Penrith

The area is much younger than most, with a typical resident aged 35 and a high proportion of children. It also has a larger Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population than most areas, which rose to 5.0% in 2021.

Most residents were born in Australia, though those born overseas make up 21.1% of the population. This figure is well below the New South Wales and national averages.

English is the main language for 78.1% of people, but those using another language at home rose to 16.9% by 2021. This is higher than most similar areas, though still well below the state average.

More than half of residents identify as Christian, while those with no religion make up 31.4%. This last group grew significantly by 16 points since 2011, though it remains well below the national figure.

Education levels have risen, with 51.4% of adults completing Year 12. However, the 18.6% of residents with a bachelor degree or higher is well below the national average.

Incomes are higher than most similar areas, with typical family weekly income at $2,272. The share of households earning $3,000 or more a week rose by 14 points since 2011.

Health profiles are typical for its level, with 28.1% of people reporting a long-term health condition. Mental health is the most common long-term condition at 9.4%.

Unpaid childcare is very common here, with 29.5% of people caring for children, which is well above the national figure. Conversely, the volunteer rate is much lower than most areas.

The First Nations community is larger than in most similar areas and has a lower unemployment rate of 7.8%. Typical personal and household incomes are also well above the national figures.

Homes here are typically larger than most, with 2.8 people per household. One-parent families are also much more common than in most areas, making up 16.1% of households.

Large homes are a hallmark of the area, with 82.1% having three or more bedrooms. While detached houses are very common, the share of homes owned outright is much lower than the national figure.

Working from home has surged to 27.5%, far higher than most areas. While there are many public transport stops, only 1.8% of people now commute using them, a sharp fall since 2011.

Movement is steady, with 40% of residents having moved in the last five years. This is about the same as the state and national figures.

The workforce is more active than in most similar areas, with 64.8% of adults working or looking for work. Health care and construction are the biggest employers.

Penrith is one of the largest areas of its kind, with a population of over 171,000. Its growth rate of 7.2% since 2021 is higher than the state average.

The area sees far more rainfall than the New South Wales average, with 990mm annually. Typical maximum temperatures are slightly higher than the state figure.

The area is very walkable, with 93% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport. Most residents also live within a 15-minute walk of a park or school.