Penshurst
Statistical Area - sa2

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, as of August 2025, is approximately 10,056 people. This figure represents a growth of 528 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 9,528. The increase is estimated based on the ABS's June 2024 figure of 10,019 residents and an additional 18 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a population density ratio of 6,021 persons per square kilometer, placing Penshurst among the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 5.5% since the 2021 Census exceeds the SA4 region average of 5.3%, indicating Penshurst as a regional growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87.0% of overall population gains in recent periods.

AreaSearch projects future trends using ABS/Geoscience Australia data (released in 2024, base year 2022) for covered SA2 areas and NSW State Government's projections (released in 2022, base year 2021) for uncovered ones. Age-specific growth rates are applied from these aggregations to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Penshurst is expected to increase by approximately 562 persons, representing a total gain of 5.2% over the seventeen-year period.

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 averaged approximately 21 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with a total of 107 homes approved during this period and an additional 11 approved in FY-26. This results in around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person compared to Greater Sydney. Over these five years, an average of 1.1 new residents was associated with each dwelling constructed, indicating a balanced supply and demand dynamic that has recently accelerated to 12.7 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting increasing demand and tightening supply. New homes in Penshurst are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $606,000, which is slightly above the regional average.

This year, commercial approvals totaled $85,000, indicating a predominantly residential focus. The new building activity shows 64.0% detached dwellings and 36.0% townhouses or apartments, offering a mix of medium-density options across various price brackets. Compared to current patterns at Census (26.0%), Penshurst demonstrates robust demand for family homes through its preference for detached housing. With around 501 people per dwelling approval, Penshurst exhibits signs of a developed market.

By 2041, the population is projected to grow by approximately 525 residents. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, providing favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating further 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 influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 16 projects that could impact this region. Notable projects include the Penshurst Town Centre Streetscape Public Domain Plan, Penshurst District Library, King Georges Road Upgrade, and Georges Estate Health & Aged Care Residence. The following list details those most relevant:.

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

Employment performance in Penshurst exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Penshurst has an educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate was 2.9% in the past year, showing a growth of 2.3%.

As of June 2025, 6,324 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.3% lower than Greater Sydney's 4.2%. Workforce participation was similar to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading employment industries included health care & social assistance, retail trade, and professional & technical services. Health care had notably high concentration with levels at 1.2 times the regional average.

Construction had limited presence with 5.8% employment compared to the regional average of 8.6%. The area offered limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census data on working population vs resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.3%, labour force grew by 2.6%, leading to a rise in unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.6%, labour force grow by 2.9%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, varying significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to Penshurst's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

Penshurst's median income among taxpayers was $49,710 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $64,980 during the same period. For Greater Sydney, these figures were $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. By September 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $55,978, with an average of around $73,174, based on a 12.61% growth in wages since financial year 2022. According to the 2021 Census, household incomes rank at the 47th percentile in Penshurst. Family incomes also rank at the 47th percentile. Personal incomes rank modestly as well. The predominant income cohort spans 36.4% of locals (3,660 people) with incomes between $1,500 and $2,999. This pattern is similar to surrounding regions where 30.9% fall within this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Penshurst, with only 81.0% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 44th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places 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% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments and 'other' dwellings. This is in contrast to Sydney metropolitan area's dwelling structure which had 52.1% houses and 47.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Penshurst stood at 26.4%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 30.0% and rented ones making up 43.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,100, significantly lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,466. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure in Penshurst was recorded at $400, slightly lower than Sydney metro's $440. Nationally, Penshurst's median monthly mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Penshurst features high concentrations of group households, 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% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.8.

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

The area's educational profile is notable with university qualification rates at 38.7% of residents aged 15+, surpassing Australia's average of 30.4% and NSW's rate of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 25.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.5%) and graduate diplomas (2%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 27.2% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas account for 12.0% while certificates make up 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. Penshurst's schools have a combined enrollment of 1,430 students. The area demonstrates above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1068. Education provision is balanced with two primary schools and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. School capacity exceeds typical residential needs at 14.2 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 11.7, indicating the area serves as an educational hub for the broader region.

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

Public transport analysis shows 43 active transport stops in Penshurst. These include a mix of train and bus services. There are 18 individual routes operating, providing a total of 4,242 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 111 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 606 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 98 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

Health outcomes data shows Penshurst has very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups.

Private health cover rate is approximately 52%, slightly higher than the average SA2 area (~5,219 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (5.7%) and asthma (5.0%). 77.7% of residents report no medical ailments, similar to Greater Sydney's 77.2%. Penshurst has 17.7% of residents aged 65 and over (1,780 people), lower than Greater Sydney's 19.1%. Senior health outcomes align with the general population's profile.

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 one of the most culturally diverse populations in Australia, with 60.0% speaking a language other than English at home and 54.9% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, comprising 45.8% of Penshurst's population. Hinduism is notably overrepresented, making up 13.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's average of 6.5%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Other at 22.9%, Chinese at 21.2%, and English at 12.4%. Some ethnic groups show significant differences: Macedonian is overrepresented at 1.9% (vs regional 2.3%), Spanish at 0.9% (vs 0.5%), and Filipino at 3.5% (vs 1.9%).

Penshurst's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Penshurst's median age in 2021 was 37 years, matching Greater Sydney's figure and closely resembling Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group constituted 17.9% of Penshurst's population compared to Greater Sydney, while the 5-14 cohort made up 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 65-74 age group grew from 8.8% to 9.7% of Penshurst's population. Conversely, the 25-34 age group decreased from 18.8% to 17.9%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Penshurst's age structure. Notably, the 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 78%, reaching 940 people from a previous count of 527. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 66% of the projected growth. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 5-14 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.