Penola SA 5277
Penola is a town in South Australia, 383 km from Adelaide CBD, around 4 hours 10 minutes by car. Population is 1,622; the median age is 47 and the median household income is $71,188 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the lower-middle tier nationally. Population grew 1.9% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $198 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,050. Of 3 schools within the town boundary, 1 ranks above the state average, and walkability is low.
Is Penola a good town?
Penola scores a B (53/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on safety.
Mixed results
3 schools · 1 above peer schools
Some car dependence
Walkability 34/100 · 382.7 km · 250 min drive to Adelaide
Median available
Median $455K
Low all-round risk
Fire 21/100 · Crime 19/100
Below-average income
SEIFA decile 3/10 · median age 47 · 1,622 residents
Liveability Rating
53 / 100 · Ranked #224 in SAEach bar is Penola's rank among SA suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Penola?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
53 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataPenola's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $455,000, roughly 42% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$455,000
Based on 57 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 118 days — median across 16 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 39 sales $455K
- 4 bed 13 sales $500K
Land
$152,600
Based on 13 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 88 days — median across 5 sales that recorded a listing period
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Penola are currently listed at around $530,000 on average. Based on 12 houses listed in the past six months.
$530K
12 houses listed in the last 6 months.
13 of the suburb's 642 dwellings (2.0%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Penola rent for around $488 a week on average, based on 4 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
$488/wk
4 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
4 rentals advertised against an estimated 152 rented homes (2.6%) in the last 6 months.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$488/week ($25,000 a year) on a $530,000 median
Based on a small sample (4 listings) — indicative only.
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Is Penola safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Penola sits in the low band, with 18 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 38% on the prior year.
18 offences
37.9% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–20259 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 5 of them fatal
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the town carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. This state’s crash data does not name the road.
Schools
Three schools serve Penola, and performance is broadly at peer-suburb levels with one standout. Mary MacKillop Memorial School leads the pack.
- • 303 students across 3 schools (avg 101)
- • Sectors: 2 Government, 1 Catholic
- • ICSEA 933-1029, median 977 (below the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Penola Primary School (133 students)
Primary
Secondary
Walkability
Penola is car-dependent on foot — at 34/100, most errands require a car. Within the town there are 1 supermarket, 2 parks and 3 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Penola.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 1%
- Premises covered
- 938
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Wattle Range: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this town alone — this town's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 5 small areas inside this town and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 4 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this town rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Penola is home to about 1,600 residents, with a median age of 47, a touch above the national 38. Median household income runs at $71,000 a year, with unemployment at 2.3%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
1,622
Median Age
47
Median Household Income
$71,188/yr
Census Median Rent
$198/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,050/mo
Avg Household Size
2.2
Median Personal Income
$41,808/yr
Unemployment Rate
2.3%
Unoccupied Dwellings
20.6%
Total Dwellings
642
Owner-Occupier Rate
76.4%
Houses
89.4%
Rental Stress
14.5%
Mortgage Stress
17.7%
Work From Home
9.0%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
13 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 22 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 144 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 84.7%
- English Spoken at Home
- 90.1%
- Employment Rate
- 61.5%
- Completed Year 12
- 34.8%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
34 residents (2.1%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
5.2% of residents (81) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Adelaide (52).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 1,553 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,537 a year through Wattle Range based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 99%
- Zones under 1% 1%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the town around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Wattle Range
In the year to August 2026, 31 new dwellings were approved across Wattle Range. Almost all of the pipeline is detached houses.
Climate & Setting
from Coonawarra, 9.0 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, cold winters with occasional frost.
- Elevation
- 62 m
- above sea level, at the town centre
- Annual rainfall
- 556 mm
- 89 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 27.4°C
- 15 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 5.3°C
- 11 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the town centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
3 facilities within 5 km- 2.0 kmWine and Other Alcoholic Beverage ManufacturingTop reported: Ethanol · Total Volatile Organic Compounds
- 2.8 kmWine and Other Alcoholic Beverage ManufacturingTop reported: Ethanol · Total Volatile Organic Compounds
- 3.5 kmWine and Other Alcoholic Beverage ManufacturingTop reported: Ethanol · Total Volatile Organic Compounds
EV adoption
In postcode 5277, 3 of 3,085 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 1.1% (33 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 1.2%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 5277, 623 rooftop-solar systems totalling 4.8 MW have been installed since 2001, against 1,380 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 31 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$15,000 for new homes.
No purchase-price cap. Stamp duty is fully exempted for eligible first-home buyers as a separate concession.
Mortgage repayments
Conveyance duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with RevenueSA
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Tony Pasin Liberal
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Tony Pasin | 37.0% | 63.0% | +3.6 |
| 2022 | Tony Pasin | 33.4% | 66.6% | -2.3 |
| 2019 | Tony Pasin | 31.1% | 68.9% | +5.1 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact town's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Jason Virgo Pauline Hanson's One Nation
Next state election: 16 March 2030.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Jason Virgo ON | 50.9% |
| 2022 | Nick McBride LP | 72.7% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2024, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this town's voters. Results: Electoral Commission of South Australia.
Looking at a specific address in Penola?
Every figure above is a town average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 1,622 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Nearby suburbs
Compare Penola to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other SA suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Penola
Is Penola a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Penola is low (19/100, ranked against other SA suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Penola?
Penola has a low recorded bushfire history (21/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). These are town-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Penola a good place to live?
Penola has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of B (53/100), ranked against other SA suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Penola?
Penola, SA had a population of 1,622 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Penola, SA?
The postcode for Penola, SA is 5277.
How far is Penola from Adelaide?
Penola is 383 km from Adelaide CBD by road, about 250 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Penola?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Penola was $71,188 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Penola?
The median advertised rent in Penola is $488 a week for houses (4 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Penola?
The median age of residents in Penola was 47 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Penola at risk of bushfire?
Penola has a low recorded bushfire history (21/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the town relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Penola?
There are 3 schools inside the Penola boundary: 1 above and 2 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Penola walkable?
Penola scores 34/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it car-dependent. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the weather like in Penola?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Penola, Coonawarra (9 km away), summer days average 27.4°C, winter nights 5.3°C, 556 mm of rain a year over 89 rainy days, and 15 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Penola?
First-home buyers in SA may be eligible for $15,000 towards new homes. The grant is administered by RevenueSA; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Penola belong to?
Penola sits within the Wattle Range local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Penola?
The average residential rates bill through Wattle Range is $1,537 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Penola?
Across Wattle Range, 31 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Penola in?
Penola sits within the federal Division of Barker, currently held by Tony Pasin (Liberal).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- State electorate · 2026
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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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.