Rockdale vs Kogarah

Comparing Rockdale and Kogarah, NSW: Kogarah scores higher overall (68 vs 57).

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

Kogarah

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

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

Weighs house prices, unit 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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Downsizers and retirees

Kogarah

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more GPs (10 vs 7)

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

Investors

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Rockdale returns a higher gross yield on units (5.5% vs 4.9%)
  • Kogarah is growing faster (8.5% vs -0.4%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Rockdale Kogarah
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.

Rockdale Kogarah
Walkability 96 / 96
Rockdale — Walkability: 96/100 Kogarah — Walkability: 96/100
Safety 32 / 33
Rockdale — Safety: 32/100 Kogarah — Safety: 33/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Rockdale — Low fire risk: 100/100 Kogarah — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Rockdale Kogarah
Population 15,475 16,416
+6% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -0.4% +8.5%
Median age 34 35
Median household income $99,112/yr $98,956/yr
Median weekly rent $460/wk
+2% vs other
 $450/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Rockdale Kogarah
0-4 5.9% / 6.0%
Rockdale — 0-4: 5.9% Kogarah — 0-4: 6.0%
5-14 7.8% / 9.2%
Rockdale — 5-14: 7.8% Kogarah — 5-14: 9.2%
15-19 3.3% / 3.6%
Rockdale — 15-19: 3.3% Kogarah — 15-19: 3.6%
20-24 9.9% / 7.8%
Rockdale — 20-24: 9.9% Kogarah — 20-24: 7.8%
25-34 24.9% / 23.2%
Rockdale — 25-34: 24.9% Kogarah — 25-34: 23.2%
35-44 16.7% / 17.1%
Rockdale — 35-44: 16.7% Kogarah — 35-44: 17.1%
45-54 10.1% / 10.6%
Rockdale — 45-54: 10.1% Kogarah — 45-54: 10.6%
55-64 9.2% / 9.0%
Rockdale — 55-64: 9.2% Kogarah — 55-64: 9.0%
65-74 6.7% / 6.3%
Rockdale — 65-74: 6.7% Kogarah — 65-74: 6.3%
75-84 3.9% / 4.3%
Rockdale — 75-84: 3.9% Kogarah — 75-84: 4.3%
85+ 1.7% / 3.0%
Rockdale — 85+: 1.7% Kogarah — 85+: 3.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Rockdale 39.2% couple families
Rockdale — Couple Families: 39.2% Rockdale — Lone Person: 31.9% Rockdale — One Parent Families: 12.8% Rockdale — Group Household: 13.1% Rockdale — Other Families: 3.0%
Kogarah 40.9% couple families
Kogarah — Couple Families: 40.9% Kogarah — Lone Person: 35.2% Kogarah — One Parent Families: 12.6% Kogarah — Group Household: 8.4% Kogarah — Other Families: 3.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Rockdale 48.6% renting
Rockdale — Owned Outright: 23.1% Rockdale — Mortgage: 28.3% Rockdale — Renting: 48.6%
Kogarah 50.0% renting
Kogarah — Owned Outright: 22.3% Kogarah — Mortgage: 27.7% Kogarah — Renting: 50.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Rockdale Kogarah
Nepal 15.8% / 11.3%
Rockdale — Nepal: 15.8% Kogarah — Nepal: 11.3%
China 6.5% / 8.2%
Rockdale — China: 6.5% Kogarah — China: 8.2%
India 3.0% / 6.0%
Rockdale — India: 3.0% Kogarah — India: 6.0%
Philippines 3.2% / 3.9%
Rockdale — Philippines: 3.2% Kogarah — Philippines: 3.9%
Bangladesh 3.4% / 2.9%
Rockdale — Bangladesh: 3.4% Kogarah — Bangladesh: 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.8%).

Qualifications

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

Rockdale Kogarah
Bachelor Degree 20.7% / 21.5%
Rockdale — Bachelor Degree: 20.7% Kogarah — Bachelor Degree: 21.5%
Postgraduate Degree 9.3% / 10.6%
Rockdale — Postgraduate Degree: 9.3% Kogarah — Postgraduate Degree: 10.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.7% / 9.4%
Rockdale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.7% Kogarah — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.4%
Certificate III & IV 7.0% / 6.9%
Rockdale — Certificate III & IV: 7.0% Kogarah — Certificate III & IV: 6.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 1.5%
Rockdale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Kogarah — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Rockdale 71.7% flats / apartments
Rockdale — Flats / Apartments: 71.7% Rockdale — Houses: 24.3% Rockdale — Townhouses: 4.0%
Kogarah 72.2% flats / apartments
Kogarah — Flats / Apartments: 72.2% Kogarah — Houses: 20.9% Kogarah — Townhouses: 6.9%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Rockdale Kogarah
Median house price $1,837,500 $1,862,500
Median unit price $720,000 $740,000
Median land price — $272,250
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 51 sales
 25 days
from 39 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.

