Dawes Point vs The Rocks

The Rocks is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 55 in Dawes Point. In both, most homes are flats or apartments. In Dawes Point, most households own their home and about half of households are people living alone. In The Rocks, most households rent and most households are people living alone. Units cost more in Dawes Point: a median of $7.25 million, against $2 million in The Rocks, and rent is higher there too. The Rocks is closer to the city centre: 1.4 km, against 2.2 km. On these figures, Dawes Point tends to suit older residents, while The Rocks suits renters, young adults, and people living alone.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Dawes Point

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is already more of a family suburb (45% vs 25%)

Weighs schools, house stock, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Dawes Point leaves households under less mortgage stress (17% vs 23%)
  • The Rocks has cheaper units ($2,000,000 vs $7,250,000)

Weighs unit prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

The Rocks

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($850/wk vs $1,450/wk)
  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (60% vs 36%)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (19% vs 31%)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Dawes Point

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (27% vs 19%)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, and walkability.

Investors

Dawes Point

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (7.8% vs -18.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Dawes Point and The Rocks drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Dawes Point The Rocks
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Dawes Point The Rocks
Walkability 100 / 98
Dawes Point — Walkability: 100/100 The Rocks — Walkability: 98/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Dawes Point — Low fire risk: 100/100 The Rocks — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Dawes Point rents higher ($1,450/wk vs $850/wk); The Rocks has more residents (629 vs 385).

Dawes Point The Rocks
Population 385 629
+63% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.8% -18.7%
Median age 55 43
Median household income $244,816/yr
+7% vs other
 $227,448/yr
Median weekly rent $1,450/wk
+41% vs other
 $850/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Dawes Point The Rocks
0-4 4.2% / 3.7%
Dawes Point — 0-4: 4.2% The Rocks — 0-4: 3.7%
5-14 4.7% / 2.2%
Dawes Point — 5-14: 4.7% The Rocks — 5-14: 2.2%
15-19 6.5% / 1.4%
Dawes Point — 15-19: 6.5% The Rocks — 15-19: 1.4%
20-24 5.2% / 2.9%
Dawes Point — 20-24: 5.2% The Rocks — 20-24: 2.9%
25-34 5.5% / 23.2%
Dawes Point — 25-34: 5.5% The Rocks — 25-34: 23.2%
35-44 10.1% / 18.1%
Dawes Point — 35-44: 10.1% The Rocks — 35-44: 18.1%
45-54 15.6% / 13.7%
Dawes Point — 45-54: 15.6% The Rocks — 45-54: 13.7%
55-64 25.5% / 15.7%
Dawes Point — 55-64: 25.5% The Rocks — 55-64: 15.7%
65-74 18.7% / 13.2%
Dawes Point — 65-74: 18.7% The Rocks — 65-74: 13.2%
75-84 7.5% / 5.1%
Dawes Point — 75-84: 7.5% The Rocks — 75-84: 5.1%
85+ 1.0% / 0.6%
Dawes Point — 85+: 1.0% The Rocks — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Dawes Point 51.8% lone person
Dawes Point — Lone Person: 51.8% Dawes Point — Couple Families: 36.5% Dawes Point — One Parent Families: 8.2% Dawes Point — Group Household: 3.5%
The Rocks 71.4% lone person
The Rocks — Lone Person: 71.4% The Rocks — Couple Families: 16.9% The Rocks — One Parent Families: 7.9% The Rocks — Group Household: 3.7%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Dawes Point 36.4% renting
Dawes Point — Owned Outright: 43.2% Dawes Point — Mortgage: 20.4% Dawes Point — Renting: 36.4%
The Rocks 60.5% renting
The Rocks — Owned Outright: 27.2% The Rocks — Mortgage: 12.3% The Rocks — Renting: 60.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Dawes Point The Rocks
Bachelor Degree 33.2% / 36.6%
Dawes Point — Bachelor Degree: 33.2% The Rocks — Bachelor Degree: 36.6%
Postgraduate Degree 21.6% / 16.5%
Dawes Point — Postgraduate Degree: 21.6% The Rocks — Postgraduate Degree: 16.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.8% / 8.9%
Dawes Point — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8% The Rocks — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Certificate III & IV 3.9% / 3.0%
Dawes Point — Certificate III & IV: 3.9% The Rocks — Certificate III & IV: 3.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 4.2% / 2.4%
Dawes Point — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.2% The Rocks — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (36.6%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Dawes Point The Rocks
England 6.5% / 7.6%
Dawes Point — England: 6.5% The Rocks — England: 7.6%
China 3.1% / 5.1%
Dawes Point — China: 3.1% The Rocks — China: 5.1%
New Zealand 2.1% / 2.7%
Dawes Point — New Zealand: 2.1% The Rocks — New Zealand: 2.7%
India 0.8% / 2.5%
Dawes Point — India: 0.8% The Rocks — India: 2.5%
Scotland 2.3% / —
Dawes Point — Scotland: 2.3% The Rocks — Scotland: not among its largest
Japan — / 2.2%
Dawes Point — Japan: not among its largest The Rocks — Japan: 2.2%
France 1.8% / —
Dawes Point — France: 1.8% The Rocks — France: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Dawes Point 68.8% flats / apartments
Dawes Point — Flats / Apartments: 68.8% Dawes Point — Townhouses: 28.8% Dawes Point — Houses: 2.4%
The Rocks 95.3% flats / apartments
The Rocks — Flats / Apartments: 95.3% The Rocks — Townhouses: 4.7% The Rocks — Houses: 0.0%
Flats / Apartments Townhouses Houses

