Penrith vs South Penrith

In Penrith, most households rent and about half of households are people living alone. In South Penrith, most households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in South Penrith: a median of $1.11 million, against $993,000 in Penrith, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Penrith tends to suit renters, young adults, and people living alone, while South Penrith suits families with children and couples.

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

South Penrith

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (92% vs 36%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (68% vs 39%)
  • carries lower crime risk (63/100 vs 97/100)
  • But Penrith has more childcare (24 vs 8)

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

First-home buyers

Penrith

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($575,000 vs $710,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($993,000 vs $1,110,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Penrith

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (63% vs 31%)
  • has cheaper rent ($380/wk vs $420/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

South Penrith

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (46 min vs 51 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (53.2 km vs 58.1 km)
  • But Penrith is more walkable (93/100 vs 83/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Penrith

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (64% vs 8%)
  • has more GPs (15 vs 4)
  • is more walkable (93/100 vs 83/100)
  • But South Penrith carries lower crime risk (63/100 vs 97/100)

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

Investors

Penrith

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (35.1% vs 1.8%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Penrith South Penrith
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.

Penrith South Penrith
Walkability 93 / 83
Penrith — Walkability: 93/100 South Penrith — Walkability: 83/100
Safety 3 / 37
Penrith — Safety: 3/100 South Penrith — Safety: 37/100
Low fire risk 62 / 100
Penrith — Low fire risk: 62/100 South Penrith — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Penrith has more residents (17,966 vs 12,005); South Penrith has higher household incomes ($97,240 vs $72,644).

Penrith South Penrith
Population 17,966
+33% vs other
 12,005
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +35.1% +1.8%
Median age 36 37
Median household income $72,644/yr $97,240/yr
+34% vs other
Median weekly rent $380/wk $420/wk
+11% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Penrith South Penrith
0-4 5.8% / 6.4%
Penrith — 0-4: 5.8% South Penrith — 0-4: 6.4%
5-14 9.1% / 14.2%
Penrith — 5-14: 9.1% South Penrith — 5-14: 14.2%
15-19 4.1% / 6.6%
Penrith — 15-19: 4.1% South Penrith — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 9.5% / 6.2%
Penrith — 20-24: 9.5% South Penrith — 20-24: 6.2%
25-34 19.8% / 13.1%
Penrith — 25-34: 19.8% South Penrith — 25-34: 13.1%
35-44 13.6% / 14.7%
Penrith — 35-44: 13.6% South Penrith — 35-44: 14.7%
45-54 11.2% / 11.8%
Penrith — 45-54: 11.2% South Penrith — 45-54: 11.8%
55-64 9.8% / 10.3%
Penrith — 55-64: 9.8% South Penrith — 55-64: 10.3%
65-74 8.2% / 10.4%
Penrith — 65-74: 8.2% South Penrith — 65-74: 10.4%
75-84 5.7% / 5.2%
Penrith — 75-84: 5.7% South Penrith — 75-84: 5.2%
85+ 3.1% / 1.3%
Penrith — 85+: 3.1% South Penrith — 85+: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Penrith 52.2% lone person
Penrith — Lone Person: 52.2% Penrith — Couple Families: 21.5% Penrith — One Parent Families: 17.6% Penrith — Group Household: 6.4% Penrith — Other Families: 2.3%
South Penrith 27.3% lone person
South Penrith — Lone Person: 27.3% South Penrith — Couple Families: 45.8% South Penrith — One Parent Families: 22.0% South Penrith — Group Household: 3.5% South Penrith — Other Families: 1.4%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Penrith 62.6% renting
Penrith — Owned Outright: 16.0% Penrith — Mortgage: 21.4% Penrith — Renting: 62.6%
South Penrith 30.8% renting
South Penrith — Owned Outright: 31.7% South Penrith — Mortgage: 37.5% South Penrith — Renting: 30.8%
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.

Penrith South Penrith
England 2.9% / 3.7%
Penrith — England: 2.9% South Penrith — England: 3.7%
India 2.7% / 1.9%
Penrith — India: 2.7% South Penrith — India: 1.9%
New Zealand 2.0% / 1.5%
Penrith — New Zealand: 2.0% South Penrith — New Zealand: 1.5%
Philippines 2.2% / 0.8%
Penrith — Philippines: 2.2% South Penrith — Philippines: 0.8%
China 1.7% / 0.8%
Penrith — China: 1.7% South Penrith — China: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.7%).

Qualifications

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

Penrith South Penrith
Certificate III & IV 15.0% / 17.6%
Penrith — Certificate III & IV: 15.0% South Penrith — Certificate III & IV: 17.6%
Bachelor Degree 11.2% / 8.1%
Penrith — Bachelor Degree: 11.2% South Penrith — Bachelor Degree: 8.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.2% / 7.2%
Penrith — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.2% South Penrith — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.2%
Postgraduate Degree 4.4% / 2.6%
Penrith — Postgraduate Degree: 4.4% South Penrith — Postgraduate Degree: 2.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.1% / 1.1%
Penrith — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1% South Penrith — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Penrith 36.0% houses
Penrith — Houses: 36.0% Penrith — Flats / Apartments: 43.6% Penrith — Townhouses: 20.4%
South Penrith 92.1% houses
South Penrith — Houses: 92.1% South Penrith — Flats / Apartments: 0.5% South Penrith — Townhouses: 7.4%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Penrith South Penrith
Median house price $993,000 $1,110,000
Median unit price $575,000 $710,000
Median land price $1,120,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 114 sales
 21 days
from 106 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.

