Thinking about buying your first home in Rockdale (2216)? This page brings together 17 data cards from NSW government, the ABS, Transport for NSW, and Domain auction results to help you decide if Rockdale is the right fit. The analysis covers affordability and FHB scheme eligibility, schools and childcare, dealbreakers like flood and bushfire, and how the suburb is changing. Jump between the four sections using the sticky navigation, or scroll through the full analysis below.
Is Rockdale a good suburb to buy in 2026?
Rockdale (2216) scores a Stickybeak Grade across safety, family fit, financial picture, and lifestyle. Scroll down for the full 17-card analysis, or use the section navigation to jump to what matters most.
Tick the places you actually go and how often. We'll work out your typical travel time from this suburb, so you can compare suburbs against the trips you really do.
Your typical trip from hereTick a destination below
27 min
34 min
49 min
49 min
7 min
Approximate off-peak driving times: straight-line distance × a Sydney detour factor at 35 km/h. Real road times will vary. Saved on this device.
The verdict
Who it is for
Rockdale suits younger buyers, reflected in the median age of 34, who want dense urban convenience without paying inner-city prices. The unit median of $690,000 is accessible for a couple with combined income, and the walkability score of 82 puts it in the 82nd percentile across Sydney, with 9 supermarkets, 44 cafes, and 67 transport options within 1.6 kilometres. If you commute by train and want to skip the car, this suburb delivers on that front.
Who would not love it
Families with secondary-school-age children will notice there are no public secondary schools in the postcode. The suburb is 70% flats and apartments, so if you want a house, only 24% of the stock is separate dwellings, and the median house price of $1,680,000 is a steep ask for a SEIFA decile 6 area. The 47% renter share and 50% owner-occupier rate also mean strata buildings can carry higher tenancy turnover, which affects building culture and maintenance consistency.
What to verify before you bid
- The house median rose 15.1% year-on-year on only 49 sales. Confirm comparable sales individually, as a thin sample can distort the figure significantly. - Units moved just 2.2% on 273 sales, a much more reliable signal. Check the specific strata plan's financials, levy history, and any outstanding special levies before exchanging. - Flood risk is not listed in the data block. Request a Bayside Council flood certificate for the specific lot, as low-lying parts of Rockdale have known drainage constraints.
Refreshed fortnightly; last refresh 12 May 2026. Verify any specific fact against its source card below.
SAFETY
Will I feel safe and comfortable in Rockdale?
BOCSAR · ROCKDALE 2216
Recorded incidents reported to police
12-month rolling total at suburb level, indexed against Greater Sydney.
RATE PER 100K6,57812 mo to Dec 2025
VS GREATER SYDNEY−18%Below Sydney average
5-YR TREND (LGA)Bayside
Within LGA: Bayside
TOP OFFENCE CATEGORIES
THEFT60%385 reports
TRANSPORT REGULATORY OFFENCES24%151 reports
ASSAULT16%105 reports
ASSAULT SPLIT (DOMESTIC VS NON-DOMESTIC)
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FLAGGED44%
NON-DOMESTIC56%
Across 103 assault reports in this window.
DV-flagged assault has risen statewide as reporting has improved. Compare with caution to suburbs whose population has changed materially.
BOCSAR Recorded Criminal Incidents · Updated March 2026 · CC BY 4.0
Air quality
Air quality in Rockdale
22
GoodAQI · NSW DCCEEW
14:23 AEST
Earlwood station · 4.4 km from centroid
12-month median:AQI 30 · Good
Air quality is generally safe for outdoor activity.
Pollutants
nearest station
PM2.5i
5.5µg/m³
24-hr avg
PM10i
9.2µg/m³
24-hr avg
NO₂i
0.6pphm
1hr reading
AQI · last 12 months · daily mean
Earlwood station · 365 daily points
Source: NSW DCCEEW Air Quality API↗ (CC BY 4.0). Historical data updated weekly; live readings cached 60 minutes.
Median weekly rent from lodged bonds. Sep 2025. Based on 219 new bond lodgements this quarter.
Rents here sit around the Sydney middle. A balance of rental stock and owner-occupier demand.
Median weekly rent · Unit · 2 bed
$685per week
Sep 2025 · 219 bonds lodged
Quarterly trend · last 12 quarters
Nearby suburbs · same combination
Arncliffe2205
$860▲$175
2.0 km away
Kogarah2217
$720▲$35
2.2 km away
Bardwell Park2207
$620▼$65
2.7 km away
Mascot2020
$1,050▲$365
3.4 km away
NSW DCJ Rental Bond Board↗ · Sep 2025 · CC BY. Cells with 10 or fewer bond lodgements are suppressed; cells with 30 or fewer have the bond count suppressed but rent published. Figures are transacted rents, not asking rents.
DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE · NSW PLANNING PORTAL · 2216
What’s in the pipeline
NSW Planning Portal feed paused at the source for postcode 2216. Expected back by Q3 2026.
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Compare Rockdale with another suburb
Also in Bayside
Comparing suburbs in the same area can sharpen your decision. Browse suburb insights for other Bayside postcodes, or explore the full Bayside suburb index.
Rockdale is the primary suburb with postcode 2216 in New South Wales. In some cases multiple suburbs share the same postcode — Rockdale is the main locality.
Which local government area is Rockdale in?
Rockdale (2216) is located in the Bayside local government area in New South Wales.
What data does Stickybeak show for Rockdale?
Stickybeak shows 16 data cards for Rockdale (2216) covering affordability (median sale prices, rental yield, first home buyer eligibility), lifestyle (schools, childcare, walkability, commute times), risk factors (flood zones, bushfire prone land, air quality, traffic volume), and suburb growth signals (development pipeline, price trajectory, demographics).
Is Rockdale flood prone?
Flood risk varies street by street in Rockdale. Check the Dealbreakers section on this page for the latest NSW flood zone mapping sourced from official state government data. Always verify at the property level with a Section 10.7 certificate before purchasing.
What are the best schools near Rockdale?
The Schools card on this page lists primary and secondary schools within the catchment area for Rockdale (2216), including their NAPLAN performance data and distance from the suburb centre.
Is Rockdale (2216) eligible for the First Home Buyer scheme?
The First Home Buyer eligibility card on this page shows which NSW and federal government schemes — including the First Home Guarantee, stamp duty exemptions, and the First Home Super Saver scheme — apply to purchases in Rockdale (2216). Eligibility depends on the purchase price and your individual circumstances.
How is Rockdale changing?
The Change section on this page covers new housing supply from the development pipeline, historical price trajectory, and demographic shifts for Rockdale (2216) using data from NSW Planning, the ATO, and the ABS.
