Jurong West | |
|---|---|
| Other transcription(s) | |
| • Chinese | 裕廊西 Yùlángxī(Pinyin) Jū-lông-sai(HokkienPOJ) |
| • Malay | Jurong Barat(Rumi) جوروڠ بارت(Jawi) |
| • Tamil | ஜூரோங் மேற்கு Jūrōṅ Mēṟku(Transliteration) |
      From top, left to right: Jurong West New Town, Jurong West Park, Jurong West Primary School, Jurong West Public Library, Jurong West Secondary School, Jurong West Town Centre. | |
 Location of Jurong West in Singapore | |
.svg)  Jurong West Location of Jurong West within Singapore | |
| Coordinates:1°20′23″N103°42′16″E / 1.33972°N 103.70444°E /1.33972; 103.70444 | |
| Country |  Singapore |
| Region | West Region |
| CDCs | |
| Government | |
| • Mayors | South West CDC |
| • Members of Parliament | Jurong GRC Pioneer SMC West Coast GRC |
| Area | |
• Total | 9.87 km2 (3.81 sq mi) |
| • Residential | 4.8 km2 (1.9 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Total | 257,470 |
| • Density | 26,000/km2 (68,000/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups (2020) | |
| • Chinese | 183,590 |
| • Malays | 46,520 |
| • Indians | 26,360 |
| • Others | 6,260 |
| Postal district | 22 |
| Dwelling units | 73,510 |
| Projected ultimate | 94,000 |
Jurong West is aplanning area andresidential town located in theWest Region ofSingapore. Jurong West sharesboundaries withTengah in the north,Jurong East in the east,Boon Lay andPioneer in the south, andWestern Water Catchment in the west.
Originally aforested area, Jurong West is undergoing rapid development under the ambition of theHousing and Development Board (HDB) to transform it into a fully mature housing estate.[5][6]
Jurong West originated from the area once called Peng Kang,[7] named after thegambier plantations alongSungei Jurong.[8] By the mid-20th century, the area was home to severalbrickworks,palm oil plantations andnurseries.[9] At that time, the only public housing estates in Jurong West wereBoon Lay andTaman Jurong.[10] Jurong West was largely left alone until 1984, when the HDB began conceptualisation for a new town in Jurong West.[11] Jurong West was carved into nine subzones that would house a total of 94,000 public and private housing units in the long term.[12][3]
The town's first apartment blocks (known locally asflats) were completed at Taman Jurong in 1963.[13][14] By November 2004, about 71,522 dwelling units were completed.[15] As of 31 March 2018, there are 74,301 HDB dwelling units in Jurong West.[16]
Jurong West is a primarily residential town situated west ofTengah New Town in the western part of Singapore,[16] under theWest Region as defined by theUrban Redevelopment Authority (URA).
The town is bordered to the north by thePan Island Expressway (PIE), to the east bySungei Jurong (Jurong River) andJurong Lake, to the south by theAyer Rajah Expressway (AYE), and to the west by Benoi Road and Upper Jurong Road.Jurong West Town Centre is located inJurong West Central. An industrial area, part of theJurong Industrial Estate, is located south of Boon Lay Way and Upper Jurong Road. Another industrial area is currently under development inWenya as part of the Jurong Innovation District.[17]
Jurong West New Town is divided into the following nine subzones.[18][12]
As of 2024, the most populous subzone in Jurong West isYunnan with 66,560 residents, closely followed byJurong West Central with 61,900 residents, whileChin Bee,Kian Teck andSafti are completely unpopulated.[2] Packed into an area of 9.87 km2 (3.81 sq mi), of which 4.8 km2 (1.9 sq mi) are designated as residential areas, Jurong West has a population density of 26,000 people per km2 (68,000 per mi2).[1]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 204,750 | — |
| 2001 | 217,270 | +6.1% |
| 2002 | 224,370 | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 226,070 | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 229,570 | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 233,750 | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 238,530 | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 243,620 | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 253,160 | +3.9% |
| 2009 | 264,020 | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 267,520 | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 270,140 | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 271,870 | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 271,320 | −0.2% |
| 2014 | 271,930 | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 272,660 | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 270,350 | −0.8% |
