Punchbowl vs Bankstown

In both, about half of households are couple families. In Punchbowl, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Bankstown, about half of households rent and most homes are flats or apartments. Houses cost more in Bankstown: a median of $1.62 million, against $1.44 million in Punchbowl. Punchbowl is closer to the city centre: 24.1 km, against 29.3 km. On these figures, Bankstown tends to suit renters.

Bankstown is the larger suburb with 34,933 residents compared to Punchbowl's 21,384, and offers notably better walkability (94 versus 84) and liveability scores (56 versus 40). Punchbowl is closer to the CBD at 24.1 km and has a higher median household income of $72,228, though it carries a bushfire risk rating of 74 compared to Bankstown's 0. Property prices are lower in Punchbowl—median houses at $1,440,000 and units at $532,000—while Bankstown sits at $1,625,000 and $590,000 respectively. Both suburbs have similar rental yields and median ages, making the choice largely dependent on whether you prioritise walkability and amenities (Bankstown) or proximity to the CBD with lower property costs (Punchbowl).

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

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

Bankstown

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (4 vs 1)
  • has more parks and reserves (27 vs 7)
  • has more childcare (29 vs 23)
  • But Punchbowl has more separate houses rather than flats (57% vs 30%)

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

First-home buyers

Punchbowl

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,440,000 vs $1,625,000)
  • has cheaper units ($532,000 vs $590,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Bankstown

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (52% vs 40%)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Punchbowl sits closer to the CBD (24.1 km vs 29.3 km)
  • Bankstown is more walkable (94/100 vs 84/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Bankstown

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (26 vs 7)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (70% vs 43%)
  • is more walkable (94/100 vs 84/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

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

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Punchbowl Bankstown
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.

Punchbowl Bankstown
Walkability 84 / 94
Punchbowl — Walkability: 84/100 Bankstown — Walkability: 94/100
Low fire risk 26 / 100
Punchbowl — Low fire risk: 26/100 Bankstown — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Bankstown has more residents (34,933 vs 21,384).

Punchbowl Bankstown
Population 21,384 34,933
+63% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.7% +8.8%
Median age 33 34
Median household income $72,228/yr
+4% vs other
 $69,212/yr
Median weekly rent $380/wk $400/wk
+5% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Punchbowl Bankstown
0-4 6.9% / 7.9%
Punchbowl — 0-4: 6.9% Bankstown — 0-4: 7.9%
5-14 14.4% / 12.4%
Punchbowl — 5-14: 14.4% Bankstown — 5-14: 12.4%
15-19 7.0% / 5.4%
Punchbowl — 15-19: 7.0% Bankstown — 15-19: 5.4%
20-24 7.9% / 7.4%
Punchbowl — 20-24: 7.9% Bankstown — 20-24: 7.4%
25-34 15.7% / 18.4%
Punchbowl — 25-34: 15.7% Bankstown — 25-34: 18.4%
35-44 13.0% / 14.1%
Punchbowl — 35-44: 13.0% Bankstown — 35-44: 14.1%
45-54 11.5% / 11.2%
Punchbowl — 45-54: 11.5% Bankstown — 45-54: 11.2%
55-64 10.8% / 10.8%
Punchbowl — 55-64: 10.8% Bankstown — 55-64: 10.8%
65-74 7.2% / 6.9%
Punchbowl — 65-74: 7.2% Bankstown — 65-74: 6.9%
75-84 4.1% / 3.6%
Punchbowl — 75-84: 4.1% Bankstown — 75-84: 3.6%
85+ 1.6% / 1.8%
Punchbowl — 85+: 1.6% Bankstown — 85+: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Punchbowl 52.2% couple families
Punchbowl — Couple Families: 52.2% Punchbowl — Lone Person: 22.3% Punchbowl — One Parent Families: 18.8% Punchbowl — Group Household: 4.6% Punchbowl — Other Families: 2.2%
Bankstown 46.1% couple families
Bankstown — Couple Families: 46.1% Bankstown — Lone Person: 26.3% Bankstown — One Parent Families: 20.1% Bankstown — Group Household: 5.0% Bankstown — Other Families: 2.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Punchbowl 40.5% renting
Punchbowl — Owned Outright: 28.4% Punchbowl — Mortgage: 31.0% Punchbowl — Renting: 40.5%
Bankstown 52.3% renting
Bankstown — Owned Outright: 22.2% Bankstown — Mortgage: 25.5% Bankstown — Renting: 52.3%
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.

