Kensington (WA)

Kensington is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, Kensington's population is estimated at around 4,997, reflecting an increase of 370 people since the 2021 Census. The resident population estimate of 4,955 by AreaSearch in June 2024, based on ABS ERP data, and validated new addresses contributed to this growth. This results in a population density ratio of 1,921 persons per square kilometer, above the national average assessed by AreaSearch. Kensington's population growth rate of 8.0% since the Census is within 0.9 percentage points of the national average of 8.9%. Overseas migration accounted for approximately 91.0% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch's projections for Kensington are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia data released in 2024, using 2022 as the base year.

For areas not covered by this data, growth rates by age cohort from ABS Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) are used to estimate post-2032 population trends. By 2041, Kensington's population is expected to increase by just below the median of national statistical areas, with an estimated growth of 439 persons, reflecting a total gain of 9.9% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Kensington recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Kensington has seen approximately 18 dwelling approvals annually based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS data. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 91 homes were approved, with an additional 2 approved in FY-26.

Each new dwelling adds about 3 residents yearly on average over the past five financial years. The average construction cost is $1,419,000, indicating a focus on premium properties. Compared to Greater Perth, Kensington has around 58% of building activity per person and ranks at the 48th percentile nationally in terms of assessed areas. New development consists of 22.0% detached houses and 78.0% medium-high density housing, differing from the existing 82.0% houses. Kensington's population growth is expected to be around 345 people per approval, with an estimated increase of 494 residents by 2041.

Current construction rates align with future demand, maintaining steady market conditions without excessive price pressure.

Kensington has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

AreaSearch has identified eleven infrastructure projects that could significantly impact a certain area. Key projects include Edward Millen Adaptive Heritage and Landscape Redevelopment, 167-169 Bank Street Development, Australian Hockey Centre, and Woolworths East Victoria Park. The following list details those expected to have the most relevance.

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

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Employment conditions in Kensington rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Kensington has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate was 1.4% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 3.6%.

As of June 2025, 3,144 residents are employed, while the unemployment rate is 2.4% below Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation stands at 69.9%, compared to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Notably, employment in professional & technical services is 1.6 times the regional average, while manufacturing shows lower representation at 2.9% versus the regional average of 5.5%.

The area functions as an employment hub with 1.1 workers per resident, attracting workers from surrounding areas. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 3.6%, and labour force grew by 3.4%, leading to a 0.2 percentage point decrease in unemployment rate. By comparison, Greater Perth recorded employment growth of 3.7% and labour force growth of 3.8%, with unemployment rising slightly by 0.1 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Kensington's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years, although these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

Kensington's median income among taxpayers was $61,629 in financial year 2022, according to ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. The average income stood at $100,780 during the same period. These figures compare to Greater Perth's median and average incomes of $58,380 and $78,020 respectively. Based on a 14.2% growth in wages since financial year 2022, current estimates suggest Kensington's median income is approximately $70,380 and the average income stands at around $115,091 as of September 2025. Census figures from 2021 show that household, family, and personal incomes in Kensington rank between the 84th and 90th percentiles nationally. Income distribution data reveals that 30.4% of residents (1,519 people) earn over $4,000 per week, contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket is dominant at 32.0%. Kensington's affluence is evident with 43.5% of residents earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. Housing accounts for 14.4% of income, while strong earnings place residents within the 90th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Kensington is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The dwelling structure in Kensington, as evaluated at the latest Census, consisted of 81.8% houses and 18.2% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Perth metro's 49.3% houses and 50.7% other dwellings. The level of home ownership in Kensington was at 29.8%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (42.4%) or rented (27.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Kensington was $2,600, which is higher than the Perth metro average of $2,200. The median weekly rent figure in Kensington was recorded at $375, compared to Perth metro's $360. Nationally, Kensington's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are comparable to the national figure of $375.

Kensington features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 72.7% of all households, including 38.5% couples with children, 23.6% couples without children, and 8.9% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 27.3%, with lone person households at 22.5% and group households comprising 4.5% of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Greater Perth average of 2.2.

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

Kensington's educational attainment is notably high with 49.2% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications, exceeding both Western Australia's (27.9%) and the SA4 region's (29.9%) averages. Bachelor degrees are most common at 32.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (11.2%) and graduate diplomas (5.1%). Vocational pathways account for 22.7% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.4% and certificates at 13.3%. Educational participation is high with 34.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 10.5% in secondary, 10.1% in primary, and 8.8% in tertiary education.

Kensington's three schools have a combined enrollment of 1,731 students. The area has above-average socio-educational conditions with an ICSEA score of 1060. Educational provision follows conventional lines, split between one primary and two secondary institutions. Kensington functions as an education hub with 34.6 school places per 100 residents, significantly higher than the regional average of 17.8, attracting students from surrounding communities.

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

Kensington has 44 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 12 different routes that together facilitate 1,959 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of the transport system is rated as excellent, with residents on average located just 152 meters from their nearest stop.

On a daily basis, there are an average of 279 trips across all routes, which translates to approximately 44 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Kensington's health outcomes data shows very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 67% of the total population (3,358 people), surpassing the national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 8.6 and 7.7% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 72.6%, report being completely clear of medical ailments, matching the figure for Greater Perth. Kensington has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 15.0% (749 people) compared to Greater Perth's 20.5%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Kensington are notably strong, outperforming those of the general population in various health metrics.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Kensington was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Kensington's cultural diversity was found to be above average, with 10.3% of its population speaking a language other than English at home and 24.6% born overseas. The predominant religion in Kensington is Christianity, which accounts for 45.4% of the population. Notably, the 'Other' category comprises 0.8% of Kensington's population, similar to the regional average of 0.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English at 29.8%, Australian at 25.4%, and Irish at 8.3%. Some ethnic groups show notable differences in representation: Polish is overrepresented at 1.0% compared to the regional average of 0.9%, South African at 0.9% versus 0.8%, and Croatian at 0.9% against a regional average of 0.8%.

Kensington's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Kensington is close to Greater Perth's average of 37 years and equivalent to Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, Kensington has a higher proportion of residents aged 45-54 (15.3%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (12.9%). Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the population aged 75-84 has grown from 3.3% to 5.1%, while the proportion of those aged 45-54 has decreased from 15.9% to 15.3%. By the year 2041, Kensington's age composition is expected to shift significantly. The population aged 75-84 is projected to grow by 79%, reaching 457 people from a current total of 254. This growth will contribute to an increase in those aged 65 and over, who are expected to comprise 65% of Kensington's projected population growth. Conversely, the populations aged 0-4 and 5-14 are projected to decline.