Punchbowl (Canterbury-Bankstown - NSW)

Population growth drivers in Punchbowl are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of the suburb of Punchbowl (Canterbury-Bankstown - NSW) is around 22,198. This figure reflects an increase of 814 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 21,384. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 22,187 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), along with an additional 120 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 5,138 persons per square kilometer, placing Punchbowl within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 3.8% growth since census is within 1.7 percentage points of the SA4 region (5.5%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 66.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary population growth in the area.

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. Considering projected demographic shifts, the suburb is expected to grow by just below the median of national statistical areas, increasing by 2,079 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections. This reflects an increase of 9.5% in total over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Punchbowl according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers shows Punchbowl recorded around 64 residential properties granted annual approval from FY-21 to FY-25. In total, approximately 323 homes were approved during this period and 24 more in FY-26. On average, 0.5 new residents arrived per new home each year between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating supply met or exceeded demand.

The average construction value of new homes was $368,000, below regional levels, suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. In FY-26, $20.8 million in commercial approvals were registered, reflecting moderate commercial development levels. Recent construction comprises 49% detached houses and 51% attached dwellings, promoting denser development appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers.

Punchbowl has approximately 394 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established area. By 2041, the population is projected to grow by 2,107 residents, with current development rates comfortably meeting demand and supporting potential growth beyond projections.

Punchbowl 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 identified 31 projects that could affect this region. Notable ones include Punchbowl Station Upgrade for Sydney Metro City & Southwest, Bankstown Exchange (Stage 1 - Bankstown Central Masterplan), Wiley Park Plaza Development at 280-300 Lakemba Street, and Club Punchbowl Redevelopment. The following list details those 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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Punchbowl faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Punchbowl had an 8.8% unemployment rate in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 2.3%. As of June 2025, 9,027 residents were employed, representing a participation rate of 42.6%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%.

The unemployment rate was 4.6% higher than the regional average of 4.2%. Employment was concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and transport, postal & warehousing, with a significant specialization in the latter (1.9 times the regional level). Professional & technical services had limited presence, at 5.9% compared to the regional 11.5%. The area showed limited local employment opportunities based on Census data comparison of working population versus resident population.

In the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.3%, and labour force grew by 2.5%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.1 percentage points. This contrasted with Greater Sydney's employment growth of 2.6% and labour force growth of 2.9%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in Sep-22, projected a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Punchbowl's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.1% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Punchbowl had a median income among taxpayers of $40,869 and an average level of $51,918. This is below the national average. In Greater Sydney, levels were $56,994 and $80,856 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for median income are approximately $46,023 as of September 2025, with average income estimated at $58,465 during the same period. Census data shows individual incomes lag at the 4th percentile ($504 weekly), while household income performs better at the 28th percentile. Income brackets indicate that the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 30.8% of residents (6,836 people). This aligns with the metropolitan region where this cohort likewise represents 30.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Punchbowl, with only 78.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 20th percentile.

Punchbowl displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The latest Census evaluation showed that in Punchbowl, 56.9% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 43.2% being semi-detached, apartments, or other types. In contrast, Sydney metro had no houses and no other dwellings recorded at this time. Home ownership in Punchbowl stood at 28.5%, compared to mortgaged properties at 31.0% and rented dwellings at 40.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,050, aligning with the Sydney metro average. The median weekly rent figure for Punchbowl was $380, while Sydney metro had no recorded figures for these metrics nationally, Punchbowl's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,050 compared to the Australian average of $1,863. Rents in Punchbowl also exceeded the national figure of $375.

Punchbowl features high concentrations of group households, with a median household size of 3.3 people

Family households comprise 76.6% of all households, including 43.6% couples with children, 15.8% couples without children, and 15.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 23.4%, with lone person households at 19.4% and group households comprising 4.0%. The median household size is 3.3 people.

Punchbowl shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area has university qualification rates of 23.8%, significantly lower than the Greater Sydney average of 38.0%. This disparity presents both challenges and opportunities for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 16.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.2%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 26.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (10.7%) and certificates (15.6%).

Educational participation is high, with 36.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including primary (11.4%), secondary (9.7%), and tertiary (7.3%) levels. Punchbowl's four schools have a combined enrollment of 2,325 students and demonstrate typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 981) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes two primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school.

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

Punchbowl has 102 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 19 different routes that together facilitate 6,533 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's location to the nearest transport stop is 145 meters.

On average, each route makes 933 trips per day, resulting in approximately 64 weekly trips per individual stop.

Punchbowl's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance in Punchbowl. Prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population but higher than the national average among older, at-risk cohorts.

Private health cover rate is very low, approximately 48% of the total population (~10,550 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most prevalent medical conditions are diabetes and arthritis, affecting 6.1% and 5.6% of residents respectively, while 77.1% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, contrasting with 0% in Greater Sydney. Punchbowl has 14.4% of its population aged 65 and over (3,196 people), requiring more attention than the broader population.

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

Punchbowl has a diverse population with 51.6% born overseas and 75.9% speaking a language other than English at home. The predominant religion is Islam, practiced by 42.0% of residents, compared to none in Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups are Other (29.5%), Lebanese (25.1%), and Australian (11.2%).

Notably, Vietnamese (6.3%), Greek (4.0%), and Samoan (0.8%) communities are overrepresented in Punchbowl compared to the regional average of none for each group.

Punchbowl's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Punchbowl has a median age of 33, which is younger than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Punchbowl has a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (16.2%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (12.6%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has increased from 14.9% to 16.2%, while the proportion of residents aged 5-14 has decreased from 14.4% to 13.0%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Punchbowl. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 66%, adding 673 residents to reach a total of 1,695. Residents aged 65 and older are expected to represent 60% of the population growth, while the 25-34 and 0-4 age groups are anticipated to experience population declines.