Capricorn Coast, QLD
beef-capital · fitzroy-river · heritage · regional-city
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Move Regional compares towns across QLD, NSW and WA on price, work, schools and lifestyle, so you can find the one that fits.
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Drive to the coast
46 min
By road
Nearest major hospital
5 min
By road
Airport access
22 min
By road
Schools access
Excellent
Average daytime temp
29.0°C
Rainfall
Dry
Rockhampton is unapologetically a working regional city. Its identity is tied to the Fitzroy River, beef country and the industries serving central Queensland, and that gives the place a practical character rather than a resort-town sheen. Around 63,000 people live here, the median age is 37 and population has been essentially flat since 2016.
Schools, hospital care, shopping and employment are all strong enough that most households can live locally without relying on Brisbane. Housing is very affordable by coastal Queensland standards, with a median around $590,000 and three-bedroom rents near $550 a week.
The botanic gardens, Mount Archer and nearby caves give residents accessible outdoor options, but the coast itself is about 45 minutes away rather than part of the daily streetscape. Summers are hot, the city is spread out and driving is normal.
Brisbane is roughly 7 hours 30 minutes by road, while the airport is only about 20 minutes away, which makes flying the more practical connection for many trips south. Rockhampton works well for people whose priority is an affordable, self-contained regional centre with jobs and services. It is less compelling if the move is primarily about beach access, walkability or a highly curated food-and-lifestyle scene.
12 photos
Tradespeople, healthcare workers, families, professionals and people connected to agriculture, mining or regional services are strong fits. It is also worth considering for households priced out of South East Queensland who want a substantial city rather than a small town and are comfortable with heat.
Summers are hot, the city is not especially walkable and Brisbane is about 7 hours 31 minutes away. The coast is a separate trip rather than part of the daily routine. Rockhampton's industrial and working-city character may also feel less lifestyle-driven than towns chosen primarily for scenery.
Visit Rockhampton Botanic Gardens
Explore Mount Archer National Park
Tour Rockhampton Heritage Village
See Capricorn Caves nearby
Median house price
$590,000
36% below the QLD median
Median attached price (townhouse/apartment)
$493,000
Median weekly rent (3-bed house)
$550
≈ $2,383/month
Sourced from Queensland Government Statistician's Office · 12 months ending 31 March 2026
Healthcare access
Excellent
Shopping & everyday services
Excellent
10+ shopping centres within 20km — a real retail hub
Internet connection
Fixed line
Plus 31 more within 20km — showing the 8 closest.
Job market by industry
Trades — 12.8%
Largest share of local jobs
Employment figures cover this town's wider statistical region, not the town alone — you'll see the same figures for Yeppoon, Agnes Water, Byfield and Gladstone.
The score ranks this region against other regions for the same occupation, not against other jobs here — a low score means it isn't a regional stronghold for that field, not that there are no vacancies. Counts online job advertisements, so trades and farm work hired by word of mouth are undercounted, and outside capital cities this is published at a regional level larger than one town.
Rockhampton (UCL 311004) · 2021 Census
The age profile is close to the national one, with 16.8% aged 65 or over against 17.2% and 19.7% children against 18.2%.
Population
63,151
Population growth
0%
Rockhampton City (SA2 308031217)
Median age
37 years
Labour force participation
60.9%
Growth is measured across the wider area named under the figure, which can be a different size to the town.
Share of total population in each band — rounding means these won't land on exactly 100%.
Couples are a share of total families; lone-person households are a share of total households — different bases, not one breakdown.
Median personal income
$776
Per week · ≈ $40,352/year
Median family income
$1,954
Per week
Median household income
$1,487
Per week
Personal is one person's income; family and household cover everyone living together — a single-income household will show a lower household figure than its highest earner's personal one. Personal income also covers every resident aged 15 and over, retirees included, so it reads low in a town with an older population even where household income is solid.
Owner-occupied
64.5%
Rented
32.5%
Born in Australia
82.5%
Born overseas
10.8%
Doesn't sum to 100% — people who didn't state a birthplace are excluded rather than redistributed.