Parramatta vs PenrithTwo Sydney suburbs compared for a home loan
Parramatta (NSW 2150) is approximately 24 km west of the Sydney CBD. Penrith (NSW 2750) is approximately 50 km west of the Sydney CBD. At the 2021 Census, Parramatta had 30,211 residents with a median age of 32, and Penrith had 17,966 residents with a median age of 36.
In both suburbs the most common occupied dwelling was flats and apartments. Flats and apartments made up 86% of occupied dwellings in Parramatta and 43% in Penrith, while 71% of Parramatta households rented compared with 61% in Penrith. These differences matter for finance, because lenders assess apartments, strata buildings and houses on land differently.
Both suburbs are in the same state, so transfer duty is calculated on the same scale and the difference in upfront cost comes from the purchase price. The panel below applies that scale, and an estimate of lenders mortgage insurance, to the prices you enter.
NSW 2150 · Western Sydney
Parramatta
A buyer's guide to Parramatta NSW 2150, covering its apartment-led housing, rail and metro projects, flood and strata checks, and home loan matters.
City of Parramatta. Approximately 24 km west of the Sydney CBD.
Read the full Parramatta guideNSW 2750 · Western Sydney
Penrith
A buyer's guide to Penrith NSW 2750, covering its mix of houses, townhouses and units, rail and road links, Nepean River flood checks and lending matters.
Penrith City Council. Approximately 50 km west of the Sydney CBD.
Read the full Penrith guide
What buying in Parramatta and Penrith would mean for the loan
The difference between two suburbs is usually a difference in price, and price drives the deposit, the transfer duty, any lenders mortgage insurance and the repayment. Enter the prices you are seeing and the panel works out each of those for Parramatta and Penrith.
Your prices and deposit
Enter the price you are seeing in each suburb. BorrowWise does not quote prices, so the comparison uses yours.
- Loan amount
- $523,640
- Loan to value ratio
- 83.9%
- Transfer duty, New South Wales
- $22,087
- Lenders mortgage insurance
- $3,640
- Upfront cash needed
- $125,087
- Loan amount
- $761,464
- Loan to value ratio
- 88.2%
- Transfer duty, New South Wales
- $32,347
- Lenders mortgage insurance
- $13,464
- Upfront cash needed
- $135,347
- At these prices, Penrith costs $1,441 more a month than Parramatta and needs $10,260 more cash upfront.
Warning: The interest rate used here is an example only. It is not a comparison rate and is not a rate offered by any lender, and it does not include fees and charges. Different rates, terms, fees or loan amounts will give a different result.
Estimates only. Repayments assume a principal and interest loan at a constant rate, which is an assumption and not a current market rate. Transfer duty is indicative for established homes, first home buyer relief depends on eligibility, and upfront cash includes an allowance of $3,000 for conveyancing and inspections. Lenders mortgage insurance is an estimate and is added to the loan. A lender makes its own assessment.
Parramatta and Penrith: Census profile compared
Figures are from the 2021 Census, so rents, repayments and incomes have moved since. They are most useful for comparing one suburb with another and with Australia as a whole.
| Measure | Parramatta | Penrith |
|---|---|---|
| People and households | ||
| Residents | 30,211 | 17,966 |
| Median ageAustralia 38 | 32 | 36 |
| Average household sizeAustralia 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.1 |
| Median household income, weeklyAustralia $1,746 | $2,092 | $1,397 |
| Housing costs at the 2021 Census | ||
| Median rent, weeklyAustralia $375 | $440 | $380 |
| Median mortgage repayment, monthlyAustralia $1,863 | $2,080 | $1,783 |
| Who owns and who rents | ||
| Households rentingAustralia 31% | 71% | 61% |
| Owned with a mortgageAustralia 35% | 18% | 21% |
| Owned outrightAustralia 31% | 10% | 16% |
| Types of home | ||
| Separate housesAustralia 72% | 8% | 36% |
| Townhouses, terraces and semi-detachedAustralia 13% | 6% | 20% |
| Flats and apartmentsAustralia 14% | 86% | 43% |
| Homes with two bedrooms or fewer | 80% | 54% |
| Homes with four bedrooms or more | 4% | 13% |
| Dwellings unoccupied on Census night | 13% | 11% |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0). Tenure shares exclude households that did not state their tenure. Dwelling shares are of occupied private dwellings.
Home loan considerations in Parramatta and Penrith
Lenders treat houses on land, townhouses and apartments differently, and some apply extra conditions to small apartments, high-density buildings or particular postcodes. These are the points each guide raises.
