Kensington Gardens

An assessment of population growth drivers in Kensington Gardens reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Kensington Gardens is around 2,569. This reflects an increase of 71 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,498. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 2,565 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025, and an additional 5 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 2,356 persons per square kilometer, placing Kensington Gardens in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. The suburb's 2.8% growth since the census positions it within 2.2 percentage points of the SA3 area (5.0%), indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 94.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections by age category are adopted, released in 2023 and based on 2021 data, with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Future demographic trends anticipate a population increase just below the median of statistical areas across the nation for Kensington Gardens, expected to reach 2,760 persons by 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 7.7% in total over the 16 years.

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

Kensington Gardens has seen approximately 10 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 53 homes were approved, with a further 8 approved in FY-26 so far. Each new home constructed attracted an average of 2.7 people per year over these five years, reflecting strong demand that supports property values.

The estimated construction cost value for new homes is $838,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties. This financial year has seen $9.0 million in commercial approvals, suggesting limited focus on commercial development. Compared to Greater Adelaide, Kensington Gardens shows around 75% of construction activity per person, placing it among the 35th percentile nationally, which may limit buyer options while strengthening demand for established properties.

New development consists of 83.0% standalone homes and 17.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. This favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest (46.0% at Census), demonstrating ongoing robust demand for family homes despite increasing density pressures. With around 481 people per dwelling approval, Kensington Gardens shows a developed market. Population forecasts indicate Kensington Gardens will gain 197 residents through to 2041 based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Current construction levels suggest housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Kensington Gardens has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 25thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely affecting the region: Hamilton Hill (former Youth Training Centre, Magill/Woodforde). Other notable projects include Magill Campus Renewal Project, Chain of Trails Master Plan, and O-Bahn City Access Project. The following details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Kensington Gardens performing better than 85% of local markets assessed across Australia

Kensington Gardens has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.0% as of December 2025. This rate is lower than Greater Adelaide's rate of 3.8%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.4%, based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, 1,391 residents were in work and workforce participation was 62.6%, slightly below Greater Adelaide's 66.0%. A moderate 14.8% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training.

Kensington Gardens has a particular specialization in professional & technical employment, with an employment share 1.8 times the regional level. Manufacturing employs only 3.4% of local workers, below Greater Adelaide's 7.0%. The area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 4.4%, while labour force increased by 4.6%, resulting in a slight rise in unemployment (0.1 percentage points). In comparison, Greater Adelaide recorded employment growth of 4.2% and a decrease in unemployment (0.3 percentage points). Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insight into potential future demand within Kensington Gardens. These projections suggest national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with significant variations between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Kensington Gardens' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.3% over five years and 14.8% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that Kensington Gardens has one of the highest incomes among Australian suburbs. The median income is $56,090 and the average income stands at $86,668. This contrasts with Greater Adelaide's median income of $54,808 and average income of $66,852. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.17% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Kensington Gardens would be approximately $61,794 (median) and $95,482 (average) as of March 2026. Census 2021 income data shows personal income ranks at the 69th percentile with a weekly income of $915, while household income sits at the 39th percentile. Distribution data indicates that the $1,500 - 2,999 income bracket dominates with 26.1% of residents (670 people), similar to the surrounding region where this cohort represents 31.8%. After housing expenses, 85.0% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Kensington Gardens displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Kensington Gardens' dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 46.0% houses and 54.0% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). In contrast, Adelaide metro had 75.2% houses and 24.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kensington Gardens stood at 41.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.1% and rented ones at 30.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, exceeding Adelaide metro's average of $1,562. The median weekly rent in Kensington Gardens was $346, compared to Adelaide metro's $320. Nationally, Kensington Gardens' mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower than the national figure of $375.

Kensington Gardens features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 60.3% of all households, consisting of 23.5% couples with children, 26.3% couples without children, and 9.2% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 39.7%, with lone person households at 36.7% and group households making up 3.2%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Greater Adelaide average of 2.5.

Kensington Gardens shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Kensington Gardens has a notably high level of educational attainment among its residents aged 15 and above. Specifically, 49.4% hold university qualifications, which is significantly higher than the state average of 25.7% and the Greater Adelaide average of 28.9%. This indicates a strong position for the area in terms of knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most common qualification held by residents at 33.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 12.8% and graduate diplomas at 3.6%.

Vocational pathways account for 22.1% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 9.2% and certificates 12.9%. Educational participation is particularly high in Kensington Gardens, with 27.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.5% in primary education, 8.4% in tertiary education, and 6.1% pursuing secondary education.

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

Kensington Gardens has 13 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 20 different routes that together facilitate 1,357 weekly passenger trips. Transport access is considered excellent with residents typically living 173 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuting is outward-bound. Car remains the primary mode of transport at 84%, followed by bus at 11% and cycling at 3%. The average vehicle ownership per dwelling is 1.1, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 14.8% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. On average, there are 193 trips daily across all routes, equating to approximately 104 weekly trips per individual stop.

Kensington Gardens's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Kensington Gardens' health outcomes data shows exceptional results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence, with very low prevalence across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 61% of the total population (1,571 people), compared to 52.7% in Greater Adelaide and a national average of 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, affecting 8.2 and 6.6% of residents respectively.

A total of 68.6% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.9% in Greater Adelaide. Kensington Gardens has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 29.0% (745 people), compared to 19.2% in Greater Adelaide. Health outcomes among seniors align with national rankings and are broadly in line with the general population.

Kensington Gardens was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Kensington Gardens, surveyed between June 2016 to June 2021, had a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 32.6% of its population born overseas and 26.6% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Kensington Gardens, comprising 48.2% of residents. Notably, Buddhism was overrepresented compared to Greater Adelaide, making up 4.0% versus a regional average of 2.4%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (23.9%), Australian (19.2%), and Other (8.8%). Some ethnic groups showed significant differences: Polish residents were slightly overrepresented at 1.1%, Italian residents were notably higher at 7.3% compared to regional averages of 1.0% and 5.2%, respectively, while Hungarian residents were marginally more common at 0.4%.

Kensington Gardens hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Kensington Gardens has a median age of 45 years, which is higher than Greater Adelaide's average of 39 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The 75-84 age group comprises 10.3% of Kensington Gardens' population, compared to Greater Adelaide, while the 5-14 cohort makes up 8.9%. Post-2021 Census data indicates that the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 11.2% to 12.7%, and the 75 to 84 cohort has increased from 9.0% to 10.3%. Conversely, the 55 to 64 cohort has decreased from 12.4% to 11.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Kensington Gardens' age profile. The 85+ cohort is expected to grow by 78%, adding 118 residents to reach 270. Residents aged 65 and above will drive 72% of population growth, highlighting demographic aging trends. Meanwhile, populations in the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age groups are projected to decline.