Petersham - Stanmore
Statistical Area - sa2

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

As of August 2025, Petersham - Stanmore's population is approximately 21,245. This figure represents an increase of 1,347 people from the 2021 Census count of 19,898, marking a growth rate of 6.8%. The population estimate for June 2024 was 20,986, with an additional 356 validated new addresses since the Census date contributing to this increase. This results in a population density ratio of 7,081 persons per square kilometer, placing Petersham - Stanmore among the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. Petersham - Stanmore's growth rate since the 2021 Census surpassed both its SA3 area (5.4%) and the state average, positioning it as a regional growth leader. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth, accounting for approximately 79.5% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch employs NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 using the 2021 Census as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Petersham - Stanmore is projected to increase its population by approximately 1,155 persons, representing a growth rate of 4.2% over the 17-year period. This expected growth aligns with trends in statistical areas across the nation, placing Petersham - Stanmore just below the median for future population increases.

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

Petersham-Stanmore has averaged approximately 35 new dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, with 175 dwellings approved over the past five financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, and 3 approved so far in FY-26. Despite population decline during this period, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a well-balanced market with good buyer choice. New dwellings are developed at an average construction cost value of $545,000.

This financial year has seen $69.2 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Petersham-Stanmore records markedly lower building activity, at 56.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new properties typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Similarly, activity is under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. New development consists of 25.0% standalone homes and 75.0% townhouses or apartments, with a trend towards denser development appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. Petersham-Stanmore shows a mature, established area with around 758 people per approval.

Population forecasts indicate the area will gain 896 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Petersham - Stanmore 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 25 projects expected to impact the region. Notable initiatives include Inner West Housing Investigation Areas, Henson Park Grandstand Redevelopment (scheduled for completion in September 2023), and Victoria Road Precinct Rezoning (commenced June 18th, 2022).

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

The employment landscape in Petersham - Stanmore shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Petersham-Stanmore has an educated workforce, notable in the technology sector. Unemployment stood at 5.7% as of June 2024 with estimated employment growth of 0.7%.

As of June 2025, 13,289 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 6.2%, exceeding Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is high at 71.4% compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area specialises in professional & technical services with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level but has lower construction representation at 4.9%.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 0.7% while labour force grew by 0.7%, keeping unemployment relatively stable. In comparison, Greater Sydney saw employment growth of 2.6% with unemployment rising to 4.5%. By Sep-25 2025, NSW's employment contracted by 0.41% with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, favourable compared to the national rate of 4.5% and lagging national employment growth of 0.26%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industries. Applying these projections to Petersham-Stanmore's mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.3% over five years and 14.6% 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 latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that Petersham - Stanmore has exceptionally high incomes nationally, with a median assessed at $69,793 and an average income of $96,726. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest approximately $77,191 (median) and $106,979 (average) as of March 2025. Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes in Petersham - Stanmore all rank highly nationally, between the 84th and 93rd percentiles. Income analysis shows that the predominant cohort spans 28.6% of locals (6,076 people) with weekly earnings in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 30.9% in the same category. A significant 39.6% earn above $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 18.9% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 79th percentile nationally, and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

In Petersham-Stanmore, as per the latest Census evaluation, 20.5% were houses while 79.5% comprised semi-detached dwellings, apartments, and others. This contrasted with Sydney's metropolitan area which had 29.2% houses and 70.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Petersham-Stanmore stood at 21.4%, lower than the Sydney metro average. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 29.5% and rented ones, 49.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,000, above Sydney's $2,800 but significantly higher than Australia's average of $1,863. Median weekly rent in Petersham-Stanmore was $470, compared to Sydney's $495 and the national figure of $375.

Petersham - Stanmore features high concentrations of group households and lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 56.9% of all households, including 21.9% couples with children, 26.6% couples without children, and 6.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 43.1%, with lone person households at 32.9% and group households comprising 10.3%. The median household size is 2.2 people, smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.3.

Educational achievement in Petersham - Stanmore places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Petersham-Stanmore is notably higher than national averages. 55.6% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 32.2% in NSW. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent at 35.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.1%) and graduate diplomas (4%). Vocational pathways account for 20.2% of qualifications among those aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 9.5% and certificates at 10.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 28.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10% in tertiary education, 6.8% in primary education, and 5.8% pursuing secondary education. There are 8 schools operating within Petersham-Stanmore, educating approximately 3915 students. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1148. Education provision is balanced, with 5 primary schools and 3 secondary schools serving distinct age groups. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' in enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Petersham-Stanmore has 47 active public transport stops offering train and bus services. These stops are served by 37 routes, facilitating 9,385 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent accessibility with an average distance of 160 meters to the nearest stop.

Daily service frequency averages 1,340 trips across all routes, translating to about 199 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Petersham - Stanmore is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Petersham - Stanmore shows above-average health outcomes for both young and elderly residents. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among these groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high here at approximately 70% of the total population (14,829 people), compared to 64.8% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 12.0 and 8.6% of residents respectively. 69.3% of residents claim to be completely free of medical ailments, compared to 70.3% across Greater Sydney. The area has a lower percentage of residents aged 65 and over at 11.7% (2,483 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 13.0%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly aligning with the general population's health profile.

Petersham - Stanmore was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Petersham-Stanmore had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 29.3% of its residents born overseas and 20.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the dominant religion in Petersham-Stanmore, accounting for 33.5% of people. Notably, Judaism was similarly represented in Petersham-Stanmore (0.6%) compared to Greater Sydney (0.6%).

The top three ancestry groups were English (23%), Australian (18.5%), and Other (11.7%). Some ethnic groups had notable differences: Irish residents were overrepresented at 11.2% compared to the regional average of 9.7%, French residents were at 0.9% versus 0.8%, and Spanish residents were at 0.8% versus 0.7%.

Petersham - Stanmore's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Petersham - Stanmore's median age is nearly 36 years, closely matching Greater Sydney's average of 37 years, which is modestly below Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Petersham - Stanmore has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (23.2%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (7.2%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 15 to 24 has grown from 11.9% to 12.9%, while the proportion of those aged 45 to 54 has declined from 14.7% to 13.4%. The proportion of residents aged 5 to 14 has also dropped, from 8.4% to 7.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Petersham - Stanmore's age profile will change significantly. The number of residents aged 65 to 74 is projected to grow by 29%, adding 369 people and reaching a total of 1,634. Residents aged 65 and above are expected to drive 70% of population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Conversely, the populations of residents aged 25 to 34 and those aged 0 to 4 are projected to decline.