Punchbowl Bankstown
Vietnam 5.4% / 15.6%
Punchbowl — Vietnam: 5.4% Bankstown — Vietnam: 15.6%
Lebanon 12.3% / 6.0%
Punchbowl — Lebanon: 12.3% Bankstown — Lebanon: 6.0%
China 2.8% / 4.8%
Punchbowl — China: 2.8% Bankstown — China: 4.8%
Bangladesh 3.0% / 3.1%
Punchbowl — Bangladesh: 3.0% Bankstown — Bangladesh: 3.1%
Pakistan 2.7% / 3.2%
Punchbowl — Pakistan: 2.7% Bankstown — Pakistan: 3.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.6%).

Qualifications

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

Punchbowl Bankstown
Bachelor Degree 10.2% / 13.2%
Punchbowl — Bachelor Degree: 10.2% Bankstown — Bachelor Degree: 13.2%
Certificate III & IV 7.7% / 6.5%
Punchbowl — Certificate III & IV: 7.7% Bankstown — Certificate III & IV: 6.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.6% / 6.9%
Punchbowl — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.6% Bankstown — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9%
Postgraduate Degree 3.8% / 5.1%
Punchbowl — Postgraduate Degree: 3.8% Bankstown — Postgraduate Degree: 5.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.7% / 0.8%
Punchbowl — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.7% Bankstown — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Punchbowl 56.7% houses
Punchbowl — Houses: 56.7% Punchbowl — Flats / Apartments: 24.8% Punchbowl — Townhouses: 18.4%
Bankstown 30.0% houses
Bankstown — Houses: 30.0% Bankstown — Flats / Apartments: 59.9% Bankstown — Townhouses: 10.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Punchbowl Bankstown
Median house price $1,440,000 $1,625,000
Median unit price $532,000 $590,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 25 days
from 96 sales
 26 days
from 118 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

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

Punchbowl Bankstown
1 bed $420K / $498K
Punchbowl — 1 bed: $420K (11 sales) Bankstown — 1 bed: $498K (29 sales)

11 vs 29 sales

2 bed $534K / $586K
Punchbowl — 2 bed: $534K (70 sales) Bankstown — 2 bed: $586K (216 sales)

70 vs 216 sales

3 bed $650K / $708K
Punchbowl — 3 bed: $650K (13 sales) Bankstown — 3 bed: $708K (34 sales)

13 vs 34 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.

Punchbowl Bankstown
2 bed $1.37M / $1.63M
Punchbowl — 2 bed: $1.37M (11 sales) Bankstown — 2 bed: $1.63M (11 sales)

11 vs 11 sales

3 bed $1.36M / $1.61M
Punchbowl — 3 bed: $1.36M (65 sales) Bankstown — 3 bed: $1.61M (50 sales)

65 vs 50 sales

4 bed $1.42M / $1.55M
Punchbowl — 4 bed: $1.42M (48 sales) Bankstown — 4 bed: $1.55M (40 sales)

48 vs 40 sales

5 bed $1.73M / $1.93M
Punchbowl — 5 bed: $1.73M (20 sales) Bankstown — 5 bed: $1.93M (26 sales)

20 vs 26 sales

Zoning mix

Punchbowl Bankstown
Residential 81% 75%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 10%
Industrial 5% 8%
Parks and recreation 5%
same for both
Commercial 3% 2%
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

Punchbowl Bankstown
New dwellings approved 1,785
across Canterbury-Bankstown
same for both
Approvals change year on year +50%
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.

