Punchbowl

Punchbowl has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Punchbowl's population is approximately 22,416 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 872 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,544. The growth was inferred from ABS estimates: Punchbowl's estimated resident population was 22,404 in June 2024, with an additional 166 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 4,269 persons per square kilometer, placing Punchbowl in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The area's 4.0% growth rate since the census is within 0.8 percentage points of its SA3 area's growth rate of 4.8%, indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 66.4% of Punchbowl's 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 utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends suggest an increase just below the national median for Punchbowl. By 2041, the area is expected to expand by approximately 2,064 persons, reflecting a total gain of 9.0% over the 17-year period based on the latest annual ERP population numbers.

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

Punchbowl averaged approximately 74 new dwelling approvals annually from FY21 to FY25. A total of 372 homes were approved during these five financial years, with an additional 29 approved in FY26 as of the present time. The average number of new residents arriving per new home over this period was approximately 0.4 annually.

This suggests that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and facilitating population growth beyond current projections. The average expected construction cost value of these new properties was $274,000, which is below the regional average, indicating more affordable housing options. In FY26, commercial approvals valued at $36.5 million have been registered, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Sydney, Punchbowl has shown slightly higher development activity, with 22.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period from FY21 to FY25. This maintains good buyer choice while supporting existing property values.

However, this activity is lower than the national average, suggesting a mature market and possible development constraints. The composition of new building activity in Punchbowl shows 49.0% detached dwellings and 51.0% townhouses or apartments. This preference for compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. The population growth rate is approximately 374 people per approval. Looking ahead to the year 2041, Punchbowl is projected to grow by an additional 2,024 residents according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering favorable conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Punchbowl has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

The performance of an area can be significantly influenced by changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified a total of 31 such projects that are likely to impact the area. Notable among these are the Punchbowl Station Upgrade for Sydney Metro City & Southwest, Club Punchbowl Redevelopment, 1552 Canterbury Road Punchbowl Apartments, and Bankstown Exchange (Stage 1 - Bankstown Central Masterplan). The following list details those projects 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.

Employment drivers in Punchbowl are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Punchbowl's workforce is skilled with diverse sector representation. As of September 2025, the unemployment rate was 9.0%.

The area experienced an estimated employment growth of 3.4% over the past year. There were 9,164 residents employed while the unemployment rate was 4.8% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation lagged significantly at 42.8%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Leading employment industries among residents included health care & social assistance, retail trade, and transport, postal & warehousing.

Transport, postal & warehousing had particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 1.9 times the regional average. Professional & technical services had limited presence with 6.0% employment compared to 11.5% regionally. Over the 12 months to September 2025, employment increased by 3.4% while labour force increased by 4.0%, resulting in unemployment rising by 0.5 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Sydney experienced employment growth of 2.1% and labour force growth of 2.4%, with a 0.2 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-level data to 25-Nov shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 3.9%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Punchbowl's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.1% over ten years, based on simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

The Punchbowl SA2's median income among taxpayers was $41,004 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $52,001 during the same period. These figures are below Greater Sydney's median of $56,994 and average of $80,856 respectively. As of September 2025, current estimates project the median income to be approximately $46,175 and the average at around $58,558 based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022. According to 2021 Census figures, individual incomes in Punchbowl lag at the 4th percentile ($504 weekly), while household income performs better at the 27th percentile. The predominant income cohort spans 30.8% of locals (6,904 people) with earnings between $1,500 and $2,999 per week, similar to the surrounding region where 30.9% fall into this range. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Punchbowl, with only 78.5% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 20th percentile.

Punchbowl displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The dwelling structure in Punchbowl, as per the latest Census, consisted of 58.3% houses and 41.8% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In comparison, Sydney metro had 48.7% houses and 51.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Punchbowl was 28.8%, similar to Sydney metro's level. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (31.1%) or rented (40.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,026, below the Sydney metro average of $2,167. The median weekly rent figure was $380, compared to Sydney metro's $390. Nationally, Punchbowl's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Punchbowl features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 76.4% of all households, including 43.3% couples with children, 16.1% couples without children, and 15.0% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 23.6%, with lone person households at 19.6% and group households comprising 4.1%. The median household size is 3.2 people, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.9.

Punchbowl shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area's university qualification rate is 23.9%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 26.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (15.8%). Educational participation is high, with 36.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 11.3% in primary education, 9.6% in secondary education, and 7.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis shows 112 active transport stops in Punchbowl, consisting of buses. These stops are served by 19 individual routes, collectively offering 6,533 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 145 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 933 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 58 weekly trips per stop.

Punchbowl's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Punchbowl. Younger cohorts particularly have very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~10,356 people), compared to 49.6% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are diabetes and arthritis, impacting 6.0 and 5.7% of residents respectively, while 77.0% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 77.7% across Greater Sydney. The area has 14.5% of residents aged 65 and over (3,248 people), which is lower than the 15.8% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, requiring more attention than the broader population.

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

Punchbowl has a highly diverse population, with 51.1% born overseas and 75.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Punchbowl, accounting for 41.6% of its population. However, Islam is significantly overrepresented, comprising 41.1%, compared to the Greater Sydney average of 24.7%.

The top three ancestral groups are Other (29.2%), Lebanese (24.1%), and Australian (11.3%). Notably, Vietnamese (6.2%) and Greek (4.2%) populations are higher than regional averages, while Samoan representation is lower at 0.8%.

Punchbowl's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Punchbowl's median age is 33, which is lower than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Punchbowl has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (16.1%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (12.6%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the 15-24 age group has increased from 14.7% to 16.1%, while the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 14.3% to 13.0%. By 2041, Punchbowl's population is projected to see substantial changes, with the 75-84 age group experiencing the strongest growth at 65%, adding 662 residents to reach 1,680. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 60% of the total population growth. Meanwhile, the 25-34 and 0-4 age groups are projected to decline in population.