Penola

Penola 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 analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, as of Nov 2025, Penola's estimated population is around 1,672. This reflects an increase of 50 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,622. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 1,656 following examination of ABS' latest ERP data release in June 2024, along with an additional 17 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 6.6 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth contributing approximately 57% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category, released in 2023 based on 2021 data, are adopted with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Moving forward with demographic trends, lower quartile growth of national non-metropolitan areas is anticipated for the Penola statistical area (Lv2), expected to grow by 66 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of approximately 3.4% in total over the 17 years.

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

Penola has seen approximately 4 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past 5 financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 23 homes were approved, with an additional 3 approved so far in FY-26. On average, each new home has attracted about 1 new resident per year over these years, indicating that supply is meeting or exceeding demand.

The average construction cost of new homes was $346,000, which is moderately higher than regional levels, suggesting an emphasis on quality construction. This financial year, Penola has registered around $1.5 million in commercial approvals, predominantly focused on residential development. Compared to the Rest of SA, Penola records approximately 57% of building activity per person. Nationally, it ranks at the 45th percentile for areas assessed, indicating somewhat limited buyer options but strengthening demand for established homes.

This level is below the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent development in Penola has been entirely standalone homes, maintaining its traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 367 people, reflecting its quiet, low-activity development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Penola is expected to gain around 57 residents by 2041. Given current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Penola has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 20thth percentile nationally

Area infrastructure changes significantly impact local performance. AreaSearch identified 0 relevant projects. Key initiatives include Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan, Limestone Coast Energy Park, Melbourne To Adelaide Freight Rail Improvements, and Victorian Renewable Energy Zones.

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Employment conditions in Penola rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Penola's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent, with an unemployment rate of 1.2% as of September 2025.

Employment has grown by 1.5% in the past year. The unemployment rate is 4.1% below Rest of SA's rate of 5.3%, and workforce participation is higher at 62.7%. Key employment sectors include agriculture, forestry & fishing, manufacturing, and health care & social assistance. Manufacturing has a notable concentration with levels at 2.3 times the regional average, while health care & social assistance has limited presence at 9.4% compared to 13.9% regionally.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as seen in Census working population vs resident population count. Over the past year, employment increased by 1.5%, and labour force by 1.8%, raising unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of SA had employment growth of 0.3% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with a 1.9 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Penola. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary between sectors. Applying these projections to Penola's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 4.2% over five years and 10.3% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released for financial year 2023 shows Penola had a median taxpayer income of $52,580 and an average income of $66,548. This is slightly below the national average. In comparison, Rest of SA has median and average incomes of $48,920 and $58,933 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.8% since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes are approximately $57,207 (median) and $72,404 (average) as of September 2025. The 2021 Census reports Penola's personal income at the 50th percentile ($804 weekly), with household income at the 25th percentile. Income distribution shows 29.4% of locals (491 people) earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week, consistent with surrounding regions' trends. Housing costs allow for retention of 90.5% of income, but disposable income is below average at the 34th percentile.

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

In Penola, as per the latest Census evaluation, 90.4% of dwellings were houses with the remaining 9.7% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. This contrasts with Non-Metro SA's figures of 87.6% houses and 12.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Penola stood at 42.2%, higher than Non-Metro SA's figure. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 35.0% and rented dwellings made up 22.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,050, lower than Non-Metro SA's average of $1,863, while the median weekly rent was $198 compared to Non-Metro SA's $205 and Australia's national figure of $375.

Penola features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 65.0% of all households, including 25.0% couples with children, 32.3% couples without children, and 7.6% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 35.0%, with lone person households at 33.0% and group households making up 2.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of SA average of 2.3.

Educational outcomes in Penola fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 17.5%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This figure presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 13.1%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.7%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.7%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 35.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (9.4%) and certificates (25.7%).

Educational participation is high, with 26.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.7% in primary education, 5.8% in secondary education, and 2.5% pursuing tertiary education.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Penola is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Penola faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is approximately 53% of the total population (~891 people), leading that of the average SA2 area which stands at 48.7%.

This compares to a rate of 66.5% of residents declaring themselves completely clear of medical ailments in Penola, slightly higher than the 65.5% across Rest of SA. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, impacting 9.9 and 7.7% of residents respectively. The area has 26.5% of residents aged 65 and over (443 people), which is higher than the 23.3% in Rest of SA. Health outcomes among seniors in Penola are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

Penola is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Penola, as per the findings, exhibited a lower than average level of cultural diversity. The population was predominantly composed of citizens (90.5%), individuals born in Australia (90.9%), and English-only speakers at home (96.2%). Christianity emerged as the primary religion in Penola, with 46.0% of its population adhering to it.

Notably, the 'Other' religious category showed an overrepresentation in Penola, comprising 0.8% compared to 0.5% across the rest of South Australia. Regarding ancestry, the top three groups were Australian (35.1%), English (30.5%), and Scottish (10.7%). Some ethnic groups displayed notable variations: German was overrepresented at 5.5%, Dutch at 1.5%, and French at 0.5% compared to regional percentages of 6.4%, 1.7%, and 0.3%, respectively.

Penola hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Penola is 48 years, similar to the Rest of South Australia's average of 47, which is well above the national norm of 38. Compared to the Rest of SA average, the 45-54 age cohort is notably over-represented at 13.3% in Penola, while the 35-44 age group is under-represented at 9.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 85+ age group has grown from 2.0% to 3.2%, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 7.4% to 8.6%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group has declined from 13.1% to 10.6%, and the 25-34 age group dropped from 10.6% to 9.5%. Population forecasts for Penola in 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes. The 85+ cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 107%, adding 57 residents to reach 111. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 94% of population growth, underscoring trends towards demographic aging. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 55-64 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.