Penshurst (NSW)

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

The population of the suburb of Penshurst (NSW) is estimated at around 13,298 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 706 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 12,592 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 13,284 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 25 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 5,214 persons per square kilometer, placing Penshurst in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 5.6% growth since census is within 0.9 percentage points of the SA4 region (6.5%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 88.0% 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 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. Looking ahead, population projections indicate an increase just below the median of statistical areas across the nation, with Penshurst expected to expand by 653 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 4.8% in total over the 16 years.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, Penshurst averaged around 24 new dwelling approvals annually between FY-21 and FY-25. Approximately 123 homes were approved over these five financial years, with an additional 14 approved in FY-26. Despite population decline during this period, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, creating a balanced market with good buyer choice.

New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost of $617,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. Commercial approvals totalled $671,000 in FY-26, reflecting Penshurst's residential nature. Comparatively, Penshurst has roughly half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person relative to Greater Sydney and ranks at the 26th percentile nationally, suggesting limited buyer choices and supporting demand for existing properties. This is below average nationally, indicating the area's maturity and possible planning constraints.

New development in Penshurst consists of 56.0% detached dwellings and 44.0% townhouses or apartments, offering a mix of medium-density options across various price brackets. Notably, developers construct more detached housing than the existing pattern implies (41.0% at Census), reflecting strong demand for family homes amid densification trends. With around 617 people per dwelling approval, Penshurst reflects a highly mature market. Future projections estimate Penshurst will add 639 residents by 2041. Existing development levels appear aligned with future requirements, maintaining stable market conditions without significant price pressures.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 33 projects likely to affect the region. Notable initiatives include King Georges Road Upgrade, Mortdale RSL Redevelopment, Penshurst Town Centre Streetscape Public Domain Plan, and Mortdale Local Centre Development Control Plan. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis places Penshurst well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Penshurst has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate is 2.6%, with an estimated employment growth of 5.0% over the past year according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, there are 8,343 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.6% below Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in Penshurst is at 74.5%, compared to Greater Sydney's 68.8%. A high proportion of residents work from home, with 42.8% doing so according to Census responses. Employment among residents is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and professional & technical services.

However, construction employment is limited at 6.2%, compared to the regional average of 8.6%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. In the 12-month period ending December 2025, employment increased by 5.0% alongside a labour force increase of 5.1%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable. 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 suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Penshurst's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.2% over ten years, according to a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes that does not take into account localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released on June 30, 2023, Penshurst had a median income among taxpayers of $49,248 with an average level standing at $65,093. These figures are below the national average and compare to levels of $60,817 and $83,003 across Greater Sydney respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $54,330 (median) and $71,811 (average) as of March 2026. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Penshurst cluster around the 52nd percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows that the largest segment comprises 35.1% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, with a total of 4,667 residents falling into this category, aligning with the surrounding region where this cohort likewise represents 30.9%. High housing costs consume 16.7% of income, but strong earnings still place disposable income at the 55th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Penshurst features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Penshurst, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 41.0% houses and 59.0% other dwellings. In comparison, Sydney metro had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Penshurst was higher than Sydney metro's level, at 31.2%. The remainder of dwellings were either mortgaged (31.3%) or rented (37.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, below Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $400, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Penshurst's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Penshurst has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households account for 71.3% of all households, including 34.5% couples with children, 24.0% couples without children, and 10.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 28.7%, consisting of 25.3% lone person households and 3.4% group households. The median household size is 2.6 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 39.4% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the Australian average of 30.4% and New South Wales' rate of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 25.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.4%) and graduate diplomas (2.2%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 26.5% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 11.6% and certificates for 14.9%.

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 8.2% in tertiary education, 8.0% in primary education, and 6.8% pursuing secondary education.

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

Penshurst has 55 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 23 routes, collectively facilitating 4,626 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent with residents typically located 138 meters from the nearest stop. Commuting patterns show car usage at 61%, train at 28%, and bus at 6%. Vehicle ownership averages 0.9 per dwelling, below the regional average. In 2021 Census data, 42.8% of residents worked from home, potentially reflecting COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 660 trips daily across all routes, equating to around 84 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Health outcomes data shows Penshurst has excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is approximately 53% of the total population (~7,005 people), leading that of the average SA2 area but trailing Greater Sydney's 59.9%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, affecting 5.7 and 5.1% of residents respectively, while 77.3% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 74.6% across Greater Sydney. Penshurst has 18.9% of residents aged 65 and over (2,513 people), higher than Greater Sydney's 15.5%. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population nationally.

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

Penshurst has one of the most culturally diverse populations in the country, with 50.1% of its residents born overseas and 55.0% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Penshurst, making up 48.5% of the population. However, Hinduism is notably overrepresented, comprising 10.5% of Penshurst's population compared to the Greater Sydney average of 5.2%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Chinese (20.7%), Other (19.3%), and English (13.5%). The Chinese representation is significantly higher than the regional average of 8.4%, while English is notably lower at 13.5% compared to the regional average of 19.0%. There are also notable differences in the representation of other ethnic groups, with Croatian at 1.7% (regional average: 0.7%), Macedonian at 1.8% (regional average: 0.4%), and Greek at 4.5% (regional average: 1.9%).

Penshurst's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Penshurst is close to Greater Sydney's average of 37 years and equivalent to Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Penshurst has a higher concentration of residents aged 65-74 (10.5%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (9.8%). Between the 2021 Census and now, the percentage of the population aged 65 to 74 has grown from 9.3% to 10.5%. Conversely, the percentage of the population aged 0 to 4 has declined from 5.2% to 4.3%. By 2041, Penshurst is expected to experience notable shifts in its age composition. The demographic shift will be led by the 75 to 84 group, which is projected to grow by 56%, reaching 1,202 from 771 people. The aging population trend is clear, with those aged 65 and above comprising 68% of projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age groups.