Moving to Rockingham WA 6168
What the official numbers say about living in Rockingham — before you pack a box.
At a glance
Housing: buy or rent
Renting? The census median is $300 a week, against a median household income of $1,169 a week.
About 61% of homes are owner-occupied and 38% rented, and the most common dwelling type is the house.
Who you'll be living with
Rockingham grew 8% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses (14,159 → 15,312 people).
Around 57% of households are families, averaging 2.0 people per home.
Largest overseas birthplaces: England, New Zealand, Scotland; most spoken languages besides English: Serbian, Tagalog, Mandarin.
On the ABS advantage scale (SEIFA), Rockingham scores below the national average (decile 2 of 10).
The commute
The most common way to work is by car (86% of workers), while 6% work from home.
Nearest train station: Rockingham, 2.5 km east.
Nearest bus interchange: Kwinana Bus Station, 8.2 km north-east.
Nearest ferry wharf: Penguin Island Ferry, 4.1 km south-west.
Nearest airport: Jandakot Airport, 24.9 km north-east.
The Perth CBD is roughly 39 km away in a straight line.
Daily life
Mapped locally so far: 15 schools · 18 cafes & restaurants · 6 supermarkets · 29 parks — see them all on the Rockingham profile.
What's actually nearby
Schools: Rockingham Senior High School 300 m · Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School 600 m · Rockingham Montessori School 600 m · Bungaree Primary School 1000 m · Rockingham Beach Primary School 1.4 km · Kolbe Catholic College 1.6 km · Safety Bay Senior High School 2.3 km · Malibu School 2.4 km
Groceries: ALDI 850 m · IGA Rockingham 950 m · Coles 1 km · Woolworths 1.2 km · Shoalwater IGA 2.8 km · All Foods Market Cooloonganup IGA 2.8 km
Parks and reserves: City Park 600 m · Aries Park 700 m · ANZAC Park 700 m · Antia Park 750 m · Derbal Nara Memorial Gardens 900 m · Bungaree Oval 1000 m · Churchill Park 1 km · Townsend Road Reserve 1.1 km
What you'll see in the garden
Birds recorded around Rockingham, most often seen first: Australian Pelican · Laughing Turtle-dove · Silver Gull · Rock Dove · Giinbaywarraymal · Western Australian Raven.
How the neighbours compare
The suburbs nearest to Rockingham, side by side.
| Suburb | People | Median house | Advantage | Canopy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockingham here | 15,312 | — | 2/10 | 9% |
| Safety Bay | 7,662 | — | 4/10 | 7% |
| Cooloongup | 6,696 | — | 1/10 | 21% |
| Hillman | 1,807 | — | 1/10 | 16% |
| Shoalwater | 4,368 | — | 3/10 | 8% |
| Waikiki | 12,453 | — | 3/10 | 30% |
| Warnbro | 10,828 | — | 2/10 | 12% |
Before you move — quick checklist
- Your council will be Rockingham — bins, rates, pets and permits live there.
- You'll vote in the federal electorate of Brand — update your enrolment address.
- The postcode is 6168 — handy for utility sign-ups and quotes.
- Check street-level details on the full Rockingham profile (map, streets, amenities, wildlife).
In short
Renters pay a median $300 a week, and about 38% of homes here are rented.
The population grew 8% between the 2011 and 2021 censuses, from 14,159 people to 15,312. It sits about 39 km from the Perth CBD in a straight line, and Rockingham station is roughly 2.5 km away. Local government is Rockingham council, and the federal seat is Brand.
Weighing up alternatives?
Side-by-side: Rockingham vs Waikiki · Rockingham vs Warnbro.
Nearby guides: Safety Bay · Cooloongup · Hillman · Shoalwater · Waikiki · Warnbro.
Keep an eye on Rockingham
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