State Electorate · Area profile
Rockingham (South Metropolitan)
49 km²
Situated in the coastal reaches of the South Metropolitan area, Rockingham is a mature community with a growing population of 40,861. It is a place where residents are noticeably older than the national average, with nearly a quarter of the population aged 65 or over. This shift towards a senior demographic is reflected in the housing, where many people live alone in large, detached homes. While it remains a predominantly English-speaking area, there is a strong presence of former Defence Force members.
Rockingham (South Metropolitan) is well supplied with schools for its relatively small share of children.
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The community is significantly older than most areas, with a typical age of 45 and a high proportion of seniors at 23.5%. This age profile is consistent with the fact that children under 15 make up only 15.4% of the population, which is well below the national figure.
About 30.6% of residents were born overseas, though this is a drop of 18 points since 2016. English ancestry is the most common at 48.0%, followed by Australian ancestry at 32.4%.
English is the main language for 85.0% of the population, and the area has far fewer people using another language at home compared to the state average. Very few residents, just 0.9%, speak little or no English.
A large proportion of the community reports no religion at 46.9%, a figure that rose 17 points since 2016 and sits well above the national average. Christianity is the next most common affiliation at 41.1%.
The area has far fewer people with a bachelor degree or higher (11.6%) and Year 12 completions (43.5%) than the national average. Both figures have fallen sharply since 2016.
Typical incomes are much lower than in most areas, with a typical household earning $1,273 a week. Only 13.6% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly, which is well below the state average.
Residents experience more health challenges than most, with 33.7% having a long-term health condition and 6.9% needing help with daily activities. Arthritis is the most common long-term condition at 11.9%.
A notable 7.9% of residents have served in the Defence Force, which is well above the national figure. However, the number of volunteers fell 12 points since 2016 to 11.8%.
Living arrangements are dominated by people living alone (33.8%) or couples without children. One-parent families make up 17.4% of the community, which is well above the state average.
Homes are typically large, with 80.8% having three or more bedrooms, and 35.2% are owned outright. Typical weekly rent is $300, which is well below the national figure.
While 62.7% of people drive to work, the area has a high number of public transport stops and a high rate of bus departures. About 6.9% of homes have no motor vehicle.
The area is relatively stable, with fewer people moving in the last five years compared to most areas. Recent arrivals from overseas are also among the lowest at this level at 4.8%.
The unemployment rate is 7.8%, which is a little above the national average. Only 54.0% of adults are working or looking for work, a figure that is well below the state average.
Most homes are within a short walk of parks, schools, and groceries, and nearly all are within 10 minutes of public transport. However, access to health services is far below the state average.