Watervale vs Penwortham

Watervale is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 52 in Penwortham. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Watervale, most households are couple families. In Penwortham, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Penwortham tends to suit people living alone.

Watervale and Penwortham are both small rural South Australian communities with notably different income profiles. Penwortham has a significantly higher median household income of $94,692 compared to Watervale's $74,724, and a considerably older population with a median age of 52 years versus Watervale's 43 years. Watervale offers better walkability (20 versus 11) and lower bushfire risk (16 versus 29), while being slightly closer to Adelaide's CBD. Both suburbs share identical crime risk ratings, making them equally safe on that measure.

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

Watervale

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (67% vs 58%)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

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

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Watervale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($275/wk vs $300/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Watervale

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (24/100 vs 14/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (94 min vs 100 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (126.5 km vs 132.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Watervale is more walkable (24/100 vs 14/100)
  • Penwortham has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 20%)

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

Investors

Penwortham

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (10.9% vs 3.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Watervale Penwortham
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.

Watervale Penwortham
Walkability 24 / 14
Watervale — Walkability: 24/100 Penwortham — Walkability: 14/100
Safety 85 / 85
Watervale — Safety: 85/100 Penwortham — Safety: 85/100
Low fire risk 84 / 71
Watervale — Low fire risk: 84/100 Penwortham — Low fire risk: 71/100

Demographics

Watervale has more residents (338 vs 163); Penwortham has higher household incomes ($94,692 vs $74,724).

Watervale Penwortham
Population 338
+52% vs other
 163
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.7% +10.9%
Median age 43 52
Median household income $74,724/yr $94,692/yr
+27% vs other
Median weekly rent $275/wk $300/wk
+9% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Watervale Penwortham
0-4 4.7% / 6.7%
Watervale — 0-4: 4.7% Penwortham — 0-4: 6.7%
5-14 18.3% / 14.1%
Watervale — 5-14: 18.3% Penwortham — 5-14: 14.1%
15-19 5.6% / 4.9%
Watervale — 15-19: 5.6% Penwortham — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 1.5% / —
Watervale — 20-24: 1.5% Penwortham — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 10.4% / 1.8%
Watervale — 25-34: 10.4% Penwortham — 25-34: 1.8%
35-44 13.6% / 11.7%
Watervale — 35-44: 13.6% Penwortham — 35-44: 11.7%
45-54 12.7% / 12.3%
Watervale — 45-54: 12.7% Penwortham — 45-54: 12.3%
55-64 14.8% / 23.9%
Watervale — 55-64: 14.8% Penwortham — 55-64: 23.9%
65-74 13.0% / 13.5%
Watervale — 65-74: 13.0% Penwortham — 65-74: 13.5%
75-84 5.6% / 5.5%
Watervale — 75-84: 5.6% Penwortham — 75-84: 5.5%
85+ 0.9% / 5.5%
Watervale — 85+: 0.9% Penwortham — 85+: 5.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Watervale 58.2% couple families
Watervale — Couple Families: 58.2% Watervale — Lone Person: 32.9% Watervale — One Parent Families: 8.9%
Penwortham 48.5% couple families
Penwortham — Couple Families: 48.5% Penwortham — Lone Person: 42.4% Penwortham — One Parent Families: 9.1%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Watervale 16.5% renting
Watervale — Owned Outright: 44.3% Watervale — Mortgage: 39.1% Watervale — Renting: 16.5%
Penwortham 9.7% renting
Penwortham — Owned Outright: 51.6% Penwortham — Mortgage: 38.7% Penwortham — Renting: 9.7%
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.

Watervale Penwortham
England 4.1% / 1.8%
Watervale — England: 4.1% Penwortham — England: 1.8%
Canada 1.5% / —
Watervale — Canada: 1.5% Penwortham — Canada: not among its largest
Germany 1.2% / —
Watervale — Germany: 1.2% Penwortham — Germany: not among its largest
New Zealand 0.9% / —
Watervale — New Zealand: 0.9% Penwortham — New Zealand: not among its largest
Ireland 0.9% / —
Watervale — Ireland: 0.9% Penwortham — Ireland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (4.1%).

