# Lewisham vs Petersham — 2021 Census comparison

Suburb / Locality comparison · about less than 1 km apart

Petersham and Lewisham (NSW) are neighbouring Inner West areas with very high levels of education and income. Lewisham (NSW) is more diverse, with a well higher share of people born overseas (32.4%) and those using another language at home (23.7%). It also has a far higher number of schools per 1,000 children (9.06 compared to 2.88 in Petersham). Petersham has a far larger First Nations population (156 people) and a well higher share of people who speak a First Nations language (15.4%).

These two areas are effectively alike in many ways, including their typical weekly family incomes of around $3,200 and similar proportions of children and retirees. This shared character is seen in their housing, where both are far above the national figure for renting. Petersham is slightly more walkable, with a shorter walk to the nearest stop (1 minute versus 3 minutes in Lewisham (NSW)) and far more public transport stops (28 versus 12).

## Where they differ most

- Population: 4,140 larger in Petersham
- Recent movers: 8.8 pts higher in Lewisham
- Separate houses: 6.1 pts higher in Lewisham
- Born overseas: 4.9 pts higher in Lewisham
- Bachelor+: 4.8 pts higher in Lewisham

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Lewisham | Petersham | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 4,060 | 8,200 | 4,140 larger in Petersham | gap narrowing |
| Median age | 34 yrs | 36 yrs | 2 yrs older in Petersham | gap narrowing |
| First Nations | 1.2% | 1.9% | 0.7 pts higher in Petersham | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 11.9% | 11.7% | 0.2 pts higher in Lewisham | gap narrowing |
| Under 15 | 13.6% | 12.7% | 0.9 pts higher in Lewisham | gap steady |
| De facto | 20.6% | 19.9% | 0.7 pts higher in Lewisham | gap steady |

### Age structure

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Young adults (25–44) | 44.8% | 39.0% | +5.8 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 19.7% | 24.9% | -5.2 |
| Children (0–14) | 13.6% | 12.7% | +0.9 |
| Youth (15–24) | 10.4% | 11.9% | -1.5 |
| Seniors (65+) | 11.9% | 11.7% | +0.2 |

### Marital status

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Never married | 52.9% | 56.9% | -4.0 |
| Married | 34.3% | 29.8% | +4.5 |
| Divorced | 7.5% | 8.2% | -0.7 |
| Widowed | 3.3% | 2.7% | +0.6 |
| Separated | 2.0% | 2.4% | -0.3 |

### Age profile

Share of each region's population by age band and sex.

| Age band | Lewisham male | Lewisham female | Petersham male | Petersham female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 2.8% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.0% |
| 5–9 | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1.8% |
| 10–14 | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.4% | 2.1% |
| 15–19 | 1.5% | 1.6% | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| 20–24 | 3.7% | 3.5% | 3.3% | 4.1% |
| 25–29 | 5.9% | 7.4% | 5.4% | 5.9% |
| 30–34 | 6.8% | 6.9% | 5.4% | 5.5% |
| 35–39 | 5.1% | 5.9% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| 40–44 | 3.1% | 3.5% | 3.9% | 3.8% |
| 45–49 | 3.1% | 3.0% | 3.4% | 3.9% |
| 50–54 | 2.1% | 2.8% | 3.8% | 3.6% |
| 55–59 | 2.0% | 2.3% | 3.3% | 2.3% |
| 60–64 | 2.0% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 2.4% |
| 65–69 | 1.5% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 2.1% |
| 70–74 | 1.1% | 1.8% | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| 75–79 | 0.9% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| 80–84 | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| 85+ | 1.0% | 1.5% | 0.5% | 0.8% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Lewisham | Petersham | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 32.4% | 27.5% | 4.9 pts higher in Lewisham | gap widening |

### Country of birth

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 62.1% | 67.1% | -5.0 |
| England | 3.7% | 4.5% | -0.9 |
| China | 4.1% | 1.3% | +2.8 |
| New Zealand | 2.2% | 2.0% | +0.2 |
| Italy | 1.7% | 1.2% | +0.4 |
| Philippines | 1.2% | 0.7% | +0.5 |
| Vietnam | 1.2% | 1.0% | +0.2 |
| India | 1.1% | 0.7% | +0.4 |
| South Africa | 0.4% | 0.5% | 0.0 |
| Nepal | 0.1% | 0.3% | -0.2 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English | 28.3% | 33.0% | -4.7 |
| Australian | 26.0% | 26.5% | -0.5 |
| Irish | 13.8% | 15.5% | -1.6 |
| Scottish | 8.9% | 10.8% | -1.9 |
| Chinese | 10.5% | 5.3% | +5.2 |
| Italian | 7.0% | 6.0% | +1.0 |
| Greek | 3.7% | 3.7% | +0.0 |
| German | 3.1% | 3.4% | -0.3 |
| Indian | 2.0% | 1.5% | +0.5 |
| Filipino | 1.9% | 1.3% | +0.6 |
| Vietnamese | 1.9% | 1.6% | +0.3 |
| Dutch | 1.5% | 1.1% | +0.5 |

