St Clair (Penrith - NSW)

St Clair has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

St Clair's population is estimated at around 20,556 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 19,942 people, a growth of 3.1%. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 20,529 following examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2025 and an additional 32 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,855 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. St Clair's growth rate of 3.1% since census positions it within 2.3 percentage points of the SA3 area (5.4%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by natural growth, contributing approximately 61.0% 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. Over this period, projections indicate a decline in overall population, with the suburb's population expected to reduce by 157 persons by 2041 according to this methodology. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 75 to 84 age group, projected to grow by 631 people.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis using ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data, St Clair averaged approximately 46 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years ending June 2021. This totals an estimated 234 homes. As of August 2022 in FY-26, 55 approvals have been recorded. During this period, population has fallen, yet housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, indicating a well-balanced market with good buyer choice.

New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $312,000. Additionally, $2.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered in FY-26, reflecting the area's residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, St Clair has significantly less development activity, 51.0% below the regional average per person, which generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings. This activity is also under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. New development consists of 79.0% detached houses and 21.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving St Clair's suburban character with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. This marks a significant shift from existing housing patterns, which are currently 98.0% houses, potentially indicating diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs.

With approximately 478 people per approval, St Clair indicates a mature market. Given stable or declining population forecasts, St Clair may experience less housing pressure in the future, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

St Clair 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 eight projects potentially affecting the region. Notable initiatives include: Erskine Park Employment Area Expansion, M12 Motorway, Western Sydney Aerotropolis Infrastructure and Development, Mamre Road Upgrade - M4 to Erskine Park Road (Stage 1). 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.

Employment performance in St Clair has been broadly consistent with national averages

St Clair has a skilled workforce with manufacturing and industrial sectors well-represented. Its unemployment rate is 3.2%, as per AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, there are 10,839 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.0% lower than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation in St Clair is similar to Greater Sydney's at 68.8%. According to Census responses, 29.2% of residents work from home, but Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. St Clair has a particular employment specialization in transport, postal & warehousing, with an employment share 1.9 times the regional level.

Conversely, professional & technical services have lower representation at 4.3% compared to the regional average of 11.5%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 4.7%, combined with employment decreasing by 4.6%, while unemployment remained essentially unchanged. By comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.2% and labour force growth of 2.3%, with unemployment rising marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insights into potential future demand within St Clair. These projections estimate national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to St Clair's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 12.7% over ten years.

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

The suburb of St Clair had a median taxpayer income of $56,872 and an average income of $63,145 in the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This was lower than the national average, with Greater Sydney's median income being $60,817 and average income $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $62,741 (median) and $69,662 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in St Clair were at the 64th percentile nationally. Income distribution showed that 38.6% of locals (7,934 people) fell into the $1,500 - $2,999 category, similar to the broader area where 30.9% occupied this range. High housing costs consumed 16.0% of income, but strong earnings placed disposable income at the 69th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 4th decile.

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

St Clair's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 98.5% houses and 1.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Sydney metro's 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in St Clair stood at 31.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 47.1% and rented ones at 21.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, below Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in St Clair was $440, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, St Clair's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,167 than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

St Clair features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 84.1% of all households, including 43.3% couples with children, 25.1% couples without children, and 14.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 15.9%, with lone person households at 14.2% and group households comprising 1.7%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 17.1%, significantly lower than Greater Sydney's average of 38.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 12.7%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.1%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 37.6% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.1%) and certificates (27.5%). Educational participation is high, with 29.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.9% in primary, 8.4% in secondary, and 4.0% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 29.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.9% in primary education, 8.4% in secondary education, and 4.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

St Clair has 102 operational public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 32 different routes, offering a total of 1440 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is considered good, with residents on average being 205 meters away from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards due to St Clair's residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transport at 91%. The area has an average vehicle ownership of 1.8 per dwelling, higher than the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 29.2% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 205 trips daily across all routes, equating to about 14 weekly trips per individual stop. A map accompanies this data, displaying the 100 nearest stops to St Clair's central location.

St Clair's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with the level of common health conditions among the general population somewhat typical, though higher than the nation's average among older cohorts

St Clair's health metrics closely align with national benchmarks, as assessed by AreaSearch using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The level of common health conditions among St Clair residents is somewhat typical but higher than the national average among older cohorts.

Private health cover stands at approximately 52% of the total population (~10,672 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9%. Asthma and arthritis are the most prevalent medical conditions in the area, affecting 8.0 and 7.4% of residents respectively. 70.7% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 74.6%. Health outcomes among working-age residents are broadly typical. The area has 16.4% of residents aged 65 and over (3,371 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges but rank lower nationally than the broader population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in St Clair was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

St Clair was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 28.3% of its population born overseas and 25.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in St Clair, making up 63.6% of people there, compared to 49.2% across Greater Sydney. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (23.2%), English (20.4%), and Other (13.8%).

Notably, Maltese, Samoan, and Filipino ethnicities have higher representation in St Clair than regionally: Maltese at 3.2% vs 1.0%, Samoan at 1.8% vs 0.5%, and Filipino at 4.2% vs 2.0%.

St Clair's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

St Clair's median age is nearly 36 years, closely matching Greater Sydney's average of 37 years, which is slightly lower than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, St Clair has a higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (10.8%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (12.8%). Between the 2021 Census and the present, the population aged 75-84 grew from 2.8% to 4.6%, while the 15-24 age group increased from 12.6% to 14.2%. Conversely, the 55-64 age group declined from 13.6% to 11.4% and the 25-34 age group dropped from 14.3% to 12.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in St Clair's age profile. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 58%, adding 548 residents to reach 1,494. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 92% of population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Conversely, the 55-64 and 25-34 age groups are expected to experience population declines.