Qualifications

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

Watervale Penwortham
Bachelor Degree 13.3% / 15.3%
Watervale — Bachelor Degree: 13.3% Penwortham — Bachelor Degree: 15.3%
Certificate III & IV 15.7% / 8.6%
Watervale — Certificate III & IV: 15.7% Penwortham — Certificate III & IV: 8.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.3% / 12.3%
Watervale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.3% Penwortham — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 12.3%
Postgraduate Degree 4.1% / 3.7%
Watervale — Postgraduate Degree: 4.1% Penwortham — Postgraduate Degree: 3.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.4% / 2.5%
Watervale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4% Penwortham — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Watervale 98.3% houses
Watervale — Houses: 98.3% Watervale — Townhouses: 2.6%
Penwortham 100.0% houses
Penwortham — Houses: 100.0% Penwortham — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses

Property market

Watervale Penwortham
Median house price $457,600 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 34 days
from 3 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Watervale Penwortham
Rural and farming 99%
same for both
Residential 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

Watervale Penwortham
New dwellings approved 28
across Clare and Gilbert Valleys
same for both
Approvals change year on year +20%
same for both

Ranking within SA

Watervale Penwortham
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 49% of SA Higher than 73% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 74% of SA Higher than 68% of SA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption — Higher than 21% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 46% of SA Higher than 47% of SA

Liveability

Watervale is more walkable (24 vs 14).

Watervale Penwortham
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 advantaged area
decile 8/10

Risk profile

Penwortham carries more bushfire risk (29 vs 16).

Watervale Penwortham
Bushfire Low
16/100
 Low
29/100
Crime Low
15/100
same for both
Flood —
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
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Watervale Penwortham
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Watervale

  • Watervale Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Penwortham

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

Amenities in the suburb

Watervale Penwortham
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 1 0
Childcare 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0

Mobility

Penwortham sits further from the CBD (132.1 km vs 126.5 km).

Watervale Penwortham
Walkability score 24/100 14/100
Distance to Adelaide 126.5 km 132.1 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 94 min 100 min
Electric vehicle share 0.0%
postcode 5452
 0.2%
postcode 5453
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 81
postcode 5452
 67
postcode 5453

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.

Watervale Penwortham
Car (driver) 69.9% / 71.1%
Watervale — Car (driver): 69.9% Penwortham — Car (driver): 71.1%
Worked from Home 12.2% / 15.8%
Watervale — Worked from Home: 12.2% Penwortham — Worked from Home: 15.8%
Walked Only 14.1% / 6.6%
Watervale — Walked Only: 14.1% Penwortham — Walked Only: 6.6%
Car (passenger) 1.9% / 6.6%
Watervale — Car (passenger): 1.9% Penwortham — Car (passenger): 6.6%
Bus 1.9% / —
Watervale — Bus: 1.9% Penwortham — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.1%).

Setting

Watervale Penwortham
Elevation 388 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 463 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Watervale Penwortham
Connectivity score 29/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
140 premises
 0%
86 premises

Climate

Watervale Penwortham
Annual rainfall 420 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 5.6°C
same for both

Council rates

Watervale Penwortham
Average residential rate $1,830/yr
same for both
Council Clare and Gilbert Valleys
same for both

Federal electorate

Watervale Penwortham
Division Grey
same for both
Member Tom Venning
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Watervale Penwortham
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Watervale

Family Quiet Rural

Penwortham

Professionals Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Watervale

Watervale vs Auburn Watervale vs Mintaro Watervale vs Hoyleton Watervale vs Leasingham Watervale vs Spring Gully

Other comparisons with Penwortham

Penwortham vs Mintaro Penwortham vs Sevenhill Penwortham vs Spring Gully
Full data on Watervale Full data on Penwortham
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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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