## Language

| Statistic | Lewisham | Petersham | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 23.7% | 19.4% | 4.3 pts higher in Lewisham | gap widening |
| Limited English | 3.6% | 2.9% | 0.7 pts higher in Lewisham | gap steady |

### Language used at home

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 70.4% | 75.1% | -4.7 |
| Mandarin | 4.2% | 1.6% | +2.6 |
| Cantonese | 2.8% | 0.8% | +2.0 |
| Greek | 2.1% | 2.0% | +0.0 |
| Italian | 2.0% | 1.8% | +0.2 |
| Vietnamese | 1.3% | 1.1% | +0.2 |
| Arabic | 0.5% | 1.0% | -0.5 |
| Tagalog | 0.4% | 0.2% | +0.2 |
| Hindi | 0.3% | 0.3% | +0.0 |
| Punjabi | 0.0% | 0.1% | -0.1 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Lewisham | Petersham | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 56.2% | 55.8% | 0.4 pts higher in Lewisham | gap narrowing |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 56.2% | 55.8% | +0.4 |
| Christianity | 30.7% | 31.8% | -1.1 |
| Not stated | 7.1% | 7.2% | -0.1 |
| Buddhism | 3.3% | 2.1% | +1.2 |
| Hinduism | 1.0% | 0.9% | +0.2 |
| Islam | 0.6% | 1.0% | -0.4 |
| Judaism | 0.3% | 0.6% | -0.4 |
| Other religions | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.0 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Lewisham | Petersham | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 79.1% | 76.3% | 2.7 pts higher in Lewisham | gap steady |
| Bachelor+ | 52.8% | 48.0% | 4.8 pts higher in Lewisham | gap widening |
| Schools/1k kids | 9.06 | 2.88 | 6.18 more in Lewisham |  |
| Schools ≤3 km | 63 | 70 | 7 more in Petersham |  |
| Avg size | 475 | 447 | 28 larger in Lewisham |  |
| ICSEA | 1,115 | 1,114 |  |  |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 79.1% | 76.3% | +2.7 |
| Year 10 | 6.3% | 8.0% | -1.7 |
| Year 9 or below | 3.8% | 5.7% | -2.0 |
| Year 11 | 2.3% | 3.0% | -0.7 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bachelor degree | 42.2% | 40.7% | +1.5 |
| Postgraduate degree | 19.7% | 18.8% | +1.0 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 10.2% | 11.3% | -1.1 |
| Certificate III / IV | 8.3% | 10.4% | -2.0 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 5.0% | 5.1% | -0.1 |
| Certificate I / II | 1.0% | 1.0% | +0.0 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Management & commerce | 20.3% | 18.5% | +1.8 |
| Society & culture | 17.4% | 18.5% | -1.1 |
| Creative arts | 12.9% | 15.6% | -2.7 |
| Health | 8.3% | 7.4% | +0.9 |
| Engineering & related | 6.4% | 6.2% | +0.2 |
| Education | 5.1% | 6.0% | -0.9 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 4.3% | 4.0% | +0.3 |
| Information technology | 4.3% | 3.4% | +0.9 |
| Architecture & building | 3.9% | 4.0% | -0.1 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 2.1% | 2.7% | -0.7 |
| Agriculture & environment | 0.9% | 0.9% | +0.0 |

