Penshurst

Penshurst is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Penshurst's population was around 10,154 as of May 2026. This showed an increase of 626 people from the 2021 Census figure of 9,528. The change was inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 10,142 in June 2025 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. Penshurst's population density was 6,080 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the top 10% nationally. Its growth rate of 6.6% since the 2021 Census exceeded the SA4 region's 6.5%, indicating strong growth locally. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87.2% of Penshurst's population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections where applicable, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Future population trends suggest an increase just below the national median by 2041, with Penshurst expected to gain 497 persons, reflecting a total growth rate of 4.8%.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Penshurst, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Penshurst has averaged approximately 21 new dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, a total of 107 homes were approved, with an additional 14 approved so far in FY26. This averages out to about 1.1 new residents per dwelling constructed over these five years. However, this figure has recently accelerated to 12.7 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, indicating increasing demand and tightening supply.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $243,000, which is below the regional average. This suggests more affordable housing options for buyers. In terms of commercial approvals, $85,000 has been registered this financial year, indicating a predominantly residential focus. When compared to Greater Sydney, Penshurst has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person.

Nationally, it places among the 32nd percentile of areas assessed, suggesting more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. This activity is also lower than the national average, reflecting market maturity and potential development constraints. New building activity in Penshurst shows a mix of housing types: 64.0% detached dwellings and 36.0% townhouses or apartments. This expanding range of medium-density options creates opportunities across various price brackets, from traditional family housing to more affordable compact alternatives. Despite increasing density pressures, new construction favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest (26.0% at Census), indicating ongoing robust demand for family homes. With approximately 501 people per dwelling approval, Penshurst demonstrates a developed market. Looking ahead, Penshurst is expected to grow by 485 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Penshurst has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 17 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones are Penshurst Town Centre Streetscape Public Domain Plan, Rail Service Improvement Program - T4 Illawarra & Eastern Suburbs Line, Penshurst District Library, and Georges Estate Health & Aged Care Residence. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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Employment conditions in Penshurst demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Penshurst has an educated workforce with professional services well represented. The unemployment rate is 2.9%, lower than the Greater Sydney average of 4.2%. In December 2025, 6,443 residents are employed, with a participation rate of 75.7% compared to Greater Sydney's 68.8%.

38.0% work from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and professional services. Health care & social assistance has high concentration with employment levels at 1.2 times the regional average. Construction has limited presence at 5.8%, compared to 8.6% regionally.

The area may not offer many local jobs as indicated by census data on working population versus resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment grew by 5.2% while unemployment rose slightly from 2.9% to 3.0%. In Greater Sydney, employment rose by 2.2%, with a marginal increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's May-25 forecasts suggest national employment will grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Penshurst's industry mix indicates local employment could increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

The Penshurst SA2's median income among taxpayers was $54,832 and average income stood at $67,682 in the financial year 2023. This compares to Greater Sydney's figures of $60,817 (median) and $83,003 (average). By March 2026, current estimates project median income to be approximately $60,491 and average income to be around $74,667, based on a 10.32% growth in wages since financial year 2023. In Penshurst, household incomes ranked at the 46th percentile, family incomes at the 47th percentile, and personal incomes also at the 47th percentile according to 2021 Census figures. The predominant income cohort was 36.4% of locals (3,696 people) earning between $1,500 - 2,999 per week, reflecting patterns seen in the surrounding region where 30.9% occupied this range. Housing affordability pressures were severe with only 81.0% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 44th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 6th decile.

Penshurst features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Penshurst, as per the latest Census evaluation, 25.7% of dwellings were houses while 74.3% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other dwellings. This contrasts with Sydney metro's figures of 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Penshurst stood at 26.4%, lower than Sydney metro's level. Mortgaged dwellings constituted 30.0%, with rented properties making up 43.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,100, significantly below the Sydney metro average of $2,427. Median weekly rent in Penshurst was recorded at $400, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Penshurst's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Penshurst has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 68.4% of all households, including 30.5% couples with children, 24.0% couples without children, and 11.6% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 31.6%, with lone person households at 28.0% and group households comprising 3.8%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Penshurst shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

The area's educational profile exceeds regional averages. University qualification rates stand at 38.7%, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and NSW's rate of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 25.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.5%) and graduate diplomas (2%).

Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 27.2% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (12.0%) and certificates (15.2%). Educational participation is high at 30.3%, including 8.3% in tertiary education, 7.8% in primary education, and 6.3% pursuing secondary education.

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

Penshurst has 48 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 19 routes, collectively facilitating 4,342 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 111 meters from the nearest stop. As primarily residential, most commute outward. Car remains dominant at 60%, followed by train at 28% and bus at 7%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.8 per dwelling, below regional average.

In 2021 Census data (possibly reflecting COVID-19 conditions), 38% of residents work from home. Service frequency averages 620 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 90 weekly trips per individual stop.

Penshurst's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Penshurst's health outcomes show excellent results according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups.

Private health cover is held by approximately 53% of Penshurst's total population (~5,341 people), slightly higher than Greater Sydney's average of 59.9%. The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (5.7%) and asthma (5.0%). A majority (77.7%) claim to be free from medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Penshurst has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 18.4% (1,864 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 15.5%. Senior health outcomes align with the general population, ranking nationally on par.

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

Penshurst has a population where 60.0% speak a language other than English at home, and 54.9% were born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in Penshurst, with 45.8%. Hinduism is notably higher than average at 13.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's 5.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are Other (22.9%), Chinese (21.2%), and English (12.4%). Notably, Macedonian (1.9%) and Spanish (0.9%) are overrepresented in Penshurst compared to regional averages of 0.4% and 0.6%, respectively. Filipino is also notably higher at 3.5%.

Penshurst's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Penshurst's median age is 37, matching Greater Sydney's figure and closely resembling Australia's median age of 38. The 25-34 age group constitutes 18.9% of Penshurst's population, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort makes up 9.3%, lower than Greater Sydney's. Between 2021 and present, the 65-74 age group has increased from 8.8% to 10.1%. The 0-4 cohort, however, has decreased from 5.5% to 4.3%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Penshurst's age structure. Notably, the 75-84 group is expected to grow by 66%, reaching 931 people from its current figure of 562. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 65% of projected growth. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are anticipated to experience population declines.