Kennington

Kennington has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census Kennington's population is estimated at around 5,859 as of May 2026. This reflects a decrease of 21 people (0.4%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,880 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 5,852, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2025) and an additional 68 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,457 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of population gains during recent periods.

Projections established by the ABS and Geoscience Australia are applied by AreaSearch for every SA2 region, using 2022 as the baseline year from their 2024 publication. For SA2 territories where these figures are missing, projections from the VIC State Government issued in 2023 are utilized, modified by aggregating LGA-level population growth to the SA2 level through weighted methods. The age group expansion rates derived from these computations are also implemented across all regions for the years 2032 to 2041. Projecting forward, demographic patterns point to population expansion outpacing the median for regional locations across the country, with Kennington anticipated to grow by 1,151 persons by 2041 via aggregated SA2 estimations, representing a total rise of 19.5% over the 16 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Kennington according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Data on building approvals from the ABS, mapped down from broader statistical areas, shows Kennington averaging around 19 annual residential approvals, amounting to an estimated 95 dwellings over the last 5 financial years. In the current FY-26 period, 13 approvals have been logged. With an average of only 0.5 additional residents per year per finished home over the last 5 financial years (from FY-21 to FY-25), supply is keeping pace with or outstripping demand, which broadens options for buyers and supports the capacity for population gains above expectations, while new properties are built at an average valuation of $437,000, indicating that developers are focusing on the higher-end market segment. Additionally, commercial approvals have reached $17.7 million this financial year, which points to a moderate pace of commercial development.

In comparison to the Rest of Vic., Kennington displays significantly lower building volumes, sitting 55.0% below the regional average per capita. While this constrained addition of new dwellings typically bolsters demand and prices for existing homes, construction momentum has recently picked up. Activity is also below the national standard, pointing to the mature nature of the area and possible planning constraints. The split of new builds is 68.0% detached houses and 32.0% townhouses or apartments, indicating an increasing availability of medium-density formats that diversify options across different price points, ranging from conventional family properties to more economical compact configurations. Having around 217 people per approved application, Kennington represents a low density area.

Long-term forecasts indicate that Kennington will add 1,144 residents by 2041, based on the most recent quarterly estimate from AreaSearch. If the current pace of construction is sustained, residential supply might fall short of population gains, which could intensify competition among buyers and foster stronger price growth.

Kennington has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Local infrastructure changes, major projects, and planning policies strongly shape the performance of a suburb. A total of 10 key developments have been identified by AreaSearch that are expected to influence the suburb of Kennington, including the St Aidans Road Kennington Social Housing, Marnie Place Estate, Kennington Reservoir Dam Wall Rehabilitation, and Flora Hill, with the relevant details outlined in the list below.

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Employment conditions in Kennington remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Kennington is characterized by an educated workforce and a solid representation of essential service industries, with an unemployment rate of only 3.9% and an estimated annual employment growth rate of 1.0%, based on statistical area aggregations by AreaSearch. By March 2026, there are 2,791 employed residents, with the unemployment rate tracking 0.2% above the Regional Vic. level of 3.7%, and labour participation sitting below the benchmark (58.1% versus 61.1% in Regional Vic.). Census data reveals a moderate 16.1% of working residents performed their jobs from home, though this may reflect temporary COVID-19 lockdown measures.

The primary sectors employing residents are healthcare & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. The region exhibits a highly pronounced concentration in healthcare & social assistance, with staffing levels reaching 1.3 times the regional average. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing represents a minor portion of the workforce at 1.2% compared to the regional figure of 7.5%. Being primarily a residential suburb, the area has limited local job opportunities, as shown by comparing the Census working population against the resident population.

According to SALM and ABS data analyzed by AreaSearch and aggregated from broader regions, over the 12 months leading to March 2026, the count of employed individuals rose by 1.0% while the labour force expanded by 0.5%, yielding a decline in the unemployment rate of 0.5 percentage points. This stands in contrast to Regional Vic., where employment fell by 0.1%, the workforce decreased by 0.3%, and the unemployment rate dropped by 0.2 percentage points. National employment projections from May-25 by Jobs and Skills Australia provide further context on potential future demand in Kennington. These five and ten-year forecasts have been aligned with the local employment distribution to project growth patterns. Nationally, employment is expected to increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though these growth trajectories vary widely by industry. Weighting these sectoral projections against the local job mix indicates Kennington's employment should rise by 6.8% over five years and 14.4% over ten years, representing a basic extrapolation based on industry shares without local population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The suburb of Kennington's income level is lower than average on a national basis according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. The suburb of Kennington's median income among taxpayers is $49,451 and the average income stands at $64,681, which compares to figures for Regional Vic.'s of $50,954 and $62,728 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $54,208 (median) and $70,903 (average) as of March 2026. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes all rank modestly in Kennington, between the 25th and 37th percentiles. Income brackets indicate the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 28.6% of residents (1,675 people), consistent with broader trends across the surrounding region showing 30.3% in the same category. After housing, 85.9% of income remains, though this ranks at only the 28th percentile nationally and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Kennington is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The mix of housing in Kennington at the time of the latest Census consisted of 77.7% houses and 22.4% alternative dwellings (townhouses, apartments, or other structures), compared to the Regional Vic. breakdown of 90.1% houses and 9.9% alternative dwellings. Home ownership in Kennington was lower than the regional rate, standing at 36.1%, with the remaining properties occupied by people with a mortgage (24.9%) or tenants (38.9%). The median monthly home loan payment of $1,400 was slightly lower than the Regional Vic. average of $1,430, whereas the median weekly rent was $290, slightly higher than the Regional Vic. median of $285. On a national level, Kennington mortgage payments are lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents are also below the national benchmark of $375.