## Income

| Statistic | Lewisham | Petersham | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $1,344 | $1,223 | $121 higher in Lewisham | gap widening |
| Household income | $2,405 | $2,217 | $188 higher in Lewisham | gap widening |
| Family income | $3,263 | $3,202 | $61 higher in Lewisham | gap steady |
| High earners | 26.4% | 24.3% | 2.1 pts higher in Lewisham | gap widening |
| High-income homes | 39.7% | 35.5% | 4.2 pts higher in Lewisham | gap widening |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 28.6% | 27.9% | +0.7 |
| $4,000 or more | 25.3% | 23.6% | +1.7 |
| $650–$1,499 | 17.3% | 20.5% | -3.3 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 14.4% | 11.9% | +2.5 |
| Under $650 | 10.5% | 11.6% | -1.1 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 29.5% | 26.6% | +3.0 |
| Under $650 | 24.9% | 27.7% | -2.9 |
| $650–$1,499 | 25.9% | 27.6% | -1.7 |
| $3,000 or more | 11.4% | 11.3% | +0.1 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Lewisham | Petersham | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 25.8% | 29.4% | 3.6 pts higher in Petersham |  |
| Mental health | 11.2% | 13.2% | 2.1 pts higher in Petersham |  |
| Needs assistance | 4.8% | 4.2% | 0.7 pts higher in Lewisham | gap narrowing |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Mental health | 11.2% | 13.2% | -2.1 |
| Asthma | 8.7% | 9.4% | -0.7 |
| Other condition | 7.8% | 8.3% | -0.4 |
| Arthritis | 4.5% | 5.6% | -1.2 |
| Diabetes | 2.3% | 3.3% | -0.9 |
| Heart disease | 2.1% | 2.6% | -0.6 |
| Cancer | 2.4% | 2.3% | +0.1 |
| Lung condition | 0.7% | 1.1% | -0.3 |
| Stroke | 0.5% | 0.6% | -0.2 |
| Dementia | 0.1% | 0.4% | -0.3 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 64.3% | 62.6% | +1.7 |
| One condition | 19.7% | 22.2% | -2.5 |
| Two conditions | 4.8% | 5.3% | -0.5 |
| Three or more | 1.1% | 1.9% | -0.8 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Lewisham | Petersham | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 15.5% | 14.6% | 0.9 pts higher in Lewisham | gap narrowing |
| Unpaid carers | 8.5% | 9.8% | 1.3 pts higher in Petersham | gap widening |
| Unpaid child care | 20.0% | 19.5% | 0.5 pts higher in Lewisham | gap steady |
| Defence service | 1.0% | 1.2% | 0.2 pts higher in Petersham |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 16.1% | 17.1% | 1.0 pts higher in Petersham | gap narrowing |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Lewisham | Petersham | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 49 | 156 | 107 larger in Petersham |  |
| Median age | 24 yrs | 28 yrs | 4 yrs older in Petersham |  |
| Year 12 | 71.0% | 58.9% | 12.1 pts higher in Lewisham |  |
| Unemployment | 10.7% | 3.7% | 7.0 pts higher in Lewisham |  |
| Median income | $619 | $785 | $166 higher in Petersham |  |
| Household income | $2,250 | $1,428 | $822 higher in Lewisham |  |
| Indigenous language | 10.2% | 15.4% | 5.2 pts higher in Petersham |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Lewisham | Petersham | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 2.2 | 2.2 |  | gap narrowing |
| One-parent | 10.7% | 11.1% | 0.4 pts higher in Petersham | gap steady |
| Living alone | 30.8% | 35.1% | 4.3 pts higher in Petersham | gap widening |

### Family composition

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 51.5% | 54.0% | -2.5 |
| Couples without children | 36.2% | 33.2% | +3.0 |
| One-parent families | 10.7% | 11.1% | -0.4 |
| Other families | 1.6% | 1.8% | -0.2 |

### Household size

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 people | 37.7% | 33.8% | +3.9 |
| 1 person | 30.8% | 35.1% | -4.3 |
| 3 people | 16.1% | 14.7% | +1.4 |
| 4 people | 11.6% | 12.6% | -1.0 |
| 5 people | 2.8% | 3.3% | -0.5 |
| 6 or more | 0.5% | 0.7% | -0.2 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Lewisham | Petersham | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $520 | $450 | $70 higher in Lewisham | gap widening |
| Mortgage | $2,817 | $2,900 | $83 higher in Petersham | gap widening |
| People / bedroom | 1.00 | 1.00 |  | gap steady |
| Renting | 47.1% | 50.7% | 3.6 pts higher in Petersham | gap narrowing |
| Owned outright | 19.0% | 19.4% | 0.4 pts higher in Petersham | gap narrowing |
| Separate houses | 28.6% | 22.5% | 6.1 pts higher in Lewisham | gap narrowing |
| 3+ bedrooms | 38.4% | 39.3% | 0.8 pts higher in Petersham | gap narrowing |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rented | 47.1% | 50.7% | -3.6 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 31.9% | 28.3% | +3.7 |
| Owned outright | 19.0% | 19.4% | -0.4 |
| Other tenure | 1.0% | 0.8% | +0.1 |
| Not stated | 0.9% | 0.6% | +0.3 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Flat or apartment | 57.0% | 47.2% | +9.7 |
| Separate house | 28.6% | 22.5% | +6.1 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 13.2% | 26.5% | -13.3 |
| Other dwelling | 0.9% | 3.1% | -2.2 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 bedrooms | 38.9% | 33.9% | +5.0 |
| 3 bedrooms | 26.6% | 24.8% | +1.8 |
| 1 bedroom | 19.8% | 21.3% | -1.5 |
| 4 bedrooms | 9.4% | 11.9% | -2.5 |
| Studio / none | 1.6% | 4.5% | -2.9 |
| 5 or more | 2.5% | 2.7% | -0.2 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $350–$549 | 37.7% | 42.6% | -4.9 |
| $550–$749 | 30.8% | 20.2% | +10.6 |
| $200–$349 | 10.6% | 16.3% | -5.7 |
| $750 or more | 15.4% | 11.1% | +4.3 |
| Under $200 | 3.3% | 6.3% | -3.0 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $3,000 or more | 43.8% | 45.9% | -2.1 |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 30.0% | 26.3% | +3.7 |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 11.9% | 12.5% | -0.5 |
| Under $1,000 | 10.1% | 9.8% | +0.3 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Lewisham | Petersham | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 19.0% | 21.5% | 2.5 pts higher in Petersham | gap steady |
| Work from home | 57.5% | 54.6% | 2.9 pts higher in Lewisham | gap widening |
| PT commute | 6.2% | 6.1% | 0.1 pts higher in Lewisham | gap narrowing |
| PT stops | 12 | 28 | 16 more in Petersham |  |
| Stops/1k | 2.96 | 3.41 | 0.46 more in Petersham |  |
| Departures/1k | 1,581.8 | 2,226.2 | 644.4 more in Petersham |  |
| PT routes | 13 | 13 |  |  |
| Stop walk | 3 | 1 | 2 longer in Lewisham |  |
| Drive to city | 10 | 9 | 1 longer in Lewisham |  |
| Reach 30 min | 136,879 | 132,023 | 4,856 more in Lewisham |  |
| Reach 45 min | 650,924 | 680,453 | 29,529 more in Petersham |  |
| Transit to city | 33 | 32 | 1 longer in Lewisham |  |

