Median house price
$1.4M
-7.2% change
NSW · Wingecarribee Council
Penrose, 2579
Est. population · Jun 2025
257
Growth (1 yr)
+1.6%
Growth (5 yr)
+4.9%
Median age
55
Median income
$1,091/wk
Employment rate
47.6%
Median house price · October to December 2025
$1,400,000
Languages at home
4.3%non-English
Most common: Thai
2021 Census · usual residence
Desirability score
- National parks
- Excellent transport
- Education hub
- High desirability
Suburb profile
In Wingecarribee Council, Penrose keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. Retirees and empty-nesters are well represented here, with multiple generations sharing the same neighbourhood. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice.
Local shops are sparse, so a fuller set of amenities usually means travelling to a neighbouring town or regional hub. Outdoor life is easy here, with generous parks and room for kids, dogs and weekend strolls. Buses and trains make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward.
Homes cost more here than in most comparable suburbs. This is a mature, settled pocket where the existing streetscape still defines the local character.
Versus similar regional towns, the suburb reads below average on desirability, chiefly because growth momentum, plus local dining and lifestyle amenities trail behind. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
At a glance
Penrose snapshot
A quick read of housing, growth, livability, and risk
Median rent
$570/wk
Population (ERP)
257
+1.6% annual growth
Dwelling vacancy
22.3%
Census unoccupied dwellings
Livability profile
Desirability pillars vs the peer median (50th percentile)
How it compares
Relative standing using percentiles, ranks, and national deciles
Desirability
#518
among Country & regional · Mature
Safety
23rd
percentile in state (higher = safer)
Pop. growth
80th
percentile in NSW
Advantage (IRSAD)
5/10
national SEIFA decile
School ICSEA
62nd
percentile among schools with ICSEA
Population growth
Recent ERP change over 1 and 5 years
Housing mix
Dwelling types from the 2021 Census
Risks & flags
Quick scan — open a section below for full context
Living here
Desirability
Ranks & confidence
- Desirability score
- 26.1/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6133rd in Australia
- State rank
- 1981st in NSW
- Peer rank
- #518 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #931 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 89%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
Housing
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $570
- Median house price (October to December 2025)
- $1,400,000
- Median price change
- -7.2%
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent and sales tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · January to March 2026; October to December 2025 · Updated · Quarterly releases
Population
Estimated resident population
257(June 2025)
+1.6% annual · +4.9% over 5 years · 80th percentile in NSW
Growth figures & methodology
- Annual growth
- +1.6%
- 5-year growth
- +4.9%
- Change in 1 year
- +4
- Change in 5 years
- +12
- Growth rank in NSW
- 80th percentile
ABS Estimated Resident Population allocated to this suburb from SA2-level data. Not an official ABS suburb count.
Methodology
Figures are allocated from ABS Estimated Resident Population at Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), using 2021 Census share within overlapping SA2 regions. Where Census data is unavailable, area overlap is used instead.
The dashed chart line is a simple growth-trend estimate to June 2030 (~250), extrapolated at +1.1% average annual growth since 2011. It is illustrative only — not an official ABS forecast.
2021 Census figures
2021 Census
- Population
- 263
- Median age
- 55
- Median household income / week
- $1,091
- Dwelling vacancy
- 22.3%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 31 of 139
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,580
- Employment rate
- 47.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 107 / 0 / 0
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
- Estimated Resident Population — Australian Bureau of Statistics · 2025 · Updated · SA2 ERP allocated to suburb boundaries
Community & culture
No 2021 Census cultural diversity data for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Crime & safety
Reported offences are unchanged compared with the previous period.
Offence counts & rates
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 11
- Against the person
- 3
- Against property
- 6
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 42.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 88 residents
- State safety percentile
- 23.3th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +0.3%
Most common offence types
- Break And Enter Dwelling11
- Fraud40
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment23
- Malicious Damage To Property19
- Motor Vehicle Theft11
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated · Rolling 12-month windows
Family & Lifestyle
Schools & preschools
- Schools within 2 km
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 1,034
- Median ICSEA percentile
- 62th
School list
- Penrose Public SchoolPrimary · Government · ICSEA 1034 · 62th percentile · LBOTE 0% · 4 students · Top SEA quarter 20% · 0.9 km awayView on My School →
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · 2025 · Updated · Annual release
Public transport
37 public transport stops in this suburb
- Acc To P1
- Acc To P2
- ENT Kareela Rd
- ENT Penrose Rd
- Penrose Station
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · current · Updated · Nightly GTFS feed
Amenities
14 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
1 post offices
Local character & venue list
Local character
- A car helps for daily errands
- Great for outdoor family life — 1 parks mapped in suburb
- Well connected by public transport — 37 public transport stops
- Walkability proxy
- 30/100
- Cafés per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Food & drink per 1,000 residents
- 0
- Parks per 1,000 residents
- 3.8
Community(1)
- Penrose Public SchoolSchool
Penrose
Sport & outdoors(2)
- Penrose ParkPark
- Sports field
Transport(7)
6 bus stops · 1 train stations
Other(4)
- Penrose Village General StoreGeneral
- Australia PostPost Box
- Penrose CPAPost office
- TelstraTelephone
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe). Transport stops are summarised by type rather than listed individually.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- Local amenity insights — Suburb Guide (derived) · current · Updated
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Parks & reserves
3 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Penrose ParkPark
- Stingray Swamp Flora ReserveNature reserve
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · current · Updated
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover — OpenStreetMap contributors · current · Updated
Health access
- Nearest hospital
- Bowral and District Hospital (27.6 km)
- Nearest hospital type
- Hospital
- Nearest hospital emergency
- Emergency department
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · current · Updated
NDIS participation
- NDIS participants (31 March 2026)
- 5
- Participants per 1,000 residents
- 19.5
Active NDIS participants allocated from NDIA Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2, ASGS 2016) counts to this suburb boundary. Not an official suburb-level NDIS figure · as at 31 March 2026.
