Sutton Forest vs Penrose

Sutton Forest is the younger of the two, with a median age of 50 against 55 in Penrose. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Sutton Forest, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Sutton Forest: a median of $1.97 million, against $815,000 in Penrose, though rent is higher in Penrose. On these figures, Sutton Forest tends to suit couples, 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

Sutton Forest

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (58/100 vs 72/100)

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 $1,973,750)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Sutton Forest

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (14% vs 36%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $390/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Sutton Forest

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (139 km vs 148.6 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (108 min vs 114 min)
  • But Penrose is more walkable (27/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Sutton Forest carries lower crime risk (58/100 vs 72/100)
  • Penrose is more walkable (27/100 vs 0/100)

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

Sutton Forest 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.

Sutton Forest 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.

Sutton Forest Penrose
Walkability 0 / 27
Sutton Forest — Walkability: 0/100 Penrose — Walkability: 27/100
Safety 42 / 28
Sutton Forest — Safety: 42/100 Penrose — Safety: 28/100
Low fire risk 86 / 16
Sutton Forest — Low fire risk: 86/100 Penrose — Low fire risk: 16/100

Demographics

Sutton Forest has more residents (504 vs 263); Sutton Forest has higher household incomes ($107,588 vs $56,732).

Sutton Forest Penrose
Population 504
+48% vs other
 263
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.7% +6.5%
Median age 50 55
Median household income $107,588/yr
+47% vs other
 $56,732/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk $390/wk
+30% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Sutton Forest Penrose
0-4 2.8% / 4.9%
Sutton Forest — 0-4: 2.8% Penrose — 0-4: 4.9%
5-14 11.3% / 8.7%
Sutton Forest — 5-14: 11.3% Penrose — 5-14: 8.7%
15-19 6.0% / 11.0%
Sutton Forest — 15-19: 6.0% Penrose — 15-19: 11.0%
20-24 4.8% / 3.4%
Sutton Forest — 20-24: 4.8% Penrose — 20-24: 3.4%
25-34 4.6% / 7.2%
Sutton Forest — 25-34: 4.6% Penrose — 25-34: 7.2%
35-44 8.3% / 9.9%
Sutton Forest — 35-44: 8.3% Penrose — 35-44: 9.9%
45-54 17.7% / 7.2%
Sutton Forest — 45-54: 17.7% Penrose — 45-54: 7.2%
55-64 16.3% / 20.2%
Sutton Forest — 55-64: 16.3% Penrose — 55-64: 20.2%
65-74 16.1% / 20.2%
Sutton Forest — 65-74: 16.1% Penrose — 65-74: 20.2%
75-84 8.5% / 4.9%
Sutton Forest — 75-84: 8.5% Penrose — 75-84: 4.9%
85+ 1.8% / 3.8%
Sutton Forest — 85+: 1.8% Penrose — 85+: 3.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Sutton Forest 47.7% couple families
Sutton Forest — Couple Families: 47.7% Sutton Forest — Lone Person: 35.5% Sutton Forest — One Parent Families: 8.4% Sutton Forest — Group Household: 3.7% Sutton Forest — Other Families: 4.7%
Penrose 27.8% couple families
Penrose — Couple Families: 27.8% Penrose — Lone Person: 39.2% Penrose — One Parent Families: 29.1% Penrose — Group Household: 3.8% Penrose — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Sutton Forest 19.4% renting
Sutton Forest — Owned Outright: 51.2% Sutton Forest — Mortgage: 29.4% Sutton Forest — Renting: 19.4%
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.

Sutton Forest Penrose
Bachelor Degree 16.7% / 16.3%
Sutton Forest — Bachelor Degree: 16.7% Penrose — Bachelor Degree: 16.3%
Certificate III & IV 15.1% / 14.1%
Sutton Forest — Certificate III & IV: 15.1% Penrose — Certificate III & IV: 14.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 5.7%
Sutton Forest — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Penrose — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7%
Postgraduate Degree 4.0% / 5.3%
Sutton Forest — Postgraduate Degree: 4.0% Penrose — Postgraduate Degree: 5.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 1.9%
Sutton Forest — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Penrose — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9%

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

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.

