Rockbank vs Thornhill Park

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Rockbank, about half of households are couple families. In Thornhill Park, most households are couple families. Rockbank is closer to the city centre: 37.4 km, against 42.5 km. On these figures, Rockbank tends to suit people living alone, while Thornhill Park suits families with children and couples.

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

Thornhill Park

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (9 vs 6)
  • is already more of a family suburb (77% vs 60%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (98% vs 86%)

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

First-home buyers

Thornhill Park

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper land ($355,250 vs $620,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

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

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

Commuting to the city

Rockbank

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (38/100 vs 5/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (36 min vs 45 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (37.4 km vs 42.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Rockbank

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (38/100 vs 5/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (14% vs 3%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield.

Where they sit

Rockbank and Thornhill Park drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Rockbank Thornhill Park
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.

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Walkability 38 / 5
Rockbank — Walkability: 38/100 Thornhill Park — Walkability: 5/100
Safety 3 / 6
Rockbank — Safety: 3/100 Thornhill Park — Safety: 6/100
Low fire risk 7 / 10
Rockbank — Low fire risk: 7/100 Thornhill Park — Low fire risk: 10/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Rockbank — Low flood risk: 100/100 Thornhill Park — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Thornhill Park has higher household incomes ($104,260 vs $92,612); Rockbank skews older (31 vs 29).

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Population 2,583 3,066
+19% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) —
same for both
Median age 31 29
Median household income $92,612/yr $104,260/yr
+13% vs other
Median weekly rent $360/wk $380/wk
+6% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Rockbank Thornhill Park
0-4 10.4% / 13.9%
Rockbank — 0-4: 10.4% Thornhill Park — 0-4: 13.9%
5-14 11.9% / 12.9%
Rockbank — 5-14: 11.9% Thornhill Park — 5-14: 12.9%
15-19 3.9% / 3.5%
Rockbank — 15-19: 3.9% Thornhill Park — 15-19: 3.5%
20-24 7.0% / 6.1%
Rockbank — 20-24: 7.0% Thornhill Park — 20-24: 6.1%
25-34 26.1% / 30.3%
Rockbank — 25-34: 26.1% Thornhill Park — 25-34: 30.3%
35-44 17.1% / 18.7%
Rockbank — 35-44: 17.1% Thornhill Park — 35-44: 18.7%
45-54 10.0% / 6.8%
Rockbank — 45-54: 10.0% Thornhill Park — 45-54: 6.8%
55-64 7.3% / 4.9%
Rockbank — 55-64: 7.3% Thornhill Park — 55-64: 4.9%
65-74 4.9% / 2.3%
Rockbank — 65-74: 4.9% Thornhill Park — 65-74: 2.3%
75-84 1.3% / 0.7%
Rockbank — 75-84: 1.3% Thornhill Park — 75-84: 0.7%
85+ — / —
Rockbank — 85+: not among its largest Thornhill Park — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (30.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Rockbank 48.2% couple families
Rockbank — Couple Families: 48.2% Rockbank — Lone Person: 33.5% Rockbank — One Parent Families: 12.2% Rockbank — Group Household: 4.1% Rockbank — Other Families: 2.0%
Thornhill Park 61.1% couple families
Thornhill Park — Couple Families: 61.1% Thornhill Park — Lone Person: 18.9% Thornhill Park — One Parent Families: 16.1% Thornhill Park — Group Household: 3.3% Thornhill Park — Other Families: 0.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Rockbank 32.7% renting
Rockbank — Owned Outright: 15.2% Rockbank — Mortgage: 52.2% Rockbank — Renting: 32.7%
Thornhill Park 25.6% renting
Thornhill Park — Owned Outright: 5.0% Thornhill Park — Mortgage: 69.4% Thornhill Park — Renting: 25.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Bachelor Degree 12.4% / 16.1%
Rockbank — Bachelor Degree: 12.4% Thornhill Park — Bachelor Degree: 16.1%
Certificate III & IV 11.1% / 11.6%
Rockbank — Certificate III & IV: 11.1% Thornhill Park — Certificate III & IV: 11.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.9% / 9.5%
Rockbank — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.9% Thornhill Park — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5%
Postgraduate Degree 6.5% / 5.4%
Rockbank — Postgraduate Degree: 6.5% Thornhill Park — Postgraduate Degree: 5.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.4% / 1.5%
Rockbank — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.4% Thornhill Park — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.1%).

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.