Punchbowl Bankstown
Houses 3.6%
$880/wk on $1.25M
 3.8%
$895/wk on $1.23M
Units 5.2%
$560/wk on $561K
 5.2%
$620/wk on $617K

Ranking within NSW

Punchbowl Bankstown
House price Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 75% of NSW
Income Higher than 39% of NSW Higher than 32% of NSW
Schools Higher than 49% of NSW Higher than 61% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 94% of NSW Higher than 98% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 17% of NSW Higher than 13% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 54% of NSW Higher than 72% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 86% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 53% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 76% of NSW

Liveability

Bankstown scores higher overall (56 vs 40); Bankstown is more walkable (94 vs 84).

Punchbowl Bankstown
Grade C B
Score 40/100 56/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
same for both

Risk profile

Punchbowl carries more bushfire risk (74 vs 0).

Punchbowl Bankstown
Bushfire High
74/100
 None
0/100
Crime — High
81/100
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 18
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Punchbowl Bankstown
Inside the suburb 4 13
Rated above peers 1 4
Rated at peers 0 4
Rated below peers 3 1
Universities within 10 km 2
Western Sydney University - Bankstown City, 2.0 km
 2
Western Sydney University - Bankstown City, 0.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.5% 3.2%

Schools in Punchbowl

  • St Jerome's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Punchbowl Boys High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • Punchbowl Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • St Charbel's College Independent · Combined below peers

Schools in Bankstown

  • Bankstown West Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • La Salle Catholic College Catholic · Secondary above peers
  • St Brendan's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • St Felix Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Bankstown Girls High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Bankstown North Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Punchbowl Bankstown
Supermarkets 1 9
Cafes & restaurants 3 48
Parks & reserves 7 27
Childcare 23 29
GPs 7 26
Pharmacies 4 15
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 1 13
Fuel stations 2 4
EV chargers 0 2
Waterways 1
same for both

Mobility

Bankstown sits further from the CBD (29.3 km vs 24.1 km).

Punchbowl Bankstown
Walkability score 84/100 94/100
Distance to Sydney 24.1 km 29.3 km
+22% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 31 min
same for both
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 79/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 369.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 1042.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2196
 0.8%
postcode 2200
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 22
postcode 2196
 18
postcode 2200

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.

Punchbowl Bankstown
Car (driver) 55.4% / 51.5%
Punchbowl — Car (driver): 55.4% Bankstown — Car (driver): 51.5%
Worked from Home 29.6% / 30.3%
Punchbowl — Worked from Home: 29.6% Bankstown — Worked from Home: 30.3%
Train 6.0% / 7.6%
Punchbowl — Train: 6.0% Bankstown — Train: 7.6%
Car (passenger) 5.6% / 4.8%
Punchbowl — Car (passenger): 5.6% Bankstown — Car (passenger): 4.8%
Walked Only 2.2% / 3.3%
Punchbowl — Walked Only: 2.2% Bankstown — Walked Only: 3.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (55.4%).

Setting

Punchbowl Bankstown
Elevation 22 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 21 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 10.4 km 12.4 km

NBN connectivity

Punchbowl Bankstown
Connectivity score 77/100 74/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 14%
7,356 premises
 11%
15,088 premises

Climate

Punchbowl Bankstown
Annual rainfall 909 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.4°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Punchbowl Bankstown
PM2.5 6.5 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 16.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.9 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Punchbowl Bankstown
Average residential rate $1,322/yr
same for both
Council Canterbury-Bankstown
same for both

Federal electorate

Punchbowl Bankstown
Division Watson
same for both
Member Tony Burke
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Punchbowl Bankstown
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Punchbowl

Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks Urban

Bankstown

Affordable Apartments Middle-Ring Multicultural Parks River Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Punchbowl

Punchbowl vs Greenacre Punchbowl vs Lakemba Punchbowl vs Padstow Punchbowl vs Riverwood Punchbowl vs Roselands Punchbowl vs Wiley Park

Other comparisons with Bankstown

Bankstown vs Greenacre Bankstown vs Yagoona Bankstown vs Revesby Bankstown vs Padstow Bankstown vs Condell Park Bankstown vs Mount Lewis
Full data on Punchbowl Full data on Bankstown
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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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