Sutton Forest Penrose
England 6.7% / 7.6%
Sutton Forest — England: 6.7% Penrose — England: 7.6%
New Zealand 1.8% / 1.1%
Sutton Forest — New Zealand: 1.8% Penrose — New Zealand: 1.1%
Thailand — / 1.9%
Sutton Forest — Thailand: not among its largest Penrose — Thailand: 1.9%
Germany — / 1.1%
Sutton Forest — Germany: not among its largest Penrose — Germany: 1.1%
South Africa 1.0% / —
Sutton Forest — South Africa: 1.0% Penrose — South Africa: not among its largest
Egypt 0.6% / —
Sutton Forest — Egypt: 0.6% Penrose — Egypt: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Sutton Forest 95.7% houses
Sutton Forest — Houses: 95.7% Sutton Forest — Flats / Apartments: 4.3%
Penrose 100.0% houses
Penrose — Houses: 100.0% Penrose — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Sutton Forest Penrose
Median house price $1,973,750 $815,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 85 days
from 3 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Penrose has more rural and farming land (54% vs 6%); Sutton Forest has more land zoned for conservation (90% vs 44%).

Sutton Forest Penrose
Environmental 90% 44%
Rural and farming 6% 54%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 1%
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

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

Ranking within NSW

Sutton Forest Penrose
House price Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 40% of NSW
Income Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 17% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 37% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 30% of NSW Higher than 33% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 81% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 43% of NSW Higher than 48% of NSW

Liveability

Penrose is more walkable (27 vs 0).

Sutton Forest Penrose
Grade B —
Score 52/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Penrose carries more bushfire risk (84 vs 14); Penrose carries more crime risk (72 vs 58).

Sutton Forest Penrose
Bushfire Low
14/100
 High
84/100
Crime Moderate
58/100
 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 0
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

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

Schools in Sutton Forest

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Penrose

  • Penrose Public School Government · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Sutton Forest Penrose
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 3
same for both
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 13 6

Mobility

Penrose sits further from the CBD (148.6 km vs 139 km).

Sutton Forest Penrose
Walkability score 0/100 27/100
Distance to Sydney 139 km 148.6 km
+7% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 108 min 114 min
Public transport score 27/100
Bus
 28/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 7.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 4.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 2577
 1.0%
postcode 2579
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2577
 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.

Sutton Forest Penrose
Car (driver) 58.6% / 62.7%
Sutton Forest — Car (driver): 58.6% Penrose — Car (driver): 62.7%
Worked from Home 35.8% / 25.3%
Sutton Forest — Worked from Home: 35.8% Penrose — Worked from Home: 25.3%
Walked Only 4.2% / 8.0%
Sutton Forest — Walked Only: 4.2% Penrose — Walked Only: 8.0%
Car (passenger) 1.4% / 4.0%
Sutton Forest — Car (passenger): 1.4% Penrose — Car (passenger): 4.0%

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

Setting

Sutton Forest Penrose
Elevation 681 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 638 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Sutton Forest Penrose
Connectivity score 28/100 29/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
221 premises
 0%
135 premises

Climate

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

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Sutton Forest

Premium Retirees Rural

Penrose

Retirees Rural Trains

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Sutton Forest

Sutton Forest vs Moss Vale Sutton Forest vs Exeter Sutton Forest vs Berrima Sutton Forest vs New Berrima Sutton Forest vs Canyonleigh Sutton Forest vs Medway

Other comparisons with Penrose

Penrose vs Bundanoon Penrose vs Exeter Penrose vs Wingello Penrose vs Paddys River
Full data on Sutton Forest Full data on Penrose
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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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