Tampines Stays Singapore’s Most Populous Planning Area, but Punggol and Sengkang Are Growing Faster
Tampines had 296,060 citizens and permanent residents in June 2026, making it Singapore’s most populous planning area for the third year running, according to the Department of Statistics (SingStat) newsletter published on 28 October. The faster growth over the past decade, however, has been in the newer north-east towns of Sengkang and Punggol.
Tampines Residents, June 2026
Sengkang Yearly Growth, 10 Years
Punggol Yearly Growth, 10 Years
Tampines Residents Under 15
The Top 10 in 2026
| Rank | Planning Area | Residents | 2016 Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tampines | 296,060 | 3 |
| 2 | Bedok | 272,120 | 1 |
| 3 | Sengkang | 265,830 | 6 |
| 4 | Woodlands | 255,280 | 4 |
| 5 | Jurong West | 250,890 | 2 |
| 6 | Yishun | 231,030 | 7 |
| 7 | Hougang | 226,100 | 5 |
| 8 | Punggol | 204,490 | Outside top 10 |
| 9 | Choa Chu Kang | 185,520 | 8 |
| 10 | Bukit Batok | 165,680 | 10 |
Citizens and permanent residents, rounded to the nearest 10. Source: SingStat.
Who Is Growing, and Why
Over ten years, Sengkang added 46,450 residents and averaged about 1.9 per cent growth a year, against roughly 1.3 per cent for Tampines, which added 36,950. Sengkang climbed from sixth place in 2016 to third. Punggol grew fastest of all the large towns, at 4.6 per cent a year, rising from 130,380 residents in 2016 to 204,490 and entering the top 10 for the first time. Among the planning areas SingStat ranks, only the Downtown Core grew faster, partly because of a boundary change. Bukit Batok, at 1.8 per cent a year, also outpaced Tampines.
Bedok, the most populous area in 2016 with 287,170 residents, has slipped to second. Jurong West has fallen from second to fifth.
Follow the Housing Supply
Analysts quoted in the report tied the pattern to where HDB has built. Between 2007 and 2026, 23,643 HDB homes were completed in Tampines, far more than the 5,497 in Bedok but well below the 44,738 in Punggol and 34,512 in Sengkang. Older towns such as Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Merah and Queenstown tend to reach a population peak and then grow slowly, while regional centres such as Tampines, Jurong East and Woodlands have land set aside to hold more people.
Age profiles differ sharply too. Tengah has the highest share of children under 15 at 20.3 per cent, followed by Punggol at 19.6 per cent. In Outram, 28.9 per cent of residents are aged 65 and above, and the median age is 50.
A Note on Boundaries
The figures follow the planning areas in URA’s Master Plan 2025, which may not match how residents think of their neighbourhood. The Paya Lebar planning area, for example, is mostly the air base and has about 20 residents. Homes near Paya Lebar MRT station fall within the Geylang planning area, which has 121,350 residents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which planning area has the most residents in 2026?
Tampines, with 296,060 citizens and permanent residents in June 2026. It has been the largest since 2024.
Which large towns are growing fastest?
Punggol, at about 4.6 per cent a year over the past decade, and Sengkang, at about 1.9 per cent a year.
Why is Bedok no longer first?
Bedok had relatively little new HDB supply, with 5,497 homes completed between 2007 and 2026, while newer towns added tens of thousands.
Do these figures include foreigners?
No. They count Singapore citizens and permanent residents only.
Thinking of buying or selling in a growing town?
I can share recent transactions and buyer demand in the town you are looking at.