Penrith South Penrith
3 bed $977K / $1.04M
Penrith — 3 bed: $977K (95 sales) South Penrith — 3 bed: $1.04M (117 sales)

95 vs 117 sales

4 bed $1.16M / $1.18M
Penrith — 4 bed: $1.16M (33 sales) South Penrith — 4 bed: $1.18M (62 sales)

33 vs 62 sales

Zoning mix

Penrith has more industrially zoned land (21% vs 1%).

Penrith South Penrith
Residential 35% 78%
Industrial 21% 1%
Parks and recreation 13% 17%
Other and special use 14% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 12% 3%
Commercial 3% 1%
Environmental 3% 0%
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

Penrith South Penrith
New dwellings approved 1,063
across Penrith
same for both
Approvals change year on year -78%
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.

Penrith South Penrith
Houses 3.4%
$650/wk on $1M
 3.2%
$690/wk on $1.12M
Units 4.8%
$550/wk on $594K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Penrith South Penrith
House price Higher than 54% of NSW Higher than 55% of NSW
Income Higher than 39% of NSW Higher than 64% of NSW
Schools Higher than 54% of NSW Higher than 49% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 98% of NSW Higher than 93% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 36% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 70% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 98% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 38% of NSW Higher than 30% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 58% of NSW —

Liveability

South Penrith scores higher overall (60 vs 44); Penrith is more walkable (93 vs 83).

Penrith South Penrith
Grade C B
Score 44/100 60/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Penrith carries more bushfire risk (38 vs 0); Penrith carries more crime risk (97 vs 63).

Penrith South Penrith
Bushfire Low
38/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
97/100
 Moderate
63/100
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 5
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Penrith South Penrith
Inside the suburb 4
same for both
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 2 3
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 1
Western Sydney University - Penrith, 3.5 km
 1
Western Sydney University - Penrith, 2.6 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.6% 1.5%

Schools in Penrith

  • Penrith High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Penrith Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Nicholas of Myra Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Kingswood Park Public School Government · Primary

Schools in South Penrith

  • Jamison High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Penrith South Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Mary MacKillop Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • York Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Penrith South Penrith
Supermarkets 7 1
Cafes & restaurants 73 2
Parks & reserves 24 13
Childcare 24 8
GPs 15 4
Pharmacies 12 2
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 12 1
Fuel stations 5 1
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 7 0

Mobility

Penrith sits further from the CBD (58.1 km vs 53.2 km).

Penrith South Penrith
Walkability score 93/100 83/100
Distance to Sydney 58.1 km
+8% vs other
 53.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 51 min 46 min
Public transport score 93/100
Rail · Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 685.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 222.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 2750
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 31
postcode 2750
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.

Penrith South Penrith
Car (driver) 50.9% / 60.6%
Penrith — Car (driver): 50.9% South Penrith — Car (driver): 60.6%
Worked from Home 34.2% / 30.5%
Penrith — Worked from Home: 34.2% South Penrith — Worked from Home: 30.5%
Car (passenger) 3.7% / 4.8%
Penrith — Car (passenger): 3.7% South Penrith — Car (passenger): 4.8%
Train 5.5% / 2.4%
Penrith — Train: 5.5% South Penrith — Train: 2.4%
Walked Only 4.4% / 1.0%
Penrith — Walked Only: 4.4% South Penrith — Walked Only: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (60.6%).

Setting

Penrith South Penrith
Elevation 28 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 48 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 49.0 km 47.1 km

NBN connectivity

Penrith South Penrith
Connectivity score 98/100 90/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 95%
11,886 premises
 76%
4,657 premises

Climate

Penrith South Penrith
Annual rainfall 822 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Penrith South Penrith
PM2.5 7.2 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 16.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.6 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Penrith South Penrith
Average residential rate $1,547/yr
same for both
Council Penrith
same for both

Federal electorate

Penrith South Penrith
Division Lindsay
same for both
Member Melissa Mcintosh
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Penrith South Penrith
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Penrith

Affordable Apartments Easy Commute Outer Parks Townhouses Transport Hub

South Penrith

Outer Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Penrith

Penrith vs Cranebrook Penrith vs Kingswood Penrith vs Emu Plains Penrith vs Cambridge Park Penrith vs Jamisontown Penrith vs Cambridge Gardens

Other comparisons with South Penrith

South Penrith vs Glenmore Park South Penrith vs Kingswood South Penrith vs Jamisontown South Penrith vs Orchard Hills
Full data on Penrith Full data on South Penrith
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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