Pennington vs Rosewater

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. Pennington is closer to the city centre: 12 km, against 15.2 km.

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

Pennington

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more childcare (4 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Rosewater

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($485,500 vs $625,000)

Weighs house prices, unit 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

Pennington

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (12 km vs 15.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Investors

Rosewater

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (9.3% vs 3.5%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Pennington Rosewater
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.

Pennington Rosewater
Walkability 86 / 90
Pennington — Walkability: 86/100 Rosewater — Walkability: 90/100
Safety 12 / 14
Pennington — Safety: 12/100 Rosewater — Safety: 14/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Pennington — Low fire risk: 100/100 Rosewater — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 20 / 14
Pennington — Low flood risk: 20/100 Rosewater — Low flood risk: 14/100

Demographics

Pennington skews older (41 vs 39).

Pennington Rosewater
Population 3,773
+5% vs other
 3,582
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.5% +9.3%
Median age 41 39
Median household income $66,352/yr $68,328/yr
+3% vs other
Median weekly rent $250/wk $260/wk
+4% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Pennington Rosewater
0-4 5.6% / 5.2%
Pennington — 0-4: 5.6% Rosewater — 0-4: 5.2%
5-14 10.2% / 10.6%
Pennington — 5-14: 10.2% Rosewater — 5-14: 10.6%
15-19 5.8% / 5.8%
Pennington — 15-19: 5.8% Rosewater — 15-19: 5.8%
20-24 6.4% / 6.4%
Pennington — 20-24: 6.4% Rosewater — 20-24: 6.4%
25-34 14.0% / 15.3%
Pennington — 25-34: 14.0% Rosewater — 25-34: 15.3%
35-44 12.4% / 13.9%
Pennington — 35-44: 12.4% Rosewater — 35-44: 13.9%
45-54 12.9% / 13.4%
Pennington — 45-54: 12.9% Rosewater — 45-54: 13.4%
55-64 13.8% / 14.1%
Pennington — 55-64: 13.8% Rosewater — 55-64: 14.1%
65-74 9.2% / 9.7%
Pennington — 65-74: 9.2% Rosewater — 65-74: 9.7%
75-84 5.4% / 4.1%
Pennington — 75-84: 5.4% Rosewater — 75-84: 4.1%
85+ 4.1% / 1.5%
Pennington — 85+: 4.1% Rosewater — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Pennington 39.4% lone person
Pennington — Lone Person: 39.4% Pennington — Couple Families: 34.0% Pennington — One Parent Families: 19.2% Pennington — Group Household: 4.8% Pennington — Other Families: 2.7%
Rosewater 41.6% lone person
Rosewater — Lone Person: 41.6% Rosewater — Couple Families: 31.9% Rosewater — One Parent Families: 19.4% Rosewater — Group Household: 4.4% Rosewater — Other Families: 2.8%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Pennington 39.7% renting
Pennington — Owned Outright: 25.6% Pennington — Mortgage: 34.7% Pennington — Renting: 39.7%
Rosewater 31.7% renting
Rosewater — Owned Outright: 25.3% Rosewater — Mortgage: 43.0% Rosewater — Renting: 31.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Pennington Rosewater
Vietnam 11.4% / 4.9%
Pennington — Vietnam: 11.4% Rosewater — Vietnam: 4.9%
India 3.9% / 3.3%
Pennington — India: 3.9% Rosewater — India: 3.3%
Philippines 2.8% / 2.9%
Pennington — Philippines: 2.8% Rosewater — Philippines: 2.9%
England 2.4% / 3.1%
Pennington — England: 2.4% Rosewater — England: 3.1%
Greece 1.2% / 1.1%
Pennington — Greece: 1.2% Rosewater — Greece: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (11.4%).

Qualifications

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

Pennington Rosewater
Certificate III & IV 13.8% / 16.7%
Pennington — Certificate III & IV: 13.8% Rosewater — Certificate III & IV: 16.7%
Bachelor Degree 9.4% / 10.7%
Pennington — Bachelor Degree: 9.4% Rosewater — Bachelor Degree: 10.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.8% / 6.3%
Pennington — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.8% Rosewater — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.2% / 3.2%
Pennington — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2% Rosewater — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 1.2%
Pennington — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% Rosewater — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Pennington 70.2% houses
Pennington — Houses: 70.2% Pennington — Townhouses: 28.0% Pennington — Flats / Apartments: 1.9%
Rosewater 76.4% houses
Rosewater — Houses: 76.4% Rosewater — Townhouses: 17.7% Rosewater — Flats / Apartments: 6.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Pennington Rosewater
Median house price $870,000 $830,500
Median unit price $625,000 $485,500
Median land price — $472,250
Typical days to sell (houses) 16 days
from 22 sales
 14 days
from 43 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Pennington Rosewater
2 bed $737K / $690K
Pennington — 2 bed: $737K (7 sales) Rosewater — 2 bed: $690K (11 sales)

