Pennant Hills - Cheltenham
Statistical Area - sa2

An assessment of population growth drivers in Pennant Hills - Cheltenham reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Pennant Hills - Cheltenham's population is around 22,414 as of November 2025. This reflects an increase of 677 people (3.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,737 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 22,159 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 28 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,686 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Pennant Hills - Cheltenham's 3.1% growth since census positions it within 2.6 percentage points of the SA3 area (5.7%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 84.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Over this period, projections indicate a decline in overall population, with the area's population expected to decline by 189 persons by 2041 according to this methodology. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 75 to 84 age group, which is projected to expand by 799 people.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Pennant Hills - Cheltenham according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Pennant Hills-Cheltenham has averaged approximately 58 new dwelling approvals per year over the past five financial years, totalling 290 homes. As of FY-26, 15 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.5 new residents arrive per new home annually between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction value of new properties is $554,000, suggesting a focus on the premium market with high-end developments.

In FY-26, $23.9 million in commercial approvals have been registered, showing moderate levels of commercial development. Compared to Greater Sydney, Pennant Hills-Cheltenham has significantly lower building activity, 63.0% below the regional average per person, which typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. This activity is also lower than the national average, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. New development consists of 78.0% standalone homes and 22.0% medium to high-density housing, maintaining the area's suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suitable for buyers seeking space. With around 376 people per dwelling approval, Pennant Hills-Cheltenham indicates a developed market.

Given the expected stable or declining population, housing pressure in Pennant Hills-Cheltenham is likely to remain reduced, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Pennant Hills - Cheltenham has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 32 projects likely to affect the region. Notable initiatives include Keynote Residences Beecroft, Federal Road Safety Program - Beecroft Road Safety Improvements, Beecroft to Cheltenham Shared Pathway, and Beecroft Village Green Renewal. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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The exceptional employment performance in Pennant Hills - Cheltenham places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Pennant Hills - Cheltenham has a highly educated workforce with notable representation in the technology sector. The unemployment rate was 2.2% as of June 2025.

There was an estimated employment growth of 12.7% over the past year. As of June 2025, 13,262 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 2.0%, below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation was 62.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training sectors.

The area shows strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share of 1.3 times the regional level. Conversely, transport, postal & warehousing has lower representation at 2.4% versus the regional average of 5.3%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited as indicated by the count of Census working population vs resident population. During the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 12.7% and labour force increased by 11.4%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 1.1 percentage points. Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.6%, labour force growth of 2.9%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 suggest potential future demand within Pennant Hills - Cheltenham. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Pennant Hills - Cheltenham's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.4% over five years and 14.9% over ten years.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2022 shows Pennant Hills - Cheltenham's median income at $62,752 and average income at $96,377. This is higher than Greater Sydney's median of $56,994 and average of $80,856. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $70,665 (median) and $108,530 (average), based on a 12.61% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Pennant Hills - Cheltenham rank between the 82nd and 95th percentiles nationally. The $4000+ income bracket dominates with 33.4% of residents (7,486 people), unlike metropolitan trends where 30.9% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. High weekly earnings exceeding $3,000 are achieved by 47.0% of households, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 13.4% of income, with residents ranking in the 95th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Pennant Hills - Cheltenham is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Pennant Hills-Cheltenham's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, had 79.9% houses and 20.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Sydney metro's 60.5% houses and 39.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Pennant Hills-Cheltenham stood at 41.5%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.9% and rented ones at 19.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,000, exceeding Sydney metro's average of $2,817. Weekly rent in the area was $530, compared to Sydney metro's $500. Nationally, Pennant Hills-Cheltenham's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Pennant Hills - Cheltenham features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 81.8% of all households, including 46.8% couples with children, 25.8% couples without children, and 8.4% single parent families. Non-family households account for 18.2%, with lone person households making up 16.7% and group households comprising 1.5%. The median household size is 2.9 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.8.

Pennant Hills - Cheltenham demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Pennant Hills - Cheltenham is notably higher than broader benchmarks. 54.2% of residents aged 15+ hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% state-wide. Bachelor degrees are most common at 32.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational pathways account for 21.0% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.6% and certificates at 10.4%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.9% in primary, 9.2% in secondary, and 7.2% in tertiary education. There are 10 schools operating within Pennant Hills - Cheltenham, educating approximately 6,974 students. The area has significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (ICSEA: 1148). Education provision is balanced with 6 primary and 3 secondary schools serving distinct age groups, including a specialist school for specific learning needs. Pennant Hills - Cheltenham functions as an education hub with 31.1 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 17.5, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for enrolments, please refer to parent campus.

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Pennant Hills - Cheltenham has 113 operational public transport stops offering a combination of train and bus services. These stops are served by 122 distinct routes, facilitating 6,426 weekly passenger trips in total. The area's transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents situated an average of 207 meters from the nearest transport stop.

On average, service frequency stands at 918 trips per day across all routes, translating to approximately 56 weekly trips per individual stop.

Pennant Hills - Cheltenham's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Pennant Hills - Cheltenham with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 70% of the total population (15,644 people), compared to 62.5% across Greater Sydney and 55.3% nationally. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 6.7 and 6.3% of residents respectively, while 73.9% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 78.1% across Greater Sydney.

The area has 20.6% of residents aged 65 and over (4,621 people), which is higher than the 17.2% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

Pennant Hills - Cheltenham is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Pennant Hills-Cheltenham has a high level of cultural diversity, with 38.1% of its population born overseas and 35.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Pennant Hills-Cheltenham, comprising 50.6% of the population. Hinduism is overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, making up 5.5% of Pennant Hills-Cheltenham's population versus 7.9%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (20.6%), Australian (19.0%), and Chinese (15.2%), with Chinese being lower than the regional average of 24.9%. Notably, Korean is overrepresented at 2.3% compared to the regional average of 5.4%, Sri Lankan is also overrepresented at 0.9% versus 0.7%, and Russian is slightly overrepresented at 0.6% compared to 0.4%.

Pennant Hills - Cheltenham hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Pennant Hills - Cheltenham is 43 years, which is higher than Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and also exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 5-14 years make up 14.6% of the population, while those aged 25-34 years constitute only 7.1%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of 15 to 24-year-olds has increased from 12.4% to 14.0%, while the percentage of 25 to 34-year-olds has decreased from 7.9% to 7.1%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in Pennant Hills - Cheltenham's age structure. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to increase by 709 people (44%), from 1,627 to 2,337. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for all of the total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the 45-54 and 15-24 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.