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

Penola's population, as of November 2025, is estimated at around 1,662 people. This figure reflects an increase of 40 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,622 people in the suburb. The latest estimate by AreaSearch, based on examination of the ABS's June 2024 ERP data release and additional validated new addresses, shows a resident population of 1,659. This level of population results in a density ratio of 6.6 persons per square kilometer. Penola's growth rate of 2.5% since the census is within 2.9 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 5.4%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Natural growth contributed approximately 57% of overall population gains in recent periods for the suburb.

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 and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted, based on 2021 data and adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Future demographic trends anticipate lower quartile growth for national non-metropolitan areas, with Penola expected to grow by 65 persons to 2041, reflecting a total gain of 4.0% over the 17-year period.

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 received approximately 4 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS data. Over the past 5 financial years from FY-21 to FY-25, around 22 homes were approved, with an additional 2 approved in FY-26 so far. This results in an average of about 1.1 new residents arriving per year for each new home over these years.

The market shows a balanced supply and demand, indicating stable conditions. The average construction cost value for new homes is approximately $346,000. In the current financial year, around $4.6 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, reflecting Penola's primarily residential nature. Comparatively, Penola has about half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person when measured against the Rest of SA.

Nationally, it falls within the 35th percentile of areas assessed for dwelling approvals, suggesting limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing dwellings. This activity is below the national average, indicating the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. All recent development in Penola has consisted of standalone homes, preserving its traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 472 people. Future projections from AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate suggest Penola will add approximately 66 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Penola has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 31stth percentile nationally

No changes can influence a region's performance more than alterations to local infrastructure, significant projects, and planning initiatives. A total of zero projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are expected to impact this area. Notable projects include the Lower Limestone Coast Water Allocation Plan, Limestone Coast Energy Park, Melbourne To Adelaide Freight Rail Improvements, and Victorian Renewable Energy Zones, with the following list outlining those considered most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Penola demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Penola has a balanced workforce with equal representation of white and blue collar jobs. Its manufacturing and industrial sectors are well-represented, and the unemployment rate is 1.2%.

As of June 2025923 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 3.4% lower than Rest of SA's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation in Penola stands at 62.7%, higher than Rest of SA's 54.1%. The dominant employment sectors include agriculture, forestry & fishing, manufacturing, and health care & social assistance. Manufacturing employs 2.3 times more residents than the regional average, while health care & social assistance employs 9.4% of local workers, lower than Rest of SA's 13.9%.

Penola appears to have limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Between June 2024 and July 2025, labour force decreased by 2.1% while employment declined by 2.4%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of SA saw employment contract by 1.2%, labour force grow by 0.1%, and unemployment rise by 1.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Penola's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 4.2% over five years and 10.3% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Penola had a median taxpayer income of $52,580 and an average income of $66,548. Nationally, the median was $46,889 and the average was $56,582. By September 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth suggest Penola's median income will be approximately $59,326 and the average will be around $75,086. Census 2021 data indicates personal income ranks at the 50th percentile ($804 weekly) and household income at the 25th percentile. Income distribution shows 29.4% of Penola's population falls within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Housing costs are manageable with 90.5% retained, 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

Penola's dwellings, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 90.4% houses and 9.7% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This compares to Non-Metro SA's figures of 87.6% houses and 12.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Penola stood at 42.2%, with mortgaged properties at 35.0% and rented dwellings at 22.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,050, lower than Non-Metro SA's average of $1,083. The median weekly rent in Penola was $198, compared to Non-Metro SA's figure of $205. Nationally, Penola's median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,050 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national average of $375.

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

Family households comprise 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 account for the remaining 35.0%, with lone person households making up 33.0% and group households comprising 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%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 13.1%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.7%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.7%). Vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (9.4%) and certificates (25.7%), are held by 35.1% of residents aged 15+. Educational participation is high, with 26.9% currently enrolled in formal education: 13.7% in primary, 5.8% in secondary, and 2.5% in tertiary education.

Penola's three schools have a combined enrollment of 331 students, serving typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 980) with balanced educational opportunities. The area has two primary and one secondary school, serving distinct age groups, and its school capacity exceeds regional needs at 19.9 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 14.9, indicating it serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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 (~885 people), leading that of the average SA2 area which stands at 49.4%.

This compares to a rate of 49.4% across Rest of SA. The most common medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, impacting 9.9% and 7.7% of residents respectively. Meanwhile, 66.5% of residents declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 65.5% across Rest of SA. The area has 26.5% of residents aged 65 and over (440 people), which is higher than the 23.3% in Rest of SA. Health outcomes among seniors 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's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 90.5% of its population being citizens and 90.9% born in Australia. English was spoken at home by 96.2%. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 46.0% of Penola's population.

The most significant overrepresentation was seen in Other religions, which made up 0.8% compared to 0.5% regionally. In terms of ancestry, Australian was the top group at 35.1%, followed by English at 30.5% and Scottish at 10.7%. Notably, German ancestry was overrepresented at 5.5% (vs regional 6.4%), Dutch at 1.5% (vs 1.7%), and French at 0.5% (vs regional 0.3%).

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

The median age in Penola is 48 years, similar to Rest of SA's average of 47, but well above the national norm of 38. Comparing with Rest of SA, the 45-54 cohort is notably over-represented at 13.3% locally, while the 35-44 age group is under-represented at 9.5%. Between 2021 and present, the 85+ age group grew from 2.0% to 3.2%, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 7.4% to 8.6%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort declined from 13.1% to 10.6%, and the 25-34 group dropped from 10.6% to 9.4%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Penola. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 109%, adding 57 residents to reach 111. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 94% of population growth, emphasizing demographic aging trends. Conversely, both the 55-64 and 0-4 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.