Rochester, VIC: suburb profile

The population of Rochester VIC is 3,154 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Rochester is $583 per week ($30,316 per year). Median rent in Rochester is $220 per week ($953 per month). Rochester has a median age of 53 years, older than the national median of 38. Rochester has a population density of 37 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Rochester is England. The most common religion is No religion (40.8% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Italian. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Rochester is $1,083.

There were 222 recorded offences in Rochester in 2025-25, a rate of 70 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was justice procedures (61 offences).

Population
3,154
Census 2021
Median income
$583/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$220/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
53years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (crimestatistics.vic.gov.au), 2025-25.

Rochester vs the typical VIC suburb

The median personal income in Rochester is $583 a week, 24% below the typical VIC suburb ($767). That ranks 1,138th of 1,274 VIC suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $220 a week, $96 less than the typical VIC suburb. Rent takes 20.5% of the median household income here, against 19.1% in the typical VIC suburb. The median resident is 53, 10 years older than in the typical VIC suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureRochesterTypical VICDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$583/wk$767/wk −24%$766/wk
Household income$1,073/wk$1,687/wk −36%$1,637/wk
Rent$220/wk$316/wk −30%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,083/mo$1,723/mo −37%$1,733/mo
Median age5343 +10 yrs42
Rent share of household income20.5%19.1% +1.4 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Rochester, the typical VIC suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Rochester Population

3,154 residents at the 2021 Census.

Rochester Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$583/wk
$30,316 per year
Ranked 7,330 of 14,663
Median Rent
$220/wk
$953 per month
Ranked 7,029 of 14,663
Median Age
53years
15 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,083/mo
Avg household size: 2.2 · 0.7 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Rochester Rent Prices & Affordability

21% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $1,073/wk
Median rent $220/wk
Rent to income 20.5%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Rochester against your income

About $4,650 a month
Median rent $220/wk
Left after rent $853/wk
Rent share 20.5%

Rochester Schools

3
schools nearby
2
government
978
avg ICSEA score
619
total students
St Joseph's School Catholic
Primary · Prep-6 · 95 students
991
ICSEA
Rochester Primary School Government
Primary · Prep-6 · 181 students
978
ICSEA
Rochester Secondary College Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 343 students
964
ICSEA

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Rochester, with a map

Rochester Map

Rochester, Victoria Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Rochester, Victoria: 36.3623°S, 144.6946°E

Rochester Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (3)

People in Rochester

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.8% (1,538) Female 51.2% (1,615)

Population Density

37
people per km²
3,154 people · 86.4 km²

Households

2.2
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$1,439
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
1.6%
New Zealand
0.8%
Malaysia
0.7%
Scotland
0.4%
Italy
0.3%
Philippines
0.3%
Thailand
0.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Italian
0.4%
Mandarin
0.3%
Filipino
0.2%
Thai
0.2%
Hindi
0.1%
Indonesian
0.1%
Southeast Asian Austronesian languages: Other
0.1%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

Australian
44.2%
English
43.8%
Irish
12.7%
Scottish
11.0%
German
3.4%
Australian Aboriginal
1.9%
Italian
1.9%
Dutch
0.9%
Chinese
0.6%
New Zealander
0.4%
Maltese
0.4%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
40.8%
Catholic
19.6%
Anglican
12.6%
Not stated
7.8%
Uniting Church
6.8%
Presbyterian and Reformed
5.9%
Christian (other)
1.4%
Salvation Army
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

2.3%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
46.3% 1,253
Separated
4.5% 121
Divorced
10.8% 292
Widowed
9.6% 259
Never married
28.9% 783

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
39.7%
Couple: children under 15
29.8%
Couple: no children under 15
14.9%
One parent: children under 15
9.1%
One parent: no children under 15
6.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
34.1%
2 persons
39.9%
3 persons
10.2%
4 persons
8.4%
5 persons
4.8%
6+ persons
2.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Rochester

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,303 occupied private dwellings in Rochester at the 2021 Census, 19.3% were rented, 49.8% owned outright and 27.1% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.2% 16 dwellings
Owned outright
49.8% 649 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
27.1% 353 dwellings
Rented
19.3% 251 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
2.2% 29 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
94.5%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
5.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
4.3%
2 bedrooms
16.5%
3 bedrooms
51.7%
4 bedrooms
23.2%
5 bedrooms
4.0%
6+ bedrooms
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
8.8%
$300-$449/mo
5.5%
$450-$599/mo
2.7%
$600-$799/mo
10.0%
$800-$999/mo
15.5%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
29.2%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
14.3%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
9.1%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
2.4%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
5.2%
1 vehicle
36.3%
2 vehicles
34.9%
3 vehicles
14.6%
4+ vehicles
8.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Rochester