| 2017 | 267,840 | −0.9% |
| 2018 | 266,720 | −0.4% |
| 2019 | 264,860 | −0.7% |
| 2020 | 262,730 | −0.8% |
| 2021 | 255,110 | −2.9% |
| 2022 | 258,240 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 259,740 | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 257,470 | −0.9% |
| Source:[19][20][21][22][2] | ||
The data below is from the population report published by the Singapore Department of Statistics in June 2024.[2]
| Age group (years) | Males | Females | Total population | % of total population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 4,520 | 4,290 | 8,810 | 3.42 |
| 5–9 | 6,020 | 5,530 | 11,550 | 4.49 |
| 10–14 | 6,750 | 6,600 | 13,350 | 5.19 |
| 15–19 | 7,680 | 7,370 | 15,050 | 5.85 |
| 20–24 | 8,370 | 7,890 | 16,260 | 6.32 |
| 25–29 | 9,130 | 8,740 | 17,870 | 6.94 |
| 30–34 | 9,110 | 9,110 | 18,220 | 7.08 |
| 35–39 | 8,280 | 9,120 | 17,400 | 6.76 |
| 40–44 | 9,120 | 10,280 | 19,400 | 7.53 |
| 45–49 | 9,850 | 10,130 | 19,980 | 7.76 |
| 50–54 | 10,100 | 9,850 | 19,950 | 7.75 |
| 55–59 | 9,810 | 9,410 | 19,220 | 7.47 |
| 60–64 | 9,370 | 8,730 | 18,100 | 7.03 |
| 65–69 | 8,140 | 8,180 | 16,320 | 6.34 |
| 70–74 | 6,240 | 6,300 | 12,540 | 4.87 |
| 75–79 | 3,550 | 3,700 | 7,250 | 2.82 |
| 80–84 | 1,580 | 2,070 | 3,650 | 1.42 |
| 85–89 | 720 | 990 | 1,710 | 0.66 |
| 90+ | 240 | 650 | 890 | 0.35 |
| Age group (years) | Males | Females | Total population | % of total population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–14 | 17,290 | 16,420 | 33,710 | 13.09 |
| 15–64 | 90,820 | 90,630 | 181,450 | 70.47 |
| 65+ | 20,470 | 21,890 | 42,360 | 16.45 |
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The population distribution of Jurong West in 2024 demonstrates a mature population structure. There is a higher population concentration among middle-aged groups, with the highest concentration of residents between 45 to 49 years old at 7.76%. Specifically, the male population peaks at the 50-54 age range at 3.92%, and the female population peaks at the 40-44 age range at 3.99%.
As of 2024, there were 234,210 people living inHDB flats, representing 91.0% of the population. This is significantly higher than the national proportion of HDB dwellers (76.3%),[2] reflecting a greater prevalence of public housing in the area. This makes Jurong West have the second highest proportion of HDB dwellers among all planning areas in Singapore, behindWoodlands.
Among the population, 98,510 residents, or 38.3% of the population, live in 5-Room and Executive HDB Flats, making it the most common type of dwelling. 17,900 residents (6.95%) live in condominiums and other apartments, while 4,200 residents (1.63%) live in landed properties.
As of 2020, the average household size in Jurong West is 3.39. Among the 83,879 households in Jurong West, the most common household size is four persons, representing 23.2% of total households. This is closely followed by a household size of four persons, representing 22.1% of all households.[23]
Jurong West has ahome ownership rate of 91.0% as of 2020. This is higher than the national home ownership rate of 87.9%,[23] reflecting a greater prevalence of homeowners in Jurong West.
| Year | Chinese | Malays | Indians | Others | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | Percentage | Pop. | Percentage | Pop. | Percentage | Pop. | Percentage | |
| 2000[24] | 147,429 | 72% | 39,900 | 19.49% | 15,956 | 7.79% | 1,465 | 0.72% |
| 2010[25] | 184,658 | 69.02% | 48,663 | 18.19% | 27,134 | 10.14% | 7,069 | 2.64% |
| 2015[26] | 190,240 | 69.77% | 48,630 | 17.84% | 27,090 | 9.94% | 6,710 | 2.46% |
| 2020[4] | 183,590 | 69.88% | 46,520 | 17.71% | 26,360 | 10.03% | 6,260 | 2.38% |
Jurong West has a greater ethnic diversity in comparison to the national average. Despite having a majority Chinese population, the proportion of residents of Chinese ethnicity, 69.88%, is substantially lower than the national proportion of 74.35%.[4]
Consistent with the rest of Singapore, the largest religion in Jurong West isBuddhism, with 78,615 practising residents (34.82% of the population). The second most common group consists of residents practising Islam (46,353 residents, 20.53%), followed by those withno religion (41,074 residents, 18.19%). Additionally, there are 24,184 residents practisingTaoism andother Chinese religions (10.71%), as well as 22,114 Christians (9.79%), including 7,769 Catholics (3.44%). Other religious affiliations includeHinduism (12,143 residents, 5.38%), andSikhism (666 residents, 0.29%).