### How people get to work

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Worked at home | 57.5% | 54.6% | +2.9 |
| Car (driver) | 17.3% | 18.8% | -1.5 |
| Train | 5.2% | 4.2% | +0.9 |
| Walked | 1.8% | 3.0% | -1.2 |
| Bus | 0.7% | 1.8% | -1.0 |
| Car (passenger) | 1.1% | 1.5% | -0.4 |
| Bicycle | 0.8% | 1.3% | -0.5 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 vehicle | 57.1% | 51.9% | +5.2 |
| No vehicle | 19.0% | 21.5% | -2.5 |
| 2 vehicles | 19.0% | 21.5% | -2.4 |
| 3 vehicles | 4.3% | 3.7% | +0.6 |
| 4 or more | 1.0% | 1.4% | -0.4 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Lewisham | Petersham | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 55.6% | 46.8% | 8.8 pts higher in Lewisham | gap widening |
| Recent arrivals | 14.5% | 11.7% | 2.8 pts higher in Lewisham | gap widening |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Lewisham | Petersham | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 3.6% | 4.4% | 0.8 pts higher in Petersham | gap steady |
| Participation | 71.4% | 69.4% | 2.0 pts higher in Lewisham | gap narrowing |
| Full-time | 66.5% | 64.0% | 2.5 pts higher in Lewisham | gap steady |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professional & technical | 17.7% | 15.9% | +1.7 |
| Health care & social assistance | 12.6% | 12.0% | +0.6 |
| Education & training | 10.7% | 12.0% | -1.3 |
| Finance & insurance | 8.5% | 6.9% | +1.6 |
| Public administration & safety | 7.6% | 7.0% | +0.6 |
| Retail trade | 6.8% | 6.1% | +0.7 |
| Accommodation & food | 4.5% | 5.7% | -1.2 |
| Media & telecommunications | 4.6% | 5.5% | -0.9 |
| Construction | 5.2% | 4.8% | +0.3 |
| Arts & recreation | 3.4% | 4.1% | -0.7 |
| Administrative & support | 2.5% | 3.1% | -0.6 |
| Other services | 2.8% | 3.1% | -0.2 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Lewisham % | Petersham % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 45.0% | 43.0% | +1.9 |
| Managers | 17.8% | 16.8% | +0.9 |
| Clerical & administrative | 13.2% | 11.9% | +1.3 |
| Community & personal service | 6.5% | 7.8% | -1.3 |
| Technicians & trades | 6.4% | 7.5% | -1.1 |
| Sales workers | 4.7% | 5.6% | -0.9 |
| Labourers | 3.5% | 4.0% | -0.6 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 1.9% | 2.1% | -0.2 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Lewisham | Petersham | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 9.2 | 9.4 | 0.2 higher in Petersham |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 8.0 | 8.0 |  |  |
| 15-min city | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to shops | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to transit | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to school | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to a park | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to health | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Amenities/1k | 8.6 | 12.4 | 3.8 more in Petersham |  |
| Intersections/km² | 394 | 352 | 42 higher in Lewisham |  |
| Mean slope | 4.7% | 6.2% | 1.5 pts higher in Petersham |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/sal/SAL12322/lewisham/vs/SAL13202/petersham