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 Nov 2025, the estimated population of the Kensington (WA) statistical area (Lv2) is around 5,243. This figure reflects a growth of 616 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,627. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 5,158 following examination of ABS data released in June 2024, along with an additional 9 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,016 persons per square kilometer, exceeding national averages assessed by AreaSearch. The Kensington (WA) (SA2) saw a growth rate of 13.3% between the 2021 Census and Nov 2025, surpassing the national average of 9.7%. This growth was primarily driven by overseas migration contributing approximately 91.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch's projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and ABS/Geoscience Australia projections are being used to estimate future growth. For areas not covered by these data, AreaSearch is utilizing growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data) to estimate post-2032 growth. According to aggregated SA2-level projections, the Kensington (WA) (SA2) is expected to increase by 438 persons to reach a total population of around 5,681 by 2041, reflecting a gain of approximately 4.7% over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Kensington when compared nationally

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers from statistical area data, Kensington has experienced around 20 dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 103 homes were approved, with a further five approved in FY-26 so far. Each dwelling built over this period gained an average of 2.6 new residents per year, indicating strong demand which supports property values.

New homes are being constructed at an average value of $1,419,000, reflecting developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. This financial year has seen $5.3 million in commercial approvals, suggesting the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Perth, Kensington records around 66% of building activity per person and ranks at the 59th percentile nationally among assessed areas. New development consists of 23.0% detached dwellings and 77.0% attached dwellings, promoting higher-density living which creates more affordable entry points for downsizers, investors, and first-home buyers. This represents a significant shift from the current housing mix, which is currently 82.0% houses, due to reduced development site availability and changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements.

With around 256 people per dwelling approval, Kensington shows a developing market. Population forecasts indicate Kensington will gain approximately 247 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. Current construction levels should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Kensington has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 41stth percentile nationally

AreaSearch has identified a total of 11 projects likely to impact the area, with key ones being 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 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.

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

Kensington has an educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate was 1.5% in the past year, showing a 2.6% employment growth based on AreaSearch data aggregation.

As of September 2025, 3,123 residents were employed at a 2.5% lower unemployment rate than Greater Perth's 4%. Workforce participation was similar to Greater Perth's at 69.9%. Key industries for Kensington residents are health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area has a notable concentration in professional & technical jobs, which are at 1.6 times the regional average.

Conversely, manufacturing shows lower representation at 2.9% compared to the regional average of 5.5%. There is one worker for every resident, indicating Kensington functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. In the past year, employment increased by 2.6% and labour force grew by 2.5%, reducing unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Perth where employment grew by 2.9% but unemployment rose marginally. State-level data to 25-Nov shows WA's employment contracted by 0.27%, with an unemployment rate of 4.6%. National employment forecasts suggest a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Kensington's employment mix, local employment is expected to increase by 6.9% over five years and 14.1% over ten years.

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

The suburb of Kensington has an exceptionally high income level nationally according to the latest data from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Kensington is $61,629, while the average income stands at $100,780. These figures compare to those for Greater Perth, which are $60,748 and $80,248 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $67,558 (median) and $110,475 (average) as of September 2025. According to the Census conducted in 2021, incomes in Kensington rank highly nationally, between the 84th and 90th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The income distribution data shows that the $4000+ bracket dominates with 30.4% of residents (1,593 people), contrasting with regional levels where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 32.0%. Kensington demonstrates considerable affluence with 43.5% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. Housing accounts for 14.4% of income, while strong earnings rank 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

As evaluated at the latest Census, dwelling structure in Kensington comprised 81.8% houses and 18.2% other dwellings. In comparison, Perth metro had 49.3% houses and 50.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kensington was 29.8%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (42.4%) or rented (27.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in Kensington was $2,600, higher than Perth metro's $2,200 and Australia's average of $1,863. The median weekly rent in Kensington was $375, similar to the national figure of $375 but higher than Perth metro's $360.

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

Family households account for 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 make up 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

In Kensington, 49.2% of residents aged 15+ have university qualifications, exceeding WA's 27.9% and the SA4 region's 29.9%. This high educational attainment is beneficial for knowledge-based opportunities. 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% currently enrolled in formal education: 10.5% in secondary, 10.1% in primary, and 8.8% in tertiary education.

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

Kensington has 42 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by 12 different routes that together provide 1,946 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from a resident's location to the nearest transport stop is 152 meters.

On average, there are 278 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 46 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 excellent results with 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 (3,523 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 8.6 and 7.7% of residents respectively. A total of 72.6% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the Greater Perth average of 72.6%. Kensington has a lower proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 15.0% (786 people) compared to Greater Perth's 20.5%. Health outcomes among seniors in Kensington are particularly strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

In terms of cultural diversity, Kensington records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Kensington's cultural diversity is above average, with 10.3% speaking a language other than English at home and 24.6% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion, comprising 45.4%. The 'Other' religious category is similarly represented at 0.8%, compared to Greater Perth's 0.8%.

In ancestry, English (29.8%), Australian (25.4%), and Irish (8.3%) are the top groups. Notable divergences include Polish (1.0% vs regional 0.9%), South African (0.9% vs 0.8%), and Croatian (0.9% vs 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, equivalent to Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Perth, Kensington has a higher percentage of residents aged 45-54 (15.2%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (12.9%). Between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, the proportion of residents aged 75 to 84 increased from 3.3% to 5.1%. Conversely, the percentage of residents aged 45 to 54 decreased from 15.9% to 15.2%. By 2041, Kensington's age composition is projected to change significantly. The 75 to 84 age group is expected to grow by 71%, reaching 457 people from 267. Those aged 65 and above are projected to comprise 78% of the population growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 0 to 4 and 15 to 24 years.