Jurong West is the planning area with the lowest proportion of practising Christians in Singapore, significantly below the national average of 18.92%. Additionally, Jurong West is the only planning area where more residents practise Taoism and other Chinese religions than Christianity.[23]
As of 2020, 97.0% of the population above 15 is literate, similar to the national literacy rate of 97.1%. 64.6% of residents are literate in two languages, with the most common language pair being English and Chinese (41.5%). 5.5% of Jurong West residents are literate in three or more languages.[23]
48,675 residents (24.0% of the population) in Jurong West have attained a university qualification, lower than the national average of 32.1%, ranking the third lowest in Singapore. In contrast, 24,024 residents, or 11.8% of the population, have no educational qualifications, higher than the national average of 10.6%.[23]
| Languages most frequently spoken at home, Jurong West (2020 census)[23] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Languages | percent | |||
| English | 36.5% | |||
| Mandarin Chinese | 37.0% | |||
| Malay | 12.7% | |||
| Chinese dialects | 8.2% | |||
| Tamil | 3.8% | |||
| Other Indian languages | 0.67% | |||
| Others | 1.0% | |||
The proportion of residents in Jurong West usingEnglish as the most frequently spoken language (36.5%) is the lowest among all planning areas in Singapore, significantly below the national average of 48.3%. Notably, Jurong West is the only planning area in Singapore where there are moreMandarin Chinese speakers thanEnglish speakers.
Additionally, there are 9,056Tamil speakers, representing 84.8% of the 2,695Indian language speakers in Jurong West.[23]
According to the 2020 Census of Population, 148,785 residents aged 15 years and over in Jurong West are employed, out of the 156,732 in thelabour force. This equates to an employment rate of 94.9%, higher than thenational employment rate of 94.2%. The remaining 69,039 residents aged above 15 (30.6%) in Jurong West are outside the labour force.[23]
Among the employed residents in Jurong West aged 15 years and over, most earn a gross monthly income of between S$3,000 and S$3,999, with 14.6% being in that category. 6.9% earn less than S$1,000 per month, while 3.6% earn above S$15,000 per month.[23] Notably, the proportion of residents earning less than S$1,000 per month in Jurong West is the second highest in Singapore, behindYishun.
According to the 2020 Census of Population, most resident households in Jurong West have no employed person, encompassing 9.6% of all households. The second highest category for monthly household income is S$20,000 and over, encompassing 8.2% of all households.[23]
Jurong West's two main rivers,Sungei Jurong and Sungei Lanchar, run through the town with a network of green connectors along theirbanks. They link housing precincts to neighbourhood parks such asJurong Central Park, as well as theJurong West Sports Centre, Jurong West Stadium and Frontier Community Centre. These park connectors are linked to theChinese Garden inJurong East New Town and theBukit Batok Town Park in the north, to better serve the recreational needs of the residents of Jurong West.[27]Jurong Central Park, located inKian Teck, is a rectangular green space created behindBoon Lay MRT station.[28]
Jurong West's majorpublic transport amenities were built in tandem with the main public housing development. The elevated track infrastructure of theEast West MRT line was developed as the existing public housing blocks were being built in the 1980s.[29][30] The amenities were built in a contiguousbuilding complex, which gives commuters direct access betweenBoon Lay MRT station,Boon Lay Bus Interchange, The Centris condominium andJurong Point shopping centre.[31][32][33]
City planners plan forpublic transport to eventually become the preferredmode of transport. The government of Singapore uses public transport to reduce pollution caused by heavy road traffic.[34] Jurong West is part of theUrban Redevelopment Authority's focus for realising thisurban planning model. As Jurong West is relatively distant from thecity centre at theCentral Area, an efficient, high-volume and high-speed public transport system is also preferred to usingroad networks, as the government is aiming to reduce the number of cars on the road.[35]
Jurong West Town is linked to the rest of Singapore through theEast West Line (EWL) atBoon Lay MRT station, located atthe Town Centre. The EWL is a heavy rail mass rapid transit system, and connects to other systems in the MRT network. It is operated bySMRT.
