Petersham - Stanmore

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

Petersham-Stanmore's population, as of November 2025, is approximately 21,250. This figure represents a growth of 1,352 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 19,898. The increase is inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,986 in June 2024 and an additional 358 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 7,083 persons per square kilometer, placing Petersham-Stanmore in the top 10% of locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's growth rate of 6.8% since the 2021 census exceeds both its SA3 area (5.8%) and the state average, indicating it is a growth leader. Overseas migration contributed approximately 79.5% to Petersham-Stanmore's population gains in recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a 2021 base year are used. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Petersham-Stanmore is expected to increase by 1,155 persons based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a total gain of 4.2% over the 17-year period.

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 averaged approximately 35 new dwelling approvals annually from FY-21 to FY-25, with a total of 175 homes approved during this period. In FY-26 up to date, 7 dwellings have been approved. Despite population decline, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average construction cost value for new dwellings is $338,000. Commercial approvals this financial year totalled $69.2 million, indicating strong local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Petersham - Stanmore has notably lower building activity, at 56.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new properties typically enhances demand and prices for existing properties. The area's development activity is also below the national average, suggesting established nature and potential planning limitations. New development consists of 25.0% standalone homes and 75.0% townhouses or apartments, favouring denser development that caters to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

With approximately 758 people per approval, Petersham - Stanmore demonstrates a mature, established area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is forecasted to gain 891 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, offering favourable conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond current projections.

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

Twenty-eight projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include 29-31 Brighton Street, Petersham; Stanmore North Precinct Planning (Our Fairer Future Plan); A Fairer Future - Inner West Local Housing Strategy (35,000 New Homes); and Petersham Station Low and Mid Rise Housing / TOD Precinct. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch analysis reveals Petersham - Stanmore recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Petersham - Stanmore has an educated workforce with a notable presence in the technology sector. The unemployment rate is 6.0%.

As of September 2025, 12,745 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.8% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation stands at 71.4%, surpassing Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries for employment include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area specialises in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction has lower representation at 4.9% compared to the regional average of 8.6%. Local employment opportunities appear limited due to a higher resident population than working population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, Petersham - Stanmore's labour force decreased by 1.3%, with employment declining by the same percentage, keeping unemployment relatively stable at 6.0%. In contrast, Greater Sydney saw employment rise by 2.1% and a labour force growth of 2.4%, with unemployment increasing to 4.4%. State-level data from NSW as of 25-Nov-25 shows employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%, favourable compared to the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Petersham - Stanmore's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 7.3% in five years and 14.6% in ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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 income in Petersham - Stanmore SA2 is exceptionally high nationally. The median income is $69,793 while the average income stands at $96,726. This contrasts with Greater Sydney's figures of a median income of $56,994 and an average income of $80,856. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $78,594 (median) and $108,923 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Petersham - Stanmore, between the 83rd and 93rd percentiles nationally. Income analysis shows that the predominant cohort spans 28.6% of locals (6,077 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 30.9% in the same category. A significant 39.6% earn above $3,000 weekly, reflecting pockets of prosperity that drive robust local economic activity. High housing costs consume 18.9% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 78th percentile 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

Petersham-Stanmore's dwelling structure in 2016 comprised 20.5% houses and 79.5% other dwellings. This contrasts with Sydney metro's figures of 29.2% houses and 70.8% other dwellings. Home ownership in Petersham-Stanmore stood at 21.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.5% and rented ones at 49.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,000, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,800. Median weekly rent in Petersham-Stanmore was $470, compared to Sydney metro's $495. Nationally, Petersham-Stanmore's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $1,863 and rents substantially above 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 making up 10.3%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is 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 high, with 55.6% of residents aged 15 years and above holding university qualifications as of the latest data. This figure exceeds national (30.4%) and NSW state averages (32.2%). Bachelor degrees are the most common at 35.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 16.1% and graduate diplomas at 4.0%. Vocational pathways account for 20.2% of qualifications, 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, including 10.0% in tertiary education, 6.8% in primary education, and 5.8% pursuing secondary education.

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 a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 37 different routes, facilitating 9,385 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 160 meters to the nearest stop.

The service frequency across all routes averages 1,340 trips per day, resulting in approximately 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 demonstrates above-average health outcomes. Both younger and older age cohorts have a low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 70% of the total population (14,832 people), compared to 64.8% across Greater Sydney and the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 12.0% and 8.6% of residents respectively. 69.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.3% across Greater Sydney. The area has 11.7% of residents aged 65 and over (2,484 people), which is lower than the 13.0% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Petersham - Stanmore was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Petersham-Stanmore has a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 29.3% of its population born overseas and 20.2% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Petersham-Stanmore, accounting for 33.5% of the population. However, Judaism is notably overrepresented compared to Greater Sydney, comprising 0.6% versus 0.6%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (23.0%), Australian (18.5%), and Other (11.7%). Some ethnic groups have notable differences in representation: French at 0.9% (regional average is 0.8%), Irish at 11.2% (versus 9.7%), and Spanish at 0.8% (compared to 0.7%).

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

In Petersham-Stanmore, the median age is nearly 36 years, close to Greater Sydney's average of 37 but slightly below Australia's median of 38. 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 25-34 concentration is notably higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the population aged 15-24 has grown from 11.9% to 12.9%, while the 45-54 group has declined from 14.7% to 13.4% and the 5-14 age group has dropped from 8.4% to 7.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Petersham-Stanmore's age profile. The 65-74 cohort is projected to grow by 29%, adding 369 residents to reach a total of 1,634. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 70% of population growth, indicating demographic aging trends. Conversely, the 25-34 and 0-4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.