Bundanoon vs Penrose

Penrose is the younger of the two, with a median age of 55 against 59 in Bundanoon. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Bundanoon, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Bundanoon: a median of $1.2 million, against $815,000 in Penrose. On these figures, Bundanoon tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Penrose suits buyers on a tighter budget.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Bundanoon

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 72/100)
  • has more parks and reserves (8 vs 3)
  • But Penrose is already more of a family suburb (57% vs 45%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Penrose

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($815,000 vs $1,200,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Bundanoon

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 72/100)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (41% vs 29%)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Bundanoon and Penrose drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Bundanoon Penrose
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Bundanoon Penrose
Walkability 21 / 27
Bundanoon — Walkability: 21/100 Penrose — Walkability: 27/100
Safety 80 / 28
Bundanoon — Safety: 80/100 Penrose — Safety: 28/100
Low fire risk 17 / 16
Bundanoon — Low fire risk: 17/100 Penrose — Low fire risk: 16/100

Demographics

Bundanoon has more residents (2,869 vs 263); Bundanoon has higher household incomes ($67,080 vs $56,732).

Bundanoon Penrose
Population 2,869
+91% vs other
 263
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.1% +6.5%
Median age 59 55
Median household income $67,080/yr
+15% vs other
 $56,732/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+2% vs other
 $390/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bundanoon Penrose
0-4 3.0% / 4.9%
Bundanoon — 0-4: 3.0% Penrose — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 8.3% / 8.7%
Bundanoon — 5-14: 8.3% Penrose — 5-14: 8.7%
15-19 4.8% / 11.0%
Bundanoon — 15-19: 4.8% Penrose — 15-19: 11.0%
20-24 2.6% / 3.4%
Bundanoon — 20-24: 2.6% Penrose — 20-24: 3.4%
25-34 5.7% / 7.2%
Bundanoon — 25-34: 5.7% Penrose — 25-34: 7.2%
35-44 7.9% / 9.9%
Bundanoon — 35-44: 7.9% Penrose — 35-44: 9.9%
45-54 10.7% / 7.2%
Bundanoon — 45-54: 10.7% Penrose — 45-54: 7.2%
55-64 16.3% / 20.2%
Bundanoon — 55-64: 16.3% Penrose — 55-64: 20.2%
65-74 22.8% / 20.2%
Bundanoon — 65-74: 22.8% Penrose — 65-74: 20.2%
75-84 13.0% / 4.9%
Bundanoon — 75-84: 13.0% Penrose — 75-84: 4.9%
85+ 4.8% / 3.8%
Bundanoon — 85+: 4.8% Penrose — 85+: 3.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bundanoon 51.4% lone person
Bundanoon — Lone Person: 51.4% Bundanoon — Couple Families: 30.5% Bundanoon — One Parent Families: 14.5% Bundanoon — Group Household: 3.2% Bundanoon — Other Families: 0.4%
Penrose 39.2% lone person
Penrose — Lone Person: 39.2% Penrose — Couple Families: 27.8% Penrose — One Parent Families: 29.1% Penrose — Group Household: 3.8% Penrose — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bundanoon 13.2% renting
Bundanoon — Owned Outright: 60.9% Bundanoon — Mortgage: 25.9% Bundanoon — Renting: 13.2%
Penrose 11.4% renting
Penrose — Owned Outright: 62.9% Penrose — Mortgage: 25.7% Penrose — Renting: 11.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Bundanoon Penrose
Bachelor Degree 16.2% / 16.3%
Bundanoon — Bachelor Degree: 16.2% Penrose — Bachelor Degree: 16.3%
Certificate III & IV 15.2% / 14.1%
Bundanoon — Certificate III & IV: 15.2% Penrose — Certificate III & IV: 14.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.1% / 5.7%
Bundanoon — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.1% Penrose — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7%
Postgraduate Degree 6.9% / 5.3%
Bundanoon — Postgraduate Degree: 6.9% Penrose — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.2% / 1.9%
Bundanoon — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2% Penrose — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.3%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Bundanoon Penrose
England 9.3% / 7.6%
Bundanoon — England: 9.3% Penrose — England: 7.6%
New Zealand 1.7% / 1.1%
Bundanoon — New Zealand: 1.7% Penrose — New Zealand: 1.1%
Germany 0.9% / 1.1%
Bundanoon — Germany: 0.9% Penrose — Germany: 1.1%
Thailand — / 1.9%
Bundanoon — Thailand: not among its largest Penrose — Thailand: 1.9%
South Africa 0.7% / —
Bundanoon — South Africa: 0.7% Penrose — South Africa: not among its largest
Scotland 0.7% / —
Bundanoon — Scotland: 0.7% Penrose — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bundanoon 96.6% houses
Bundanoon — Houses: 96.6% Bundanoon — Flats / Apartments: 2.1% Bundanoon — Townhouses: 1.4%
Penrose 100.0% houses
Penrose — Houses: 100.0% Penrose — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Penrose — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Bundanoon Penrose
Median house price $1,200,000 $815,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $695,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 62 days
from 48 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Penrose has more rural and farming land (54% vs 24%); Bundanoon has more land zoned for conservation (65% vs 44%).

