmain East | gap narrowing |
| One-parent | 8.5% | 7.9% | 0.6 pts higher in Balmain East | gap narrowing |
| Living alone | 33.1% | 49.1% | 16.0 pts higher in The Rocks | gap narrowing |

### Family composition

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples without children | 38.0% | 57.1% | -19.1 |
| Couples with children | 52.7% | 32.7% | +20.0 |
| One-parent families | 8.5% | 7.9% | +0.6 |
| Other families | 0.6% | 1.3% | -0.7 |

### Household size

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 person | 33.1% | 49.1% | -16.0 |
| 2 people | 38.0% | 32.4% | +5.6 |
| 4 people | 12.8% | 3.6% | +9.2 |
| 3 people | 11.9% | 10.9% | +1.0 |
| 5 people | 3.4% | 0.0% | +3.4 |
| 6 or more | 1.5% | 0.0% | +1.5 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Balmain East | The Rocks | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $617 | $850 | $233 higher in The Rocks | gap widening |
| Mortgage | $4,333 | $4,333 |  | gap narrowing |
| People / bedroom | 0.90 | 1.00 | 0.10 higher in The Rocks | gap steady |
| Renting | 40.8% | 57.5% | 16.7 pts higher in The Rocks | gap narrowing |
| Owned outright | 34.3% | 25.8% | 8.5 pts higher in Balmain East | gap narrowing |
| Separate houses | 15.7% | 0.0% | 15.7 pts higher in Balmain East | gap narrowing |
| 3+ bedrooms | 50.6% | 25.8% | 24.7 pts higher in Balmain East | gap widening |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rented | 40.8% | 57.5% | -16.7 |
| Owned outright | 34.3% | 25.8% | +8.5 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 23.9% | 11.6% | +12.3 |
| Other tenure | 1.3% | 2.9% | -1.7 |
| Not stated | 0.5% | 0.0% | +0.5 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Flat or apartment | 37.6% | 94.5% | -56.9 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 46.2% | 4.7% | +41.4 |
| Separate house | 15.7% | 0.0% | +15.7 |
| Other dwelling | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 bedroom | 12.2% | 41.1% | -28.9 |
| 2 bedrooms | 34.3% | 29.1% | +5.2 |
| 3 bedrooms | 28.9% | 24.0% | +4.9 |
| 4 bedrooms | 18.6% | 1.8% | +16.8 |
| 5 or more | 3.0% | 0.0% | +3.0 |
| Studio / none | 1.0% | 0.0% | +1.0 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $750 or more | 31.8% | 73.4% | -41.6 |
| $550–$749 | 24.4% | 17.7% | +6.7 |
| $350–$549 | 21.6% | 3.2% | +18.4 |
| Under $200 | 16.4% | 0.0% | +16.4 |
| $200–$349 | 4.6% | 0.0% | +4.6 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $3,000 or more | 66.3% | 62.5% | +3.8 |
| Under $1,000 | 9.5% | 12.5% | -3.0 |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 11.6% | 0.0% | +11.6 |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 7.9% | 0.0% | +7.9 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Balmain East | The Rocks | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 14.1% | 26.6% | 12.6 pts higher in The Rocks | gap narrowing |
| Work from home | 61.2% | 56.5% | 4.7 pts higher in Balmain East | gap steady |
| PT commute | 3.9% | 5.3% | 1.4 pts higher in The Rocks | gap narrowing |
| PT stops | 8 | 0 | 8 more in Balmain East |  |
| Stops/1k | 4.21 | 0.00 | 4.21 more in Balmain East |  |
| Departures/1k | 3,336.8 | 0.0 | 3,336.8 more in Balmain East |  |
| PT routes | 1 | 0 | 1 more in Balmain East |  |
| Stop walk | 1 | 5 | 4 longer in The Rocks |  |
| Drive to city | 9 | 2 | 7 longer in Balmain East |  |
| Reach 30 min | 29,403 | 80,493 | 51,090 more in The Rocks |  |
| Reach 45 min | 198,253 | 565,715 | 367,462 more in The Rocks |  |
| Transit to city | 39 | 18 | 21 longer in Balmain East |  |

### How people get to work

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Worked at home | 61.2% | 56.5% | +4.7 |
| Car (driver) | 18.3% | 12.1% | +6.3 |
| Walked | 1.9% | 14.1% | -12.1 |
| Train | 0.0% | 3.5% | -3.5 |
| Bicycle | 0.6% | 1.3% | -0.6 |
| Bus | 0.9% | 1.0% | -0.1 |
| Car (passenger) | 0.9% | 0.0% | +0.9 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 vehicle | 52.1% | 53.3% | -1.2 |
| 2 vehicles | 27.5% | 14.2% | +13.3 |
| No vehicle | 14.1% | 26.6% | -12.6 |
| 3 vehicles | 4.8% | 4.0% | +0.8 |
| 4 or more | 2.3% | 1.8% | +0.5 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Balmain East | The Rocks | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 38.6% | 56.4% | 17.8 pts higher in The Rocks | gap widening |
| Recent arrivals | 11.1% | 20.1% | 9.0 pts higher in The Rocks | gap widening |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Balmain East | The Rocks | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 4.0% | 2.9% | 1.1 pts higher in Balmain East | gap narrowing |
| Participation | 62.6% | 69.8% | 7.2 pts higher in The Rocks | gap narrowing |
| Full-time | 68.0% | 68.1% |  | gap narrowing |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professional & technical | 20.7% | 19.1% | +1.6 |
| Finance & insurance | 12.6% | 17.6% | -5.0 |
| Health care & social assistance | 11.0% | 8.8% | +2.2 |
| Education & training | 9.4% | 4.0% | +5.3 |
| Construction | 6.9% | 5.5% | +1.4 |
| Accommodation & food | 2.6% | 6.3% | -3.6 |
| Retail trade | 5.6% | 6.0% | -0.4 |
| Public administration & safety | 5.0% | 5.3% | -0.3 |
| Media & telecommunications | 4.8% | 3.5% | +1.3 |
| Rental & real estate | 3.1% | 4.0% | -1.0 |
| Administrative & support | 3.0% | 3.3% | -0.3 |
| Manufacturing | 2.1% | 3.0% | -0.9 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Balmain East % | The Rocks % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 46.0% | 39.7% | +6.3 |
| Managers | 26.6% | 28.1% | -1.6 |
| Clerical & administrative | 10.4% | 15.6% | -5.2 |
| Sales workers | 5.5% | 5.0% | +0.5 |
| Technicians & trades | 4.3% | 3.5% | +0.8 |
| Community & personal service | 4.1% | 4.0% | +0.0 |
| Labourers | 1.7% | 2.3% | -0.5 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 0.7% | 1.5% | -0.8 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Balmain East | The Rocks | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 8.4 | 9.7 | 1.3 higher in The Rocks |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 7.0 | 8.0 | 1.0 more in The Rocks |  |
| 15-min city | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to shops | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to transit | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to school | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to a park | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to health | 43.5% | 100.0% | 56.5 pts higher in The Rocks |  |
| Amenities/1k | 22.1 | 82.7 | 60.6 more in The Rocks |  |
| Intersections/km² | 388 | 1,347 | 959 higher in The Rocks |  |
| Mean slope | 11.6% | 19.0% | 7.4 pts higher in The Rocks |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/sal/SAL10166/balmain-east/vs/SAL13856/the-rocks