Kennington features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Families make up the majority of households at 58.5%, consisting of 20.2% couples with children, 26.1% couples without children, and 11.2% single parent households. Non-family households represent the remaining 41.5%, which includes single person households at 35.7% and group households at 5.7%. The median household size of 2.2 residents is smaller than the Regional Vic. average of 2.4.

The educational profile of Kennington exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The academic credentials of the local population are strong relative to the wider region, as university degree holders (30.1% of residents aged 15+) surpass the Rest of Vic. average of 21.7% and the SA3 rate of 23.6%, demonstrating a local focus on higher education. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 19.2%, with postgraduate degrees at 6.6% and graduate diplomas at 4.3%. Vocational and technical qualifications are also common, with 31.9% of residents aged 15+ holding a vocational qualification, comprising advanced diplomas (11.2%) and certificates (20.7%).

Enrollment rates in educational institutions are high, with 28.1% of local residents actively participating in formal study. This student population includes 8.4% in primary schools, 7.1% in higher education, and 6.7% attending secondary schools.

Transport servicing is moderate compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Analysis of the public transport network shows 27 active stops in the suburb of Kennington. These locations are serviced by 7 distinct routes, which support 1,040 weekly passenger journeys. Transport options are rated as good, with residents living an average of 252 meters from their nearest transit stop. Reflecting its residential character, most workers commute out of the suburb, with private cars remaining the primary choice at 91%, followed by walking at 5%. Average vehicle ownership sits at 1.2 per home, which is lower than the regional standard. Approximately 16.1% of the workforce worked from home, based on 2021 Census figures which may have been influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The transit network averages 148 daily services across all routes, which corresponds to roughly 38 weekly trips per active stop.

Health performance in Kennington is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health assessments indicate notable issues for the area, based on analysis by AreaSearch regarding mortality statistics and chronic health conditions, which show elevated rates of common ailments across younger and older cohorts, while the proportion of residents with private health insurance is slightly above the average SA2 region at approximately 52% of the population (~3,071 people).

Psychological conditions and arthritis represent the most common diagnoses, affecting 11.6% and 10.0% of the population, respectively, while 60.9% of residents reported having no chronic medical conditions, compared to 63.4% across Regional Vic. Working-age cohorts present higher than average rates of chronic health issues. Seniors aged 65 and over constitute 24.1% of the population (1,412 people). Health metrics for this older cohort show some challenges, with national rankings aligning closely with general population trends.

Kennington ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Demographic measures indicate below average cultural diversity, with citizens making up 89.2% of the local population, 87.1% born in Australia, and 89.9% using only English at home. Christianity is the primary religion, followed by 48.7% of the population. The most visible overrepresentation relative to the wider region is Judaism, which accounts for 0.1% of residents, compared to 0.1% across Regional Vic.

Regarding parent birthplaces, the most common ancestries are English at 31.6%, Australian at 27.3%, and Irish at 11.1%. Variations exist compared to regional patterns, with Scottish ancestry overrepresented at 9.4% of the population (versus 8.8% regionally), Sri Lankan at 0.4% (versus 0.1% regionally), and French at 0.5% (versus 0.3% regionally).

Kennington's median age exceeds the national pattern

At 41 years, Kennington's median age is somewhat lower than the Regional Vic. average of 43 yet modestly exceeding the 38-year national average. The 25 - 34 age group shows strong representation at 15.2% compared to Regional Vic., whereas the 45 - 54 cohort is less prevalent at 9.4%. Post-2021 Census data shows the 25 to 34 age group has grown from 13.0% to 15.2% of the population, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 10.7% to 12.0%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 11.1% to 9.4%. Demographic modeling suggests Kennington's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 25 to 34 cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 50%, adding 449 residents to reach 1,340. In contrast, population declines are projected for the 55 to 64 and 65 to 74 cohorts.