Penola
SA 5277 · Wattle Range
1,622 (2021) → 1,633 est. (2025) · Stable
Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.
Penola is a stable suburb in Wattle Range, SA 5277, about 342km from Adelaide CBD. Recent property sales in Penola are too limited to report a reliable median price. The suburb has 3 schools, a transport score of 0/100, and is about 65km inland. Penola has an overall score of 19/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 92/100.
Demographics
Age distribution
Top countries of birth: England (1.97%), New Zealand (1.05%), Nepal (0.62%), Philippines (0.55%), Malaysia (0.43%)
Top languages: Mandarin (0.74%), Nepali (0.62%), Punjabi (0.37%), Italian (0.37%), Japan (0.18%)
Source: ABS Census 2021
Property
Suburb-level sale prices aren't published for SA. Median weekly rents:
Source: Land Services SA + SA Housing Authority · Updated Q1 2026
Residential Safety
Small population (under 3,000) — crime rates may be volatile due to low sample size.
Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:
Includes street and public-place assaults — supplementary context, not part of the safety score.
Residential incidents over time
Sum of the five residential categories above — not all recorded crime.
Area crime context
An independent score — crime data quality varies by state, so safety is shown separately and is not part of the overall score.
Source: SA Police / OCSAR (suburb-level) · Updated 2025
Schools
Limited school choices
Below average for school access — fewer schools nearby, and families may need to travel for preferred options.
Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 981 (below the national average of 1000).
In suburb
- Mary MacKillop Memorial SchoolPrimary · CatholicICSEA 1026
- Penola Primary SchoolPrimary · GovernmentICSEA 984
- Penola High SchoolSecondary · GovernmentICSEA 933
Source: ACARA 2023
Transport
Source: TfNSW GTFS
Liveability
Amenities within 2–3km
Counted within a short distance of the suburb centre (so nearby facilities count), with the in-boundary count shown beneath.
Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap
Fitness
Few fitness options
Very few fitness facilities in and around this suburb.
Facilities within 3km of the suburb centre. The Fitness Score is a national percentile of these counts per resident.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Outdoors
No data
No outdoor amenities matched to this suburb.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Outdoor Score is a national percentile led by parks and green space.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Culture
No data
No cultural venues matched to this suburb.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Culture Score is a national percentile weighting theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and arts centres most heavily.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Entertainment Scene
Solid scene
Well above average for licensed venues — you won't struggle for a night out or a good meal.
Government liquor register data is not yet available for SA. Venue counts are estimated from OpenStreetMap within 2km of the suburb centre.
View nearby venues on the Entertainment Map →
Source: OpenStreetMap
Childcare
Outstanding childcare access
Top 20% nationally for childcare service density and quality — an excellent suburb for families with young children.
View childcare centres on the map →
Source: ACECQA National Quality Framework Register
Population & Growth
StableSource: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI
Nearby suburbs in Wattle Range
Compare Penola with another suburb
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Frequently asked questions about Penola
Is Penola safe?
Penola has a residential safety score of 92/100, based on residential crime (break-ins, theft from dwellings, vehicle theft, domestic assault and robbery) per resident relative to the NSW median. Its total recorded incident rate is 1,788 per 100,000 across all categories.
How far is Penola from Adelaide CBD?
Penola is about 342.3 km from Adelaide CBD.
What schools are in Penola?
Penola has 3 schools, with an average ICSEA of 981 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.
What is public transport like in Penola?
Penola has a transport score of 0/100.