Parramatta
- First home buyers
- Investors
- Downsizers
- Some lenders cap loan-to-value ratios or total exposure in postcodes with a high concentration of apartments, which can increase the deposit required.
- Apartments with a small internal floor area may not meet the minimum size policies of certain lenders or mortgage insurers.
- A strata report can identify special levies, defect claims and the adequacy of the capital works fund before contracts are exchanged.
- The council identifies the Parramatta CBD as highly flash flood affected, so flood related planning controls and building insurance terms are worth confirming early.
- Off-the-plan valuations at settlement can differ from the contract price, which may require additional funds from the buyer.
Penrith
- First home buyers
- Upgraders
- Investors
- Downsizers
- Flood notations on a section 10.7 planning certificate can affect valuation, insurance cost and therefore serviceability.
- Lenders require building insurance at settlement, so an insurance quotation before exchange may be useful for properties near the river or overland flow paths.
- Small units may fall below the minimum internal floor area accepted by certain lenders and mortgage insurers.
- Older houses can contain asbestos-containing materials or termite damage, which may affect valuation and renovation budgets.
- Dual occupancy or knock-down rebuild plans usually require a construction loan with progress payments rather than a standard home loan.
Housing stock in Parramatta and Penrith compared
Parramatta
- High-rise apartments
- Towers in and around the commercial core form the largest share of stock, mostly one and two bedroom layouts with shared facilities.
- Walk-up unit blocks
- Older brick blocks outside the core generally offer larger floor areas and lower levies, without lifts.
- Townhouses and villas
- Medium-density developments on former house lots provide an intermediate option for households needing more space.
- Period cottages
- A small number of older houses remain, some within or beside heritage conservation areas.
Penrith
- Detached houses
- Older cottages, post-war brick homes and later project homes on traditional lots in the streets away from the centre.
- Townhouses and villas
- Medium-density developments on former house lots account for about one in five occupied dwellings.
- Walk-up unit blocks
- Two and three storey brick blocks are concentrated around the station and city centre.
- Newer apartments
- Mid-rise and high-rise buildings near the centre add lift-served stock with higher strata levies.
Official sale price and rent figures for Parramatta and Penrith
Only figures published free of charge by a government agency are shown. Where none is published the space is left empty rather than filled with an estimate. Each guide charts the full series.
Parramatta
- Median dwelling price, 2026 Q1 (postcode 2150)
- $620,000
- Median unit price, 2026 Q1 (postcode 2150)
- $620,000
- Median weekly rent, house (all bedrooms), 2026 Q2 (postcode 2150)
- $750
- Median weekly rent, 2 bedroom flat/unit, 2026 Q2 (postcode 2150)
- $700
Source: NSW Department of Communities and Justice.
Penrith
- Median dwelling price, 2026 Q1 (postcode 2750)
- $848,000
- Median house price, 2026 Q1 (postcode 2750)
- $1,216,000
- Median unit price, 2026 Q1 (postcode 2750)
- $665,000
- Median weekly rent, 3 bedroom house, 2026 Q2 (postcode 2750)
- $655
- Median weekly rent, 2 bedroom flat/unit, 2026 Q2 (postcode 2750)
- $600
Source: NSW Department of Communities and Justice.
Transport, schools and amenities in Parramatta and Penrith
Parramatta
Transport
- Parramatta Station (train)
- Parramatta Light Rail (light rail)
- Sydney Metro West (metro)
- Parramatta Wharf (ferry)
- M4 Motorway (road)
Schools and campuses
- Parramatta Public School (primary, government)
- Arthur Phillip High School (secondary, government)
- Parramatta High School (secondary, government)
- Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta (secondary, independent)
- Western Sydney University, Parramatta City campus (tertiary, university)
Amenities
- Westfield Parramatta
- Parramatta Park
- CommBank Stadium
- Parramatta Square
- St John's Cathedral
Penrith
Transport
- Penrith Station (train)
- Penrith bus interchange (bus)
- M4 Western Motorway (road)
- The Northern Road (road)
- Western Sydney International Airport (airport)
Schools and campuses
- Penrith Public School (primary, government)
- Penrith Selective High School (secondary, government)
- St Nicholas of Myra Primary School (primary, catholic)
- TAFE NSW Penrith (tertiary, tafe)
Amenities
- Nepean Hospital (Kingswood)
- Westfield Penrith
- Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre
- Great River Walk, Nepean River
- Tench Reserve
- Penrith Stadium (under redevelopment)
School listings show name, level and sector only. Enrolment areas change, so confirm eligibility for a specific address with the school or the New South Wales education department.
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