Rochester VIC 3561
Rochester sits 202 km from Melbourne CBD in Victoria, around 2 hours 30 minutes by car. Census data records 3,154 residents with a median age of 53 and a median household income of $55,796 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the bottom 20% nationally. Population grew 1.3% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $220 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,083. The area shows high flood risk. 3 schools sit within the town boundary, and walkability is low.
Is Rochester a good town?
Rochester scores a D (18/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on prices, weaker on schools, transit, safety, and community.
Below the state average
3 schools · Bottom 10% in VIC
Car-dependent
Walkability 11/100 · 202.4 km · 149 min drive to Melbourne
More affordable than most
Median $455K · More affordable than 76% of VIC
High flood risk
Fire 26/100 · Crime 53/100 · Flood 85/100
Highly disadvantaged
SEIFA decile 2/10 · median age 53 · 3,154 residents
Liveability Rating
18 / 100 · Ranked #840 in VICEach bar is Rochester's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Rochester?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
18 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataRochester's house market is moving lower: the median sale price reached $455,000, about 8% below where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$455,000
Based on 46 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 75 days — median across 14 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 24 sales $445K
- 4 bed 17 sales $560K
Units
$365,000
Based on only 5 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Rochester are currently listed at around $549,000 on average, with the typical listing on the market for 1 days. Based on 63 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$549K
63 houses listed in the last 6 months — typical time on market 1 days.
Units
$358K
6 units listed in the last 6 months — typical time on market 2 days.
69 of the suburb's 1,303 dwellings (5.3%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Rochester rent for around $445 a week on average, based on 6 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
$445/wk
6 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
8 rentals advertised against an estimated 261 rented homes (3.1%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025109 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 28% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3561.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$445/week ($23,000 a year) on a $549,000 median
Based on a small sample (6 listings) — indicative only.
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Is Rochester safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Rochester sits in the moderate band, with 112 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 20% on the prior year.
112 offences
20.0% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20257 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 1 of them fatal
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the town carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
Three schools serve Rochester, and the cohort is trailing peer-suburb performance.
- • 619 students across 3 schools (avg 206)
- • Sectors: 2 Government, 1 Catholic
- • ICSEA 964-991, median 978 (below the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Rochester Secondary College (343 students)
Primary
Secondary
Walkability
Rochester is very car-dependent on foot — at 11/100, nearly all errands require a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Rochester.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 1.2 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 0.7 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 0.9 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 41 min
- Span of service
- 12.8 hours
- Direct to CBD (peak)
- 31 min wait
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Rochester.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 41%
- Premises covered
- 1,679
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Campaspe: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this town alone — this town's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 8 small areas inside this town and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 4 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this town rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Rochester is home to about 3,200 residents, with a median age of 53 — noticeably older than the national figure of 38. Median household income runs at $56,000 a year, with unemployment at 3.6%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
3,154
Median Age
53
Median Household Income
$55,796/yr
Census Median Rent
$220/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,083/mo
Avg Household Size
2.2
Median Personal Income
$30,316/yr
Unemployment Rate
3.6%
Unoccupied Dwellings
10.1%
Total Dwellings
1,303
Owner-Occupier Rate
80.0%
Houses
92.9%
Rental Stress
20.5%
Mortgage Stress
23.3%
Work From Home
9.0%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
40 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 9 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 251 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 86.2%
- English Spoken at Home
- 91.1%
- Employment Rate
- 45.7%
- Completed Year 12
- 25.2%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
29 residents (0.9%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
7.1% of residents (214) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Melbourne (189).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 3,032 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
1% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (8 of 1,232).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Local Jobs
People who work in this town against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 913 people work here; 1,232 employed residents live here.
Roughly as many jobs as working residents (0.7 per resident). At least 23% of employed residents must work outside the town.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $2,035 a year through Campaspe based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 89%
- Infrastructure and transport 5%
- Residential 4%
- Parks and recreation 2%
- Zones under 1% 1%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the town around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Campaspe
In the year to August 2026, 264 new dwellings were approved across Campaspe. That mix is 259 houses and 5 units. Approvals are up 63.0% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2008).
Registered Aboriginal Parties are appointed by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 as the primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of Aboriginal cultural heritage for their area. They are the body to contact about cultural heritage here.
Climate & Setting
from Rochester, 2.7 kmDry climate.
- Elevation
- 117 m
- above sea level, at the town centre
- Annual rainfall
- 438 mm
- 61 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- —
- Winter min (Jul)
- —
Elevation is the ground at the town centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
EV adoption
In postcode 3561, 16 of 4,545 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.3% (57 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.6%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3561, 1,127 rooftop-solar systems totalling 8.4 MW have been installed since 2001, against 1,973 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 38 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $750,000.
The separate First Home Buyer Duty Reduction (stamp-duty concession) runs alongside this grant.
1 first-home grant was paid in postcode 3561 in 2025-26, rank 213 of 298 Victorian postcodes. The most was 38, in 2001-02.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
Land transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with State Revenue Office Victoria
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $750,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with State Revenue Office Victoria.
At $455,000 this is under the $750,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with State Revenue Office Victoria.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Lisa Chesters Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Lisa Chesters | 51.4% | 48.6% | +51.4 |
| 2022 | Lisa Chesters | 62.1% | 37.9% | -3.3 |
| 2019 | Lisa Chesters | 59.0% | 41.0% | -5.2 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact town's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Peter Walsh The Nationals
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Peter Walsh NP | 61.8% | 27.1% | 72.9% |
| 2018 | Peter Walsh NP | 60.3% | 26.1% | 74.0% |
| 2014 | Peter Walsh NP | 63.3% | 27.6% | 72.4% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this town's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Rochester?
Every figure above is a town average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 3,154 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Nearby suburbs
Compare Rochester to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other VIC suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Rochester
Is Rochester a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Rochester is moderate (53/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Rochester?
Rochester has a low recorded bushfire history (26/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). Flood overlays cover a high share of it (85/100). These are town-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Rochester a good place to live?
Rochester has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of D (18/100), ranked against other VIC suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Rochester?
Rochester, VIC had a population of 3,154 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Rochester, VIC?
The postcode for Rochester, VIC is 3561.
How far is Rochester from Melbourne?
Rochester is 202 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 149 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Rochester?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Rochester was $55,796 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Rochester?
The median advertised rent in Rochester is $445 a week for houses (6 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Rochester?
The median age of residents in Rochester was 53 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Rochester at risk of bushfire?
Rochester has a low recorded bushfire history (26/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the town relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Rochester?
There are 3 schools inside the Rochester boundary: 1 at and 2 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Rochester walkable?
Rochester scores 11/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very car-dependent. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the weather like in Rochester?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Rochester, Rochester (2.7 km away), 438 mm of rain a year over 61 rainy days over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Rochester?
First-home buyers in VIC may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $750,000. The grant is administered by State Revenue Office Victoria; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Rochester belong to?
Rochester sits within the Campaspe local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Rochester?
The average residential rates bill through Campaspe is $2,035 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Rochester?
Across Campaspe, 264 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 63.0% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Rochester in?
Rochester sits within the federal Division of Bendigo, currently held by Lisa Chesters (Australian Labor Party).
Search another suburb or address
Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- State electorate · 2022
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
Was the information on this page useful to you?
Thanks! Anything we could improve?
We hate spam as much as you do — we'll never use your email for marketing, and we might not be able to reply to everyone.
Thanks for your feedback! 🙏
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.