Employment

Employed full-time
27.8% 666 people
Employed part-time
19.3% 463 people
Unemployed
2.0% 48 people
Not in labour force
51.0% 1,223 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
21.3%
Technicians & Trade Workers
17.1%
Community & Personal Service
16.4%
Managers
15.3%
Labourers
10.5%
Clerical & Administrative
7.7%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
7.6%
Sales Workers
4.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
2.0%
$1-$149/wk
0.8%
$150-$299/wk
2.1%
$300-$399/wk
3.3%
$400-$499/wk
12.1%
$500-$649/wk
8.0%
$650-$799/wk
10.4%
$800-$999/wk
8.3%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
8.5%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.6%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.1%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.9%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
9.4%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.5%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
2.0%
$4,000+/wk
3.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.5%
$1-$149/wk
5.1%
$150-$299/wk
8.5%
$300-$399/wk
7.5%
$400-$499/wk
7.4%
$500-$649/wk
4.9%
$650-$799/wk
11.8%
$800-$999/wk
10.1%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.6%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.6%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
5.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.6%
$3,500+/wk
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
76.4%
Did not go to work
12.2%
Car (passenger)
5.1%
Walked only
4.2%
Bicycle
1.1%
Truck
0.5%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.3%
Bus
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
37.3%
Year 10 or equivalent
27.3%
Year 11 or equivalent
21.1%
Year 9 or equivalent
14.4%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
53.3%
Bachelor Degree
19.0%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
18.1%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.0%
Certificate I/II
3.7%
Postgraduate Degree
2.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Engineering
17.9%
Society & Culture
15.9%
Health
14.4%
Management & Commerce
12.8%
Education
10.7%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
8.7%
Architecture & Building
7.6%
Agriculture & Environment
6.6%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.7%
Creative Arts
2.0%
Information Technology
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Secondary: Government
28.8%
Primary: Government
26.7%
Primary: Catholic
16.8%
Vocational Education
11.8%
Pre-school
9.3%
Secondary: Catholic
3.7%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
2.1%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
82.8%
Has need for assistance
10.2%
Need for assistance not stated
6.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
374
Arthritis
201
Asthma
149
Heart disease
128
Diabetes
117
Lung condition
90
Cancer
78
Stroke
59
Kidney disease
37
Dementia
24

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
15.5% 385
Did not provide
84.5% 2,103

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
19.9% 496
Not a volunteer
80.1% 1,997

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
3.6% 89
Never served
96.4% 2,410

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
24.3%
1 child
9.1%
2 children
27.2%
3 children
23.4%
4 children
13.1%
5+ children
2.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
10
1951: 1960
23
1961: 1970
24
1971: 1980
16
1981: 1990
20
1991: 2000
8
2001: 2010
24
2011: 2015
19
2016
9
2017
4
2018
9
2019
7

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

11.5%
moved in the last year
32.8%
moved in the last 5 years
3.7%
unemployment rate (Census)
47.4%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
2,559
Moved from VIC
176
Moved: same area (SA2)
114
Moved from NSW
22
Moved from QLD
6
Moved from overseas
4
Moved from SA
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
17.3%
5: 14 hours
26.2%
15: 29 hours
13.1%
30+ hours
12.4%
Did not do domestic work
31.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
82.6%
Step family: no other children
9.9%
Blended family: no other children
7.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Rochester Crime Statistics

222 reported offences in 2025-25, by category.

Justice Procedures
61
Theft
56
Assault
55
Property Damage
18
Break & Enter
12
Drug Offences
7
Weapons
5
Public Order
4
Fraud
3
Other
1

Total offences by year

2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria (crimestatistics.vic.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

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Income: $604/wk Rent: $180/wk $40/wk less rent
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Income: $589/wk Rent: $200/wk $20/wk less rent
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Income: $538/wk Rent: $200/wk $20/wk less rent
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Income: $594/wk Rent: $185/wk $35/wk less rent

Compare Rochester (Vic.)

Frequently Asked Questions About Rochester

What is the population of Rochester VIC?

The population of Rochester VIC is 3,154 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 37 people per km². Rochester is ranked #2,319 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Rochester?

The median personal income in Rochester VIC is $583 per week, or $30,316 per year. The median household income is $1,073 per week. Family income is $1,439 per week. Rochester is ranked #7,330 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Rochester?

Median rent in Rochester VIC is $220 per week ($953 per month). Rent represents 20.5% of household income, which is considered affordable. Rochester ranks #7,029 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Rochester?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Rochester VIC is $1,083. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Rochester?

The median age in Rochester VIC is 53 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Rochester a good suburb to live in?

Rochester is a suburb in Victoria with a population of 3,154. The median income is $583/wk, which is below the typical VIC suburb ($767/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (20.5% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Melbourne Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 22184. All dollar figures in AUD.