West Pennant Hills

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, West Pennant Hills's population is around 12,556 as of Feb 2026. This reflects a decrease of 127 people (1.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,683 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,513 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 46 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,603 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 82.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking at population projections moving forward, a population increase just below the median of national statistical areas is expected, with the area expected to expand by 1,241 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 9.5% in total over the 17 years.

Recent residential development output has been above average within West Pennant Hills when compared nationally

West Pennant Hills has experienced around 85 dwellings receiving development approval per year, with 427 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 33 so far in FY-26. With population declining over recent years, development activity has been adequate in relative terms, which is a positive for buyers, while new dwellings are developed at an average construction cost of $640,000, revealing that developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. Additionally, $50,000 in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, demonstrating the area's residential nature.

Compared to Greater Sydney, West Pennant Hills has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person, placing it among the 92nd percentile of areas assessed nationally, though development activity has picked up in recent periods. New development consists of 37.0% detached houses and 63.0% attached dwellings. This focus on higher-density living creates more affordable entry points and suits downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This marks a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 92.0% houses), suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With around 81 people per dwelling approval, West Pennant Hills shows characteristics of a low density area.

Future projections show West Pennant Hills adding 1,198 residents by 2041 (from 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.

West Pennant Hills has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 38thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 15 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Pennant Hills Road and North Rocks Road Intersection Upgrade, 154-158 Castle Hill Road Cherrybrook Development, Highforest by Mirvac, and the Regis Carlingford Aged Care Facility, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

The labour market in West Pennant Hills shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

West Pennant Hills possesses a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation and an unemployment rate of just 2.3%. As of December 2025, 6,837 residents are in work, while the unemployment rate is 1.9% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%, and workforce participation is somewhat below standard (66.8% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%). Based on Census responses, a high 57.6% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and finance & insurance. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in professional & technical, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. Conversely, accommodation & food shows lower representation at 3.3% versus the regional average of 5.8%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, the 12-month period saw the labour force decrease by 0.3% while employment declined by 1.1%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.7 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Sydney, where employment rose by 2.2%, the labour force grew by 2.3%, and unemployment rose marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within West Pennant Hills. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to West Pennant Hills's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.6% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released for FY-23, the West Pennant Hills SA2's median income among taxpayers is $64,062, with an average of $102,221. This is exceptionally high nationally, and compares to Greater Sydney's median of $60,817 and average of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $69,738 (median) and $111,278 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household incomes rank exceptionally at the 98th percentile ($3,217 weekly). The data shows the largest segment comprises 40.4% earning $4000+ weekly (5,072 residents), unlike trends in the region where 30.9% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 53.0% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. After housing costs, residents retain 88.5% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

West Pennant Hills is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within West Pennant Hills, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 91.6% houses and 8.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within West Pennant Hills was well beyond that of Sydney metro, at 47.2%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (41.4%) or rented (11.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Sydney metro average at $3,033, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $700, compared to Sydney metro's $2,427 and $470. Nationally, West Pennant Hills's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

West Pennant Hills features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households dominate at 89.8% of all households, comprising 54.0% couples with children, 28.1% couples without children, and 7.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 10.2%, with lone person households at 9.5% and group households comprising 0.5% of the total. The median household size of 3.1 people is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

Educational attainment in West Pennant Hills significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 50.1% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 32.2% in NSW. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 31.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.9%) and graduate diplomas (3.4%). Vocational pathways account for 21.7% of qualifications among those aged 15+ - advanced diplomas (10.1%) and certificates (11.6%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.4% in primary education, 8.2% in secondary education, and 7.7% 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 reveals 154 active transport stops operating within West Pennant Hills, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 89 individual routes, collectively providing 9,224 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 156 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 86%, with 6% by train and 6% by bus. Vehicle ownership averages 1.9 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. A high 57.6% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 1,317 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 59 weekly trips per individual stop. The accompanying map shows the 100 nearest stops to the location centrepoint.

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

Health outcomes data demonstrates outstanding results across West Pennant Hills, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 72% of the total population (9,077 people). This compares to 59.9% across Greater Sydney and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be arthritis and asthma, impacting 6.2 and 6.1% of residents, respectively, while 74.5% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. The area has 24.9% of residents aged 65 and over (3,123 people), which is higher than the 15.4% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

West Pennant Hills scores highly on cultural diversity, with 43.2% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 44.2% born overseas. The main religion in West Pennant Hills is Christianity, which makes up 52.8% of the population. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Buddhism, which comprises 4.8% of the population, compared to 4.1% across Greater Sydney.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in West Pennant Hills are Chinese, comprising 20.5% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 8.4%, English, comprising 17.6% of the population, and Australian, comprising 15.1% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Korean is notably overrepresented at 2.1% of West Pennant Hills (vs 1.1% regionally), Sri Lankan at 1.0% (vs 0.3%) and Lebanese at 1.9% (vs 2.6%).

West Pennant Hills hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

With a median age of 44, West Pennant Hills notably exceeds the Greater Sydney figure of 37 and substantially exceeds the national norm of 38. The 65 - 74 age group shows strong representation at 14.3% compared to Greater Sydney, whereas the 25 - 34 cohort is less prevalent at 6.7%. Following the 2021 Census, the 75 to 84 age group has grown from 5.1% to 8.3% of the population. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has declined from 15.8% to 13.7% and the 25 to 34 group dropped from 8.2% to 6.7%. Demographic modeling suggests West Pennant Hills's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. Leading the demographic shift, the 85+ group will grow by 212% (604 people), reaching 890 from 285. The aging population dynamic is clear, with those 65+ comprising 74% of projected growth. Meanwhile, the 0 to 4 and 55 to 64 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.