Rochester · Statistical Area 2 (SA2)
How well-off the area is, how fast its population is growing, and the businesses and new homes here.
A typical score of 918 puts Rochester well below the national average for overall advantage. The town faces significant challenges with limited access to money and low levels of education and job skills. These gaps are much wider here than in most other similar areas.
All statistical area 2 (sa2) areas, 2021. The marker is Rochester — lower than 86% of areas.
| Rochester | 2 |
|---|---|
| 3561, VIC | 3 |
SEIFA indexes ranking relative advantage and disadvantage.
Residents have lower access to money and resources than about 60% of similar areas. Education and job skills are even lower, ranking below 80% of other areas.
2
Lower than 86% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% most disadvantaged areas in Australia, 10 = among the 10% most advantaged. IRSAD summarises both advantage and disadvantage, so a high score reflects relatively many high-income, well-educated households and few low-income, low-skill ones.
3
Lower than 71% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% most disadvantaged areas in Australia, 10 = among the least disadvantaged. IRSD focuses on disadvantage alone (low income, low education, unemployment, unskilled occupations), so a higher decile means relatively less disadvantage.
4
Lower than 64% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
ABS Index of Economic Resources, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% lowest areas for economic resources in Australia, 10 = among the highest. IER reflects the income, housing costs, dwelling size and assets of households, so a higher decile means relatively greater economic resources.
2
Lower than 86% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
ABS Index of Education and Occupation, 2021, as a national decile: 1 = among the 10% lowest areas for education and occupation in Australia, 10 = among the highest. IEO reflects residents' qualifications and the skill level of their jobs, so a higher decile means a more highly educated and skilled workforce.
918
Lower than 83% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, 2021, as a raw index score (standardised so the Australian average is about 1000). Higher scores indicate relatively greater advantage; lower scores greater disadvantage.
Annual population estimates and change since the census.
The population has fallen by 7.4% since 2021, a trend that is among the lowest for similar areas and far below Victoria's 8.0% growth.
3,691
Lower than 87% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Estimated resident population (ABS), 2025.
-7.4%
Lower than 99% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Population growth since the 2021 Census, from ABS annual estimates.
Operating businesses and dwellings approved.
There are 433 businesses in the area, which is a smaller number than about 79% of similar locations.
433
Lower than 79% of statistical area 2 (sa2) areas.
Operating businesses (ABS Counts of Australian Businesses), June 2025.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Economy & Advantage in Rochester [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/sa2/216011409/rochester/topic/economy-advantage