7 vs 11 sales

3 bed $851K / $830K
Pennington — 3 bed: $851K (20 sales) Rosewater — 3 bed: $830K (53 sales)

20 vs 53 sales

4 bed $980K / $942K
Pennington — 4 bed: $980K (9 sales) Rosewater — 4 bed: $942K (17 sales)

9 vs 17 sales

Zoning mix

Pennington Rosewater
Residential 89% 92%
Industrial 9% 7%
Commercial 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

Pennington Rosewater
New dwellings approved 1,636
across Charles Sturt
 1,176
across Port Adelaide Enfield
Approvals change year on year +109% +23%

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.

Pennington Rosewater
Houses 4.1%
$650/wk on $819K
 4.5%
$625/wk on $714K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Pennington Rosewater
House price Higher than 23% of SA Higher than 29% of SA
Income Higher than 34% of SA Higher than 38% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 96% of SA Higher than 98% of SA
Affordability Higher than 56% of SA Higher than 54% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 47% of SA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 91% of SA Higher than 83% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 68% of SA Higher than 90% of SA

Liveability

Pennington Rosewater
Grade C
same for both
Score 36/100 37/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
same for both

Risk profile

Pennington Rosewater
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
88/100
 High
86/100
Flood High
80/100
 High
86/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 33
within 5 km
 26
within 5 km

Schools

Pennington Rosewater
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Adelaide University, Mawson Lakes Campus, 8.9 km
 1
Adelaide University, Mawson Lakes Campus, 9.4 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.9% 1.7%

Schools in Pennington

  • Pennington School R-6 Government · Primary below peers
  • Mount Carmel College Primary Campus Catholic · Primary

Schools in Rosewater

  • Mount Carmel College Secondary Campus Catholic · Secondary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Pennington Rosewater
Cafes & restaurants 2 1
Parks & reserves 2
same for both
Childcare 4 1
GPs 1
same for both
Pharmacies 1 0
Fuel stations 1 2

Mobility

Rosewater sits further from the CBD (15.2 km vs 12 km).

Pennington Rosewater
Walkability score 86/100 90/100
Distance to Adelaide 12 km 15.2 km
+27% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 20 min 22 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 45.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 75.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 5013
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 61
postcode 5013
same for both

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.

Pennington Rosewater
Car (driver) 77.2% / 77.8%
Pennington — Car (driver): 77.2% Rosewater — Car (driver): 77.8%
Worked from Home 7.6% / 7.2%
Pennington — Worked from Home: 7.6% Rosewater — Worked from Home: 7.2%
Car (passenger) 6.0% / 4.7%
Pennington — Car (passenger): 6.0% Rosewater — Car (passenger): 4.7%
Train 3.1% / 4.2%
Pennington — Train: 3.1% Rosewater — Train: 4.2%
Bus 3.6% / 3.4%
Pennington — Bus: 3.6% Rosewater — Bus: 3.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.8%).

Setting

Pennington Rosewater
Elevation 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 8 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.0 km 4.1 km
4.2 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Pennington Rosewater
Connectivity score 77/100 72/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 48%
1,743 premises
 50%
1,833 premises

Climate

Pennington Rosewater
Annual rainfall 457 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Pennington Rosewater
PM2.5 4.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Pennington Rosewater
Average residential rate $1,726/yr $1,311/yr
Council Charles Sturt Port Adelaide Enfield

Federal electorate

Pennington Rosewater
Division Hindmarsh
same for both
Member Mark Butler
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Pennington Rosewater
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Pennington

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Townhouses

Rosewater

Middle-Ring Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Pennington

Pennington vs Ottoway Pennington vs Woodville North Pennington vs St Clair Pennington vs Cheltenham Pennington vs Athol Park

Other comparisons with Rosewater

Rosewater vs Ottoway Rosewater vs Cheltenham Rosewater vs Alberton Rosewater vs Port Adelaide Rosewater vs Gillman
Full data on Pennington Full data on Rosewater
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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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