Property market

Dawes Point The Rocks
Median house price —
same for both
Median unit price $7,250,000 $2,000,000
Median land price —
same for both

Development activity

Dawes Point The Rocks
New dwellings approved 2,350
across Sydney
same for both
Approvals change year on year +929%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Dawes Point The Rocks
Houses —
same for both
Units — 3.3%
$1,700/wk on $2.65M

Ranking within NSW

Dawes Point The Rocks
House price Higher than 96% of NSW —
Income Higher than 100% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 100% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 33% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 100% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 8% of NSW

Liveability

Dawes Point The Rocks
Grade — A+
Score — 98/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Dawes Point The Rocks
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
92/100
 —
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 5
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Dawes Point The Rocks
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Sydney C.Q.U. Campus, 1.4 km
 3
Sydney C.Q.U. Campus, 1.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.9% 2.1%

Schools in Dawes Point

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in The Rocks

  • Observatory Hill Environmental Education Centre Government · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Dawes Point The Rocks
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 4 36
Parks & reserves 5 7
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Waterways 0 1

Mobility

Dawes Point The Rocks
Walkability score 100/100 98/100
Distance to Sydney 2.2 km
+36% vs other
 1.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 7 min 5 min
Electric vehicle share 7.1%
postcode 2000
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 0
postcode 2000
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Dawes Point The Rocks
Worked from Home 67.3% / 61.8%
Dawes Point — Worked from Home: 67.3% The Rocks — Worked from Home: 61.8%
Car (driver) 19.6% / 13.2%
Dawes Point — Car (driver): 19.6% The Rocks — Car (driver): 13.2%
Walked Only 11.7% / 15.4%
Dawes Point — Walked Only: 11.7% The Rocks — Walked Only: 15.4%
Train — / 6.3%
Dawes Point — Train: not among its largest The Rocks — Train: 6.3%
Car (passenger) 1.4% / —
Dawes Point — Car (passenger): 1.4% The Rocks — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bicycle — / 1.4%
Dawes Point — Bicycle: not among its largest The Rocks — Bicycle: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (67.3%).

Setting

Dawes Point The Rocks
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 20 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.5 km
1.6 km to a named beach
 4.6 km
2.0 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Dawes Point The Rocks
Connectivity score 74/100 72/100
Most common technology Fibre to the building
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 20%
417 premises
 14%
1,517 premises

Climate

Dawes Point The Rocks
Annual rainfall 1,129 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 9.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Dawes Point The Rocks
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 13.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.84 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Dawes Point The Rocks
Average residential rate $875/yr
same for both
Council Sydney
same for both

Federal electorate

Dawes Point The Rocks
Division Sydney
same for both
Member Tanya Plibersek
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Dawes Point The Rocks
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Dawes Point

Apartments Inner Parks Professionals Retirees Townhouses

The Rocks

Apartments Arts Cafe Culture Inner Nightlife Parks Premium Professionals River Urban

More comparisons

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Dawes Point vs Millers Point

Other comparisons with The Rocks

The Rocks vs Sydney The Rocks vs Millers Point
Full data on Dawes Point Full data on The Rocks
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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