Pennington

An assessment of population growth drivers in Pennington reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

The estimated population of the suburb of Pennington is around 4,301 as of February 2026. This figure reflects a growth of 528 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 3,773. The increase is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of 4,101 residents following examination of ABS's latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 23 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 3,116 persons per square kilometer, placing Pennington in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's growth rate of 14.0% since the 2021 census exceeds both the state average (9.0%) and Greater Adelaide's growth rate. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving Pennington's population growth.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted, based on 2021 data and released in 2023. Future population dynamics project an above median growth for statistical areas analysed by AreaSearch, with Pennington expected to grow by 905 persons to reach a total of 5,206 by 2041, reflecting a 17-year increase of 13.9%.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Pennington when compared nationally

Pennington averaged approximately 31 new dwelling approvals per year. Between financial years FY-21 and FY-25, around 158 homes were approved, with an additional 21 approved in FY-26 thus far. On average, for each dwelling built over the past five financial years, 1.6 people moved to the area.

This suggests a balanced supply and demand dynamic, contributing to stable market conditions. The average expected construction cost of new dwellings was $320,000. In FY-26, commercial approvals totaled $10.4 million, indicating active commercial development activity. Pennington's construction rates per person are similar to those in Greater Adelaide, supporting regional market stability. Recent construction comprised 29.0% standalone homes and 71.0% medium and high-density housing, reflecting a shift from the area's existing housing composition of 70.0% houses.

This trend may indicate decreasing developable sites and changing lifestyles requiring more diverse housing options. As of now, there are approximately 105 people per dwelling approval in Pennington. By 2041, AreaSearch projects an increase of 598 residents. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should meet demand, potentially facilitating further population growth beyond projections.

Pennington has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 17thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects that may affect the region. Notable projects include St. James, Kidman Park, St Clair, Rosewater Loop Project, and Findon Road Upgrade. The following details 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 performance in Pennington has been below expectations when compared to most other areas nationally

Pennington has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 6.8% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 4.4%. As of September 2025, 1,946 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.9% higher than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation was lower at 60.2%, compared to Greater Adelaide's 66.4%. According to Census responses, only 7.3% of residents worked from home, with Covid-19 lockdown impacts considered. The leading employment industries were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. Manufacturing showed notable concentration with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average.

Conversely, professional & technical services had lower representation at 4.4%, compared to the regional average of 7.3%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparing working population to resident population. In the 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 4.4% and labour force grew by 4.2%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. This contrasted with Greater Adelaide where employment rose by 3.0%, labour force grew by 2.9%, and unemployment fell by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 projected that national employment would expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Pennington's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not account for localised population projections.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

Pennington's median income among taxpayers was $40,262 in financial year 2023. The suburb's average income stood at $44,806 during the same period. In Greater Adelaide, these figures were $54,808 and $66,852 respectively. Based on an 8.8% increase since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $43,805 (median) and $48,749 (average). Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Pennington all fall between the 8th and 18th percentiles nationally. The predominant income cohort in Pennington spans 31.7% of locals (1,363 people) earning between $1,500 and $2,999, similar to the regional figure of 31.8%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.7% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 18th percentile nationally.

Pennington is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Pennington's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 70.4% houses and 29.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Adelaide metro's 70.4% houses and 29.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Pennington stood at 25.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.7% and rented ones at 39.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,517, lower than Adelaide metro's $1,863 average, while the median weekly rent was $250, below Adelaide metro's $375 figure. Nationally, Pennington's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Pennington features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 63.4% of all households, including 27.7% couples with children, 18.3% couples without children, and 15.1% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 36.6%, with lone person households at 32.6% and group households making up 4.0%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the Greater Adelaide average.

Pennington faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 18.2%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common, at 13.5%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.1%) and graduate diplomas (1.6%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 31.5% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.4%) and certificates (23.1%).

Educational participation is high, with 28.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.9% in primary education, 6.9% in secondary education, and 6.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Pennington has 15 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by nine different routes that together facilitate 896 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is considered good, with residents typically located 215 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outwards, with cars being the primary mode of transportation at 86%. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, only 7.3% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 128 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 59 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Pennington is well below average with considerably higher than average prevalence of common health conditions and to an even higher degree among older age cohorts

Pennington faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment in July 20XX. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are substantially higher than average, particularly among older age cohorts. Only approximately 45% of Pennington's total population (~1,925 people) has private health cover, compared to Greater Adelaide's 52.7% and the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in Pennington, affecting 9.2% and 9.1% of residents respectively. However, 65.4% of residents claim to be completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Adelaide's 67.9%. Working-age residents exhibit above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 19.9% of residents aged 65 and over (855 people), with senior health outcomes presenting some challenges but ranking lower nationally than the broader population.

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

Pennington has a high level of cultural diversity, with 37.5% of its population born overseas and 41.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Pennington, comprising 43.8% of the population. Buddhism, however, is significantly overrepresented, making up 10.5% compared to the Greater Adelaide average of 2.4%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (19.7%), Australian (19.1%), and Vietnamese (10.8%), which is notably higher than the regional average of 1.2%. There are also notable divergences in the representation of Polish (1.8% vs regional 1.0%), Serbian (1.7% vs regional 0.4%), and Russian (0.9% vs regional 0.3%) ethnic groups.

Pennington's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Pennington is 41 years, which is higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 55-64 are particularly prominent at 13.7%, while those aged 5-14 are smaller in number at 9.7% compared to Greater Adelaide. Between 2021 and present, the population aged 35-44 has grown from 12.5% to 13.7%. Conversely, the age group of 45-54 has declined from 12.9% to 11.2%, and those aged 15-24 have dropped from 12.2% to 11.1%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Pennington's age structure. The number of people aged 75-84 is projected to rise substantially by 65%, from 262 to 432 individuals. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 53% of total population growth, reflecting Pennington's aging demographic profile. The age group of 55-64 is projected to grow more modestly by 3%, adding only 15 residents.