For NDIS spend and service-demand exploration by SA2 or postcode, see the Care Sector Demand Map.
Data sources & freshness
- NDIS participants by SA2 — National Disability Insurance Agency · 2026-Q1 · Updated · Quarterly SA2 counts allocated to suburb boundaries
Weather
Typical conditions by season for suburbs in the same ~44 km climate area. Rainfall totals are summed from monthly WorldClim layers; rainy-day counts are approximate.
Summer (Dec–Feb)
- Usual max / min
- 25° / 13°
- Rainfall
- 210 mm · ~26 rainy days
Autumn (Mar–May)
- Usual max / min
- 19° / 8°
- Rainfall
- 222 mm · ~28 rainy days
Winter (Jun–Aug)
- Usual max / min
- 13° / 2°
- Rainfall
- 181 mm · ~23 rainy days
Spring (Sep–Nov)
- Usual max / min
- 19° / 7°
- Rainfall
- 205 mm · ~26 rainy days
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Temperature and humidity comfort
Data sources & freshness
- Seasonal climate normals — WorldClim 2.1 · Updated
Future & Planning
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal.
2026· 5 proposals
July 2026
- Subdivision1 QUIGG FIRETRAIL PENROSE 2579Under Assessment
- Shed; Erection of a new structure555 PENROSE ROAD PENROSE 2579Additional Information Requested
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure1201 PENROSE ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
February 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool610 KAREELA ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool989 PENROSE ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
2025· 5 proposals
September 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure61 LUKES FIRETRAIL PENROSE 2579Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure80 KAREELA ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
July 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation70 LUKES FIRETRAIL PENROSE 2579Determined
May 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation1177 PENROSE ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool555 PENROSE ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
2024· 5 proposals
December 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation91 KOOLILABAH LANE PENROSE 2579Determined
March 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation817/DP1302336Determined
- Subdivision110 KAREELA ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
February 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure220 KAREELA ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
January 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure400 KAREELA ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
2023· 6 proposals
October 2023
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure610 KAREELA ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Entertainment associated with existing premises80 KAREELA ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
September 2023
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing; Demolition1201 PENROSE ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
February 2023
- Demolition; Subdivision of land921 PENROSE ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
- Other300 KAREELA ROAD PENROSE 2579Withdrawn
January 2023
- Dwelling989 PENROSE ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
2022· 3 proposals
October 2022
- Other300 KAREELA ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
April 2022
- Dwelling1177 PENROSE ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
February 2022
- Alterations and additions to residential development1105 PENROSE ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
2021· 6 proposals
December 2021
- Other534 KAREELA ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
November 2021
- Dwelling989 PENROSE ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
September 2021
- Other300 KAREELA ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
August 2021
- Pools / decks / fencing; Other200 KAREELA ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
February 2021
- Shed264 TEUDTS ROAD PENROSE 2579Determined
January 2021
- Dwelling; Farm buildings70 LUKES FIRETRAIL PENROSE 2579Determined
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · 2026 · Updated · Daily feed (from Oct 2018)
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · current · Updated
Politics & representation
- Federal electorate
- Whitlam
- Member of Parliament
- Carol BERRY (Australian Labor Party)
- Results from
- 2025 federal election
- Electorate enrolment (2025)
- 130,093
- Turnout (2025)
- 93.2%
- Swing since 2022 (2025)
- -2.1 pp toward Coalition
Two-party preferred (2025)
Coalition 43.8%Labor 56.3%
Estimated suburb voting profile
Estimated from 8 nearby ordinary polling places (up to 25.1 km away).
Coalition 46.8%Labor 53.2%
3.1 percentage points more Coalition-leaning than the electorate
Estimated swing since 2022: -1.2 pp toward Coalition
Nearest polling places
- WingelloLabor 51.9% · Coalition 48.1% TPP (2025)6.2 km away
- BundanoonLabor 61.7% · Coalition 38.3% TPP (2025)8.1 km away
- ExeterLabor 53.5% · Coalition 46.5% TPP (2025)11.3 km away
- Sutton ForestLabor 35.8% · Coalition 64.2% TPP (2025)13.8 km away
- Moss ValeLabor 54.4% · Coalition 45.6% TPP (2025)18.7 km away
Federal electorate from AEC federal division boundaries (2025 redistribution). Division-level results are official AEC figures from the latest general election, with by-election updates where applicable. The estimated suburb profile blends up to eight nearest ordinary polling booths in the same electorate using inverse-distance weighting from the suburb centroid — an approximation, not official AEC data. Nearest polling places are shown for reference.
Data sources & freshness
- Federal election results — Australian Electoral Commission · Updated · 2025 election with by-election overlays
Socio-economic
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 5/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 4/10
ABS Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2021 release — the latest available, derived from the 2021 Census. Deciles rank suburbs nationally from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
What do IRSAD and IRSD measure?
IRSAD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage. Combines indicators of advantage (e.g. high income, skilled occupations) and disadvantage. Higher decile = more advantaged relative to other Australian areas.
IRSD — Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage. Focuses on disadvantage only (e.g. low income, unemployment, limited education). Higher decile = less disadvantage nationally.
A new SEIFA edition typically follows each census; the ABS has not announced a release date beyond 2021.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Updated
More in Wingecarribee Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.