Rockbank Thornhill Park
India 18.3% / 14.4%
Rockbank — India: 18.3% Thornhill Park — India: 14.4%
Philippines 2.6% / 7.6%
Rockbank — Philippines: 2.6% Thornhill Park — Philippines: 7.6%
New Zealand 2.3% / 3.0%
Rockbank — New Zealand: 2.3% Thornhill Park — New Zealand: 3.0%
Pakistan 1.7% / 1.4%
Rockbank — Pakistan: 1.7% Thornhill Park — Pakistan: 1.4%
Sri Lanka 1.1% / 1.8%
Rockbank — Sri Lanka: 1.1% Thornhill Park — Sri Lanka: 1.8%
Vietnam 1.0% / 1.6%
Rockbank — Vietnam: 1.0% Thornhill Park — Vietnam: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Rockbank 86.4% houses
Rockbank — Houses: 86.4% Rockbank — Flats / Apartments: 12.5% Rockbank — Townhouses: 1.1%
Thornhill Park 97.6% houses
Thornhill Park — Houses: 97.6% Thornhill Park — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Thornhill Park — Townhouses: 2.7%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Median house price $621,500 $610,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $620,000 $355,250
Typical days to sell (houses) 55 days
from 199 sales
 6 days
from 6 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Rockbank Thornhill Park
3 bed $556K / $530K
Rockbank — 3 bed: $556K (72 sales) Thornhill Park — 3 bed: $530K (42 sales)

72 vs 42 sales

4 bed $640K / $635K
Rockbank — 4 bed: $640K (167 sales) Thornhill Park — 4 bed: $635K (85 sales)

167 vs 85 sales

Zoning mix

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Residential 95% 96%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 4%
Parks and recreation 1% 0%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Rockbank Thornhill Park
New dwellings approved 4,602
across Melton
same for both
Approvals change year on year +5%
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.

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Houses 4.0%
$500/wk on $650K
 3.9%
$470/wk on $624K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Rockbank Thornhill Park
House price Higher than 27% of VIC Higher than 26% of VIC
Income Higher than 62% of VIC Higher than 76% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 84% of VIC Higher than 67% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 86% of VIC Higher than 95% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 85% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 98% of VIC Higher than 97% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 69% of VIC Higher than 62% of VIC

Liveability

Rockbank is more walkable (38 vs 5).

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Grade C
same for both
Score 34/100 35/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Bushfire High
93/100
 High
90/100
Crime High
97/100
 High
94/100
Flood None
0/100
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1
same for both

Schools in Rockbank

  • Rockbank Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Thornhill Park

  • Thornhill Park Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Supermarkets 0 1
Parks & reserves 1 0
Childcare 6 9

Mobility

Thornhill Park sits further from the CBD (42.5 km vs 37.4 km).

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Walkability score 38/100 5/100
Distance to Melbourne 37.4 km 42.5 km
+14% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 36 min 45 min
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
 90/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 35.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 68.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.3%
postcode 3335
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.

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Car (driver) 66.6% / 69.8%
Rockbank — Car (driver): 66.6% Thornhill Park — Car (driver): 69.8%
Worked from Home 23.0% / 21.1%
Rockbank — Worked from Home: 23.0% Thornhill Park — Worked from Home: 21.1%
Train 5.0% / 4.6%
Rockbank — Train: 5.0% Thornhill Park — Train: 4.6%
Car (passenger) 4.4% / 4.5%
Rockbank — Car (passenger): 4.4% Thornhill Park — Car (passenger): 4.5%
Bus 0.5% / —
Rockbank — Bus: 0.5% Thornhill Park — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (69.8%).

Setting

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Elevation 112 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 118 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 21.5 km 23.3 km

NBN connectivity

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Connectivity score 97/100 94/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 94%
2,597 premises
 92%
819 premises

Climate

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Annual rainfall 482 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.2°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Rockbank Thornhill Park
PM2.5 4.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Average residential rate $1,779/yr
same for both
Council Melton
same for both

Federal electorate

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Division Gorton
same for both
Member Alice Jordan-Baird
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Rockbank Thornhill Park
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Rockbank

Family Large Blocks Multicultural Outer Young Families

Thornhill Park

Acreage Family Multicultural Outer Trains Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Rockbank

Rockbank vs Truganina Rockbank vs Aintree Rockbank vs Grangefields

Other comparisons with Thornhill Park

Thornhill Park vs Melton Thornhill Park vs Strathtulloh Thornhill Park vs Cobblebank Thornhill Park vs Mount Cottrell Thornhill Park vs Grangefields
Full data on Rockbank Full data on Thornhill Park
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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