Rockhampton City, QLD
By Lauren McCaleb · Reviewed by Dylan Duncan ·
Rockhampton spreads along the Fitzroy River in Central Queensland, about 600 kilometres north of Brisbane and just south of the Tropic of Capricorn. The Capricorn district is the traditional home of the Darumbal people, whose language region takes in the city. Founded in the 1850s, Rockhampton grew rich on cattle and still bills itself as Australia's Beef Capital, its prosperity written into grand Victorian streetscapes along the riverfront. The name was coined by the pastoralist Charles Archer and a lands commissioner, joining the rocks that bar the river to the old English word hampton for a village. Heritage buildings, the 1860s Botanic Gardens, and a Tropic of Capricorn marker draw visitors to the tropical city.
Among Australia's less advantaged suburbs
Rockhampton City is more socio-economically advantaged than about 5% of the 14,462 Australian suburbs we score, based on the ABS SEIFA index (raw score 858, where about 1000 is the national average).
A socio-economic measure from ABS Census data — not a measure of how good a suburb is to live in or visit. How we calculate this.
Rockhampton City at a glance
- Population (2021)
- 2,059
- Median age
- 42
- Median weekly household income
- $1,118
- SEIFA score
- 858
- Coordinates
- -23.3789, 150.5100
Rockhampton City demographics (2021 Census)
The figures below profile Rockhampton City using the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census; every percentage is a share of a clearly stated Census count, so each one traces back to the source. At a glance, the largest age group is mid-life (45–64) at 29%, 53% of homes are rented, and 15% of residents were born overseas.
Age profile
| Age group | People | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Children (0–14) | 229 | 11% |
| Youth (15–24) | 283 | 14% |
| Young adults (25–44) | 576 | 28% |
| Mid-life (45–64) | 586 | 29% |
| Seniors (65+) | 379 | 18% |
Share of the 2,053 people counted by age.
Housing and households
| Tenure | Dwellings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Owned outright | 186 | 23% |
| Owned with a mortgage | 164 | 20% |
| Rented | 438 | 53% |
| Dwelling type | Dwellings | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Houses | 512 | 61% |
| Townhouses & semis | 74 | 9% |
| Flats & apartments | 236 | 28% |
Tenure and dwelling shares are of the roughly 833 occupied private dwellings in Rockhampton City.
- Median weekly rent
- $250
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,083
- Average household size
- 2 people
- Median weekly family income
- $1,421
- Median weekly personal income
- $635
Community and culture
- Born overseas
- 270 (15%)
- Speaks a language other than English at home
- 162 (9%)
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- 208 (10%)
Work and education
- Completed Year 12
- 745 (42%)
- Labour-force participation
- 52.1%
- Unemployment rate
- 12.7%
- Employed full-time
- 507
- Employed part-time
- 267
Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing, 2021 (General Community Profile, by Suburb and Locality). © Australian Bureau of Statistics, released under CC BY 4.0. How we group bands and derive each share is set out on our methodology page.
Weather and climate in Rockhampton City
Based on 2014–2023 records, the warmest month in Rockhampton City is February (average daytime high around 31.7°C) and the coolest is July (around 22.7°C). The area receives roughly 737 mm of rain across the year.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31.5°C | 22.8°C | 100 mm |
| Feb | 31.7°C | 22.7°C | 96 mm |
| Mar | 30.4°C | 22.2°C | 110 mm |
| Apr | 28.2°C | 19.4°C | 53 mm |
| May | 25.5°C | 16.3°C | 38 mm |
| Jun | 23.3°C | 13.9°C | 24 mm |
| Jul | 22.7°C | 12.5°C | 54 mm |
| Aug | 24.4°C | 13.2°C | 15 mm |
| Sep | 27.1°C | 15.7°C | 23 mm |
| Oct | 29°C | 18.4°C | 67 mm |
| Nov | 30.5°C | 20.3°C | 64 mm |
| Dec | 31.4°C | 22°C | 93 mm |
Climate normals, 2014–2023 (Open-Meteo, ERA5 reanalysis).
Common questions about Rockhampton City
Where is Rockhampton City?
Rockhampton City is a suburb of Queensland, Australia.
What is the population of Rockhampton City?
At the 2021 Census, Rockhampton City had a population of about 2,059.
Is Rockhampton City an advantaged area?
Rockhampton City has an ABS SEIFA score of 858, where about 1000 is the national average — higher scores indicate greater relative socio-economic advantage. That gives it a Suburb Score of 5 out of 100 — more socio-economically advantaged than about 5% of Australian suburbs.
What is the weather like in Rockhampton City?
Rockhampton City has average daytime highs of about 28°C and overnight lows of about 18.3°C, with roughly 737 mm of rain across the year (based on 2014–2023 climate normals).
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