Rockdale Kogarah
2 bed $1.5M / $1.48M
Rockdale — 2 bed: $1.5M (7 sales) Kogarah — 2 bed: $1.48M (11 sales)

7 vs 11 sales

3 bed $1.68M / $1.81M
Rockdale — 3 bed: $1.68M (20 sales) Kogarah — 3 bed: $1.81M (27 sales)

20 vs 27 sales

4 bed $2M / $2.02M
Rockdale — 4 bed: $2M (18 sales) Kogarah — 4 bed: $2.02M (15 sales)

18 vs 15 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

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

Rockdale Kogarah
1 bed $560K / $610K
Rockdale — 1 bed: $560K (38 sales) Kogarah — 1 bed: $610K (70 sales)

38 vs 70 sales

2 bed $735K / $758K
Rockdale — 2 bed: $735K (215 sales) Kogarah — 2 bed: $758K (254 sales)

215 vs 254 sales

3 bed $913K / $925K
Rockdale — 3 bed: $913K (15 sales) Kogarah — 3 bed: $925K (36 sales)

15 vs 36 sales

Zoning mix

Rockdale Kogarah
Residential 61% 70%
Infrastructure and transport 12% 14%
Parks and recreation 12% 11%
Industrial 10% 3%
Commercial 5% 1%
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

Rockdale Kogarah
New dwellings approved 857
across Bayside (NSW)
same for both
Approvals change year on year +98%
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.

Rockdale Kogarah
Houses 2.5%
$850/wk on $1.8M
 2.8%
$900/wk on $1.65M
Units 5.5%
$728/wk on $685K
 4.9%
$720/wk on $769K

Ranking within NSW

Rockdale Kogarah
House price Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
Income Higher than 67% of NSW
same for both
Schools Higher than 2% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 98% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 21% of NSW Higher than 20% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 85% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 89% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 6% of NSW Higher than 15% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW

Liveability

Kogarah scores higher overall (68 vs 57).

Rockdale Kogarah
Grade B
same for both
Score 57/100 68/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Rockdale Kogarah
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
68/100
 Moderate
67/100
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 6
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Rockdale Kogarah
Inside the suburb 4 8
Rated above peers 0 2
Rated at peers 2
same for both
Rated below peers 1 2
Universities within 10 km 3
The University of Sydney, 8.1 km
 2
The University of Sydney, 9.7 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.8% 3.2%

Schools in Rockdale

  • Rockdale Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • St Dominic Savio School Independent · Primary below peers
  • St Mary and St Mina's Coptic Orthodox College, Rockdale campus Independent · Secondary

Schools in Kogarah

  • St George Girls High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • St Patrick's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Kogarah Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Moorefield Girls High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • James Cook Boys High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • Kogarah High School Government · Secondary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Rockdale Kogarah
Supermarkets 6 5
Cafes & restaurants 19 29
Parks & reserves 6 8
Childcare 9 7
GPs 7 10
Pharmacies 5 8
Hospitals 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 3
same for both
Fuel stations 5 2
Waterways 3 2

Mobility

Rockdale Kogarah
Walkability score 96/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 17.3 km 18.2 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 23 min
same for both
Public transport score 79/100
Rail · Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 244.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 259.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 2216
 1.2%
postcode 2217
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 10
postcode 2216
 12
postcode 2217

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.

Rockdale Kogarah
Car (driver) 35.6% / 33.0%
Rockdale — Car (driver): 35.6% Kogarah — Car (driver): 33.0%
Worked from Home 31.7% / 36.5%
Rockdale — Worked from Home: 31.7% Kogarah — Worked from Home: 36.5%
Train 22.4% / 17.9%
Rockdale — Train: 22.4% Kogarah — Train: 17.9%
Walked Only 3.9% / 8.2%
Rockdale — Walked Only: 3.9% Kogarah — Walked Only: 8.2%
Car (passenger) 3.4% / 2.9%
Rockdale — Car (passenger): 3.4% Kogarah — Car (passenger): 2.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (36.5%).

Setting

Rockdale Kogarah
Elevation 20 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km 1.5 km
4.7 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Rockdale Kogarah
Connectivity score 79/100 80/100
Most common technology Fibre to the curb
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 23%
7,527 premises
 20%
7,986 premises

Climate

Rockdale Kogarah
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)

Rockdale Kogarah
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 16.1 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.79 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Rockdale Kogarah
Average residential rate $1,217/yr
same for both
Council Bayside (NSW)
same for both

Federal electorate

Rockdale Kogarah
Division Barton
same for both
Member Ash Ambihaipahar
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Rockdale Kogarah
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Rockdale

Apartments Coastal Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks River Urban

Kogarah

Apartments Coastal Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Rockdale

Rockdale vs Bexley Rockdale vs Arncliffe Rockdale vs Brighton-Le-Sands Rockdale vs Monterey Rockdale vs Banksia Rockdale vs Kyeemagh

Other comparisons with Kogarah

Kogarah vs Bexley Kogarah vs Carlton Kogarah vs Monterey Kogarah vs Beverley Park Kogarah vs Ramsgate
Full data on Rockdale Full data on Kogarah
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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