Bundanoon Penrose
Environmental 65% 44%
Rural and farming 24% 54%
Residential 9% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 1%
same for both
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Bundanoon Penrose
New dwellings approved 335
across Wingecarribee
same for both
Approvals change year on year +6%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Bundanoon Penrose
Houses 3.0%
$850/wk on $1.5M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Bundanoon Penrose
House price Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 40% of NSW
Income Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 17% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 28% of NSW Higher than 33% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 90% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 74% of NSW Higher than 48% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 20% of NSW —

Liveability

Bundanoon Penrose
Grade C —
Score 41/100 —
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Penrose carries more crime risk (72 vs 20).

Bundanoon Penrose
Bushfire High
83/100
 High
84/100
Crime Low
20/100
 High
72/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Bundanoon Penrose
Inside the suburb 1
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Bundanoon

  • Bundanoon Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Penrose

  • Penrose Public School Government · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Bundanoon Penrose
Cafes & restaurants 7 0
Parks & reserves 8 3
Childcare 2 0
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 12 6

Mobility

Bundanoon Penrose
Walkability score 21/100 27/100
Distance to Sydney 149.5 km 148.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 112 min 114 min
Public transport score 45/100
Rail · Bus
 28/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 17.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 4.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 2 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.6%
postcode 2578
 1.0%
postcode 2579
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2578
 65
postcode 2579

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Bundanoon Penrose
Car (driver) 62.4% / 62.7%
Bundanoon — Car (driver): 62.4% Penrose — Car (driver): 62.7%
Worked from Home 30.1% / 25.3%
Bundanoon — Worked from Home: 30.1% Penrose — Worked from Home: 25.3%
Walked Only 2.4% / 8.0%
Bundanoon — Walked Only: 2.4% Penrose — Walked Only: 8.0%
Car (passenger) 4.0% / 4.0%
Bundanoon — Car (passenger): 4.0% Penrose — Car (passenger): 4.0%
Bus 0.6% / —
Bundanoon — Bus: 0.6% Penrose — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (62.7%).

Setting

Bundanoon Penrose
Elevation 651 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 638 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Bundanoon Penrose
Connectivity score 66/100 29/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 41%
1,791 premises
 0%
135 premises

Climate

Bundanoon Penrose
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Bundanoon Penrose
Average residential rate $2,072/yr
same for both
Council Wingecarribee
same for both

Federal electorate

Bundanoon Penrose
Division Whitlam
same for both
Member Carol Berry
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bundanoon Penrose
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bundanoon

Acreage Retirees

Penrose

Retirees Rural Trains

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bundanoon

Bundanoon vs Exeter Bundanoon vs Wingello Bundanoon vs Werai

Other comparisons with Penrose

Penrose vs Exeter Penrose vs Wingello Penrose vs Sutton Forest Penrose vs Paddys River
Full data on Bundanoon Full data on Penrose
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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