Penrose is an industrial Auckland suburb around 12 km southeast of the CBD, between Mount Wellington and Onehunga. It borders Te Papapa, Onehunga, Ellerslie and Cornwall Park.

Is Penrose industrial?

Yes. Most of Penrose is zoned for industry, with manufacturing, distribution, warehousing and trades businesses concentrated around Great South Road and the Penrose railway interchange.

How do I get from the Auckland CBD to Penrose?

Penrose Station is on both the Southern Line and the Onehunga Line, with frequent trains from Britomart (around 15 minutes). By car, around 15 to 20 minutes via SH1 and Great South Road off-peak.

What schools are in Penrose?

Penrose High School (state co-ed secondary, years 9 to 13) is the main local school. Primary students typically attend schools in nearby Onehunga, Ellerslie or Mount Wellington, depending on zoning.

Is there housing in Penrose?

There's a small residential pocket on the eastern side around Captain Springs Road, with 1950s and 1960s housing. Most of Penrose is industrial, with limited residential.

Which schools are in zone for Penrose?

Children living in Penrose are in zone for Te Papapa School, Baradene College, One Tree Hill College. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.

How do I check my school zone in Penrose?

Use the School Zone Checker on this page — enter your address to check your school zone and see which schools you have a guaranteed right to enrol at.

Penrose, Auckland | Schools, Lifestyle & Local Guide

Est. Median Value: $1.10M
Median Weekly Rent: $520/wk
Safety Score: 65/100
Green Space: 13%
Current Weather: 10.9°C
Median Age: 56 yrs

Living in Penrose

Penrose is an industrial Auckland suburb between Mount Wellington and Onehunga, around 12 km southeast of the CBD. It's where Auckland keeps the factories, freight yards, distribution warehouses and trades businesses that the rest of the city quietly relies on. The land was originally rural, became one of Auckland's earliest industrial precincts in the early 20th century, and has done industrial work continuously since.

Most of Penrose is zoned for industry: the Southern Motorway (SH1), the Penrose railway interchange, and the Great South Road corridor have made it logistically convenient enough that the warehouse density runs high. Penrose Station is one of Auckland's busiest commuter stations, on both the Southern and Onehunga Lines.

There's a small residential pocket on the eastern side around Captain Springs Road, with some 1950s and 1960s housing. Penrose High School (state co-ed) is on the southern boundary. The Cornwall Park boundary is just to the north. Most of the area's character is freight-yard practical.

It's not a destination suburb. It's a productive one, and that's fine. If you're in Penrose, you're probably working, or you've just got off a train. The pies at the Penrose station bakery have a quiet local following.

Is Penrose a good place to live?

Penrose is home to roughly 1,029 people. On Suburb's overall livability scale, Penrose scores 57 out of 100, with a safety score of 65/100 and 13% green space.

Schools: Penrose has 57 schools in or near the suburb, spanning early-childhood through to secondary education. See the Schools tab below for the full list.

Housing: The estimated median value is around $1.10M, and weekly rent typically sits around $520.

Lifestyle: Penrose has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. The current temperature is 10.9°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.

Whether Penrose is right for you depends on what you’re looking for. Use the data and community tips below to decide if it suits your lifestyle, family and budget.

Map

Livability Breakdown

Safety65
Amenities100
Schools57
Housing Affordability34
Green space42
Community44
Transport31

Property & Economics

Est. Median Value: $1.10M
Median Weekly Rent: $520/wk
Median HH Income: $64K/yr
Pop. Growth (5yr): +22.1%
Data Year: 2023

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

† Est. Median Value is suburb.co.nz's own estimate, modelled from available public data. We aim for accuracy, but where data is limited, estimates may be imprecise.

Nearby Suburbs

Browse all suburbs in Auckland →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Penrose?: Penrose is an industrial Auckland suburb around 12 km southeast of the CBD, between Mount Wellington and Onehunga. It borders Te Papapa, Onehunga, Ellerslie and Cornwall Park.
Is Penrose industrial?: Yes. Most of Penrose is zoned for industry, with manufacturing, distribution, warehousing and trades businesses concentrated around Great South Road and the Penrose railway interchange.
How do I get from the Auckland CBD to Penrose?: Penrose Station is on both the Southern Line and the Onehunga Line, with frequent trains from Britomart (around 15 minutes). By car, around 15 to 20 minutes via SH1 and Great South Road off-peak.
What schools are in Penrose?: Penrose High School (state co-ed secondary, years 9 to 13) is the main local school. Primary students typically attend schools in nearby Onehunga, Ellerslie or Mount Wellington, depending on zoning.
Is there housing in Penrose?: There's a small residential pocket on the eastern side around Captain Springs Road, with 1950s and 1960s housing. Most of Penrose is industrial, with limited residential.

Penrose Weather

Current conditions: 10.9°C, clear sky

Month	High (°C)	Low (°C)	Rainfall (mm/day)	Sunshine (hrs/day)
☀️ Jan	22.87	17.44	6.45	10.01
☀️ Feb	22.78	16.49	6.12	10.25
🍂 Mar	20.7	14.42	2.77	10.03
🍂 Apr	19.68	14.27	3.84	8.54
🍂 May	16.91	11.75	4.24	7.57
❄️ Jun	15.56	10.19	3.54	7.17
❄️ Jul	14.46	8.99	3.6	7.32
❄️ Aug	14.52	7.82	2.1	8.08
🌸 Sep	16.15	10.71	3.24	9.3
🌸 Oct	17.37	11.62	3.63	10.14
🌸 Nov	19.28	12.9	3.41	10.85
☀️ Dec	22.26	15.76	3.66	11.34

Living in Penrose

Is Penrose a good place to live?

Map

Livability Breakdown

Property & Economics

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

Nearby Suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Penrose

Schools in zone for Penrose

Te Papapa School

Baradene College

One Tree Hill College

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Other nearby schools

Bailey Road School

Sylvia Park School

Mt Richmond School

Oranga School

Otahuhu School

Otahuhu Intermediate

St Joseph's Catholic School (Onehunga)

Pacific Advance Secondary School

OneSchool Global - New Zealand

Panama Road School

Ellerslie School

Golden Grove School

Onehunga Primary School

Panmure District School

McAuley High School

Stanhope Road School

Michael Park School

St Joseph's School (Otahuhu)

Favona School

St Mary's School (Ellerslie)

Otahuhu College

Sutton Park School

Fairburn School

Maangere Bridge School

Sir Keith Park School

Atea College

Riverina School

Auckland Montessori College

Koru School

Royal Oak Intermediate School

St Patrick's School (Panmure)

Anchorage Park School

King's College

Onehunga High School

Stonefields School

Waatea School

Cornwall Park District School

Royal Oak School

Wymondley Road School

St Mary MacKillop Catholic School

Southern Cross Campus

Te Kura Māori o Ngā Tapuwae

Māngere East School

Remuera Intermediate

Mountain View School

Panmure Bridge School

Mangere College

Waterlea Public School

Auckland Seventh-Day Adventist H S

De La Salle College

Edgewater College

Robertson Road School

TKKM o Mangere

Kadimah School

Explore Penrose

🎯Things to do(27)

Getstrength Gym

Commissariat Reserve

Simson Reserve

Southdown Reserve

Skinner Reserve

Anns Creek Reserve

Manukau Foreshore East Cycleway

Prestige Motorsport & Performance

Things to do(27)

Parks & green spaces(8)

Healthcare

Places to eat & drink(39)