There are threeMass Rapid Transit (MRT)stations that serve Jurong West Planning Area, which areLakeside,Boon Lay andPioneer.
The Boon Lay MRT Station is located next toBoon Lay Bus Interchange for commuters' ease of switching across different modes of public transport. The MRT station began operations on 6 July 1990,[36] as the western terminus of the East West Line, before additional stations were added further west of the line at Pioneer and Joo Koon on 28 February 2009.[37]
Lakeside (EW26), another station along the EWL in Jurong West Town, serves the housing developments inTaman Jurong,Hong Kah andBoon Lay. The station began operations on 5 November 1988.
Pioneer (EW28) began operations on 28 February 2009.[38] The station improves accessibility to residential areas ofNanyang andPioneer, as well as the industrial areas located south of the station.[39]
The inter-town Jurong Region Line (JRL) system is a 24 km mass rapid transit line that will connect residents to the town centre, as well as other areas such asTengah,Choa Chu Kang andJurong East. The MRT line will have 24 stations and all will be elevated. The line will open from 2026 onwards.
The Boon Lay Bus Interchange originally opened in July 1990 along with Boon Lay MRT station.[40] At that time, developments around the area in Jurong West New Town were still actively in progress. It was later rebuilt[41] and reopened in 2009[42] at the ground level ofJurong Point Shopping Centre, next to Centris condominium, and is the fourthair-conditioned bus interchange in Singapore, afterToa Payoh Bus Interchange,Sengkang Bus Interchange andAng Mo Kio Bus Interchange.These bus services from this interchange would be mostly operated by SMRT Buses from September 2024 onwards after being operated by SBS Transit for many years with the incumbent operations under the Jurong West Bus Package.
Jurong West is connected to many parts of Singapore through its road network. ThePan Island Expressway (PIE) andAyer Rajah Expressway (AYE) link Jurong West Town with Singapore'sexpressway network.
Major roads that run within the boundaries of Jurong West Planning Area include Corporation Road,Boon Lay Way,Jalan Boon Lay,Jalan Bahar, Upper Jurong Road, Pioneer Road North, Jurong West Avenue 4 andJurong West Avenue 2.
There are four majorbuilding complexes within the Jurong West Town Centre.
Jurong Point Shopping Centre is Singapore's largest suburban shopping centre.[43] The shopping centre started operations in December 1995[44] and expanded twice in 1999[45] and 2008.[46]
The Centris is a private condominium that is located above Jurong Point Shopping Centre.[47]
The Jurong West Community Building is an integrated development comprising theJurong West Public Library, The Frontier Community Club and Jurong Medical Centre.[48] It is located behind Jurong Point Shopping Centre.
Boon Lay Interchange, located in the centre of the town, consists of theBoon Lay Bus Interchange andBoon Lay MRT station.[49]
There are 12primary schools,[50] 11secondary schools and 2 international schools[51][52] in Jurong West New Town.
Jurong Fire Station, which opened on 17 November 2017, is the firstfire station in Singapore to have a slide.[53] The fire station covers 4,000 square metres,[54] and is used by theSingapore Civil Defence Force.
Pioneer Polyclinic is a government healthcare institution serving the local community in Jurong West.[55] The polyclinic was opened in January 2018.[56] Also located in Jurong West is the Jurong Medical Centre, which complements the acute and step-down care services ofNg Teng Fong General Hospital andJurong Community Hospital.[57]
Jurong West Sports Centre,[58] formerly known as Jurong West Sports and Recreation Centre,[59] is the largest sports centre in Singapore,[60] and offers one of the two sheltered pools managed bySport Singapore.
Currently, Jurong West is represented in theParliament of Singapore by seven members of parliament (MPs): three MPs fromJurong GRC, one MP fromPioneer SMC, and three MPs fromWest Coast GRC, with effect from the2020 General Election.[61]
