Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Punchbowl
4 km²
A staggering 70% of people in Punchbowl use a language other than English at home, making it one of the most linguistically diverse areas in the region. This is a young community where the typical resident is just 33, and children under 15 make up 21.3% of the population. Many residents were born overseas, and this cultural mix is reflected in a high proportion of families who share large homes. It is a highly walkable suburb with a strong focus on family life and a diverse range of ancestries.
Modest local incomes, but the area's schools serve a more advantaged intake.
A family-heavy area that's short on schools per child.
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Punchbowl is noticeably younger than the national figure, with a typical age of 33 and a high proportion of children. This is reflected in the family structure, as 68% of households consist of couples with children.
The area has a very high proportion of overseas-born residents at 47.9%, which is far above the New South Wales figure. People of Vietnamese and Chinese ancestry are among the most common groups after those of Australian and English descent.
Arabic is the most common language used at home (33.7%), and the overall use of languages other than English is far above the national average. Consequently, 15% of the population speak little or no English, a figure far above the state average.
Religious affiliation is strong here, and the proportion of people with no religion (9.3%) is far below the national figure. Islam is the most common faith at 38.4%, followed closely by Christianity at 37.4%.
While 59.5% of residents completed Year 12, which is about the same as the national figure, those with a bachelor degree or higher are well below the state average at 18.7%.
Incomes are generally much lower than the national figure, with a typical personal weekly income of $504. Only 3.6% of people earn $2,000 or more per week, which is much lower than in most other areas.
A little more than 7.9% of people need help with daily activities, which is much higher than most areas. However, the rate of long-term health and mental health conditions is well below the state and national figures.
Participation in unpaid work is lower than most areas, including those caring for children and doing housework. Only 6.4% of residents are volunteers, which is well below the national average.
There are 108 First Nations people in the area. This group faces significant challenges, with an unemployment rate of 41.9% and household incomes well below the national average.
Homes in Punchbowl are larger than usual, with 3.3 people per home compared to the national figure of 2.5. One-parent families are also much more common than in most areas.
Renters make up 39% of households, which is well above the state average. This high demand for rentals is paired with a lack of space, as the area has a very high number of people per bedroom.
Public transport use for commuting is a little above the state average, and the suburb has an impressive 96 stops. Around 11.3% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is well above the national figure.
Recent arrivals from overseas make up 12.3% of the population, which is higher than most areas. About 31.5% of residents moved house in the last five years, a figure well below the national average.
Employment levels are far below the national figure, with only 42.6% of adults working or looking for work. The unemployment rate is 10.6%, which is well above the state average.
The suburb is very walkable, with 100% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport and a 15-minute walk of a park. Nearly all residents can reach groceries and schools within 15 minutes on foot.