Petersham

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

As of Nov 2025, Petersham's population is estimated at around 9,012 people. This reflects an increase of 812 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 8,200 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 8,893 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), and an additional 350 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 6,986 persons per square kilometer, placing Petersham in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Petersham's growth rate of 9.9% since the 2021 census exceeded both the SA3 area (5.8%) and the state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration contributed approximately 80.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering projected demographic shifts, Petersham is expected to grow by 478 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a gain of approximately 0.7% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, Petersham experienced around 29 dwelling approvals annually. Between financial years FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 146 homes were approved, with an additional 4 approved in FY-26 so far. Despite population decline during this period, housing supply remained adequate relative to demand, indicating a balanced market with good buyer choice.

The average construction cost value of new dwellings was $545,000. In the current financial year, Petersham registered $56.6 million in commercial approvals, suggesting high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Sydney, Petersham's development levels were similar per capita, maintaining market balance consistent with the broader area and being below the national average, which could indicate established nature and potential planning limitations. Building activity showed 23.0% detached dwellings and 77.0% townhouses or apartments, favouring compact living and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. The location had approximately 379 people per dwelling approval, reflecting an established area.

According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Petersham is expected to grow by 65 residents through to 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Eleven projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include Henson Park Grandstand Redevelopment, Victoria Road Precinct Rezoning, 29-31 Brighton Street Petersham, and Stanmore North Precinct Planning (Our Fairer Future Plan). The following list details those most likely to be 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 conditions in Petersham remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Petersham has a highly educated workforce, with the technology sector prominent. The unemployment rate was 5.9% in the past year, showing an estimated employment growth of 0.6%.

As of June 2025, 5,331 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 6.9%, 1.7% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is high at 69.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. Key industries for employment among residents are professional & technical, education & training, and health care & social assistance. Petersham has a strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share of 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, construction employs only 5.0% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 8.6%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 0.6%, matching the labour force growth rate and keeping unemployment relatively stable at 6.9%. This contrasts with Greater Sydney, where employment rose by 2.6%, the labour force grew by 2.9%, and unemployment rose to 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-2022 provide insight into potential future demand within Petersham. These projections estimate national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to Petersham's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.2% over five years and 14.5% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

Petersham had a median taxpayer income of $68,446 and an average income of $94,823 according to AreaSearch's postcode level ATO data for the financial year 2022. These figures are notably high compared to Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856. Based on a 12.61% increase from the Wage Price Index since financial year 2022, estimated incomes for Petersham as of September 2025 would be approximately $77,077 (median) and $106,780 (average). The 2021 Census ranked household, family, and personal incomes in Petersham between the 79th and 92nd percentiles nationally. In Petersham, 29.2% of individuals earned between $1,500 to $2,999 per week, reflecting a pattern seen in the metropolitan region where 30.9% fall within this range. A substantial proportion, 37.2%, earned above $3,000 per week, indicating strong economic capacity in the area. High housing costs consumed 19.1% of income, but strong earnings placed disposable income at the 74th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Petersham features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Petersham, as per the latest Census evaluation, 22.6% of dwellings were houses while 77.3% consisted of other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments and 'other' dwellings. This is in comparison to Sydney metropolitan area's 29.2% houses and 70.8% other dwellings. Petersham had a lower home ownership rate at 19.7%, with the remaining dwellings being mortgaged (28.7%) or rented (51.6%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Petersham was $2,900, higher than Sydney metro's average of $2,800. Weekly rent median figure in Petersham stood at $450 compared to Sydney metro's $495. Nationally, Petersham's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863 and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 56.1% of all households, including 22.3% couples with children, 25.2% couples without children, and 7.3% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 43.9%, with lone person households at 35.0% and group households making up 8.8%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Sydney average of 2.3.

Petersham demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Petersham's educational attainment significantly exceeds national averages. Among residents aged 15+, 53.7% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and NSW's 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common (33.9%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.6%) and graduate diplomas (4.2%). Vocational pathways account for 20.5%, with advanced diplomas at 9.4% and certificates at 11.1%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.5% in tertiary, 6.8% in primary, and 6.4% in secondary education. Petersham's three schools have a combined enrollment of 938 students. The area has an ICSEA score of 1158, indicating high educational advantage nationally. Educational provision follows conventional lines, with one primary and two secondary institutions. School places per 100 residents (10.4) are below the regional average (16.3), suggesting some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

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

Petersham has 28 operational public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are covered by 18 unique routes, collectively facilitating 5,375 weekly passenger journeys. The accessibility of transport is deemed excellent with residents on average situated 143 metres from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 767 trips daily across all routes, translating to roughly 191 weekly trips per individual stop.

The level of general health in Petersham is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Petersham shows superior health outcomes for both young and elderly residents, with low prevalence rates for common conditions. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 64% of the total population (5796 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues affect 12.5% of residents, while asthma impacts 8.8%. 68.0% report no medical ailments, compared to 70.3% across Greater Sydney. The area has 12.2% (1099 people) aged 65 and over, with health outcomes among seniors being above average, similar to the general population's profile.

Petersham was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Petersham's population showed higher cultural diversity compared to most local areas, with 29.0% born overseas and 20.5% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Petersham, accounting for 34.8% of its residents. Notably, Judaism was slightly overrepresented in Petersham at 0.7%, compared to Greater Sydney's 0.6%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (23.4%), Australian (18.8%), and Other (12.0%). Some ethnic groups had notable differences: French (0.8% vs regional 0.8%), Hungarian (0.4% vs 0.4%), and Irish (11.0% vs 9.7%) were relatively more represented in Petersham compared to the broader region.

Petersham's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

At 36 years, Petersham's median age is nearly matching Greater Sydney's average of 37, which is modestly under the Australian median of 38. Compared to Greater Sydney, Petersham has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 (22.7%) but fewer residents aged 5-14 (7.2%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 11.9% to 12.8% of Petersham's population. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 14.8% to 13.6%, and the 5 to 14 age group has dropped from 8.4% to 7.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Petersham's age profile will evolve significantly. The 65 to 74 cohort is projected to grow by 23%, adding 137 residents to reach 741. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 80% of population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, the 15 to 24 and 0 to 4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.