Kingston (ACT)

Kingston lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Kingston's population is estimated at 7,479 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 900 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,579 people. AreaSearch estimates this based on resident population data from June 2025 and validated new addresses since the Census date. The suburb's growth rate of 13.7% exceeds the state average of 8.3%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 42.0% to Kingston's population gains, with all migration drivers being positive factors. ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 using 2022 as the base year, forecast significant population growth for Kingston by 2041.

The suburb is expected to expand by 2,857 persons by then, reflecting a gain of 38.1% over the 16 years.

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

Kingston averaged around 31 new dwelling approvals per year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 157 homes were approved, with none yet in FY-26. On average, 7.9 new residents arrived per dwelling constructed over the past five financial years.

This indicates demand significantly exceeds supply, potentially leading to price growth and increased buyer competition. Developers target the premium market segment, constructing properties at an average value of $682,000. In FY-26, $72,000 in commercial approvals have been registered, suggesting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Kingston has around two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 26th percentile nationally, offering limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes.

Recent building activity consists entirely of attached dwellings, attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers due to affordable entry pathways. With around 633 people per dwelling approval, Kingston reflects a highly mature market. Population forecasts estimate Kingston will gain 2,850 residents by 2041. At current development rates, housing supply may struggle to match population growth, potentially heightening buyer competition and supporting price increases.

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

Area infrastructure performance is significantly influenced by changes in local projects and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified five projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Kingston Arts Precinct, Greenway Rise - The Establishment, Kingston Foreshore Precinct, and Griffith-Narrabundah Community Centre & Oval Upgrade.

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.

The exceptional employment performance in Kingston places it among Australia's strongest labour markets

Kingston has a highly educated workforce with professional services showing strong representation. The unemployment rate was 0.7% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 1.1%. As of December 2025, 5,595 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.1%, below the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.8%.

Workforce participation was 81.6%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's 70.5%. According to Census responses, 14.3% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Leading employment industries were public administration & safety, professional & technical services, and health care & social assistance. Kingston had a particularly strong specialization in public administration & safety, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level.

Construction had limited presence, with 2.8% employment compared to the regional average of 6.8%. While local employment opportunities existed, many residents commuted elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 1.1%, while labour force grew by 1.2%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Australian Capital Territory saw employment rise by 0.9%, labour force grow by 1.2%, and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 estimated future demand within Kingston. National employment was forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with growth rates varying significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Kingston's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 12.9% over ten years, though this was a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and did not account for localised population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

Kingston suburb's income level is exceptionally high nationally, according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Median income among taxpayers in Kingston is $98,743, with average income at $121,767. These figures compare to Australian Capital Territory's median and average incomes of $72,206 and $85,981 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.44% since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes are approximately $109,052 (median) and $134,479 (average) as of March 2026. Census data shows household, family and personal incomes in Kingston rank highly nationally, between the 90th and 99th percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 40.8% of locals (3,051 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly income category, similar to regional patterns where 34.3% occupy this range. Higher earners make up a substantial presence with 43.1% exceeding $3,000 weekly. High housing costs consume 16.2% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 88th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Kingston features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Kingston's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census data, consisted of 3.0% houses and 96.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Australian Capital Territory's 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kingston stood at 17.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.8% and rented ones at 51.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,950, below Australian Capital Territory's average of $2,080. Median weekly rent in Kingston was $510, compared to Australian Capital Territory's $450. Nationally, Kingston's mortgage repayments were higher at $1,950 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 48.3% of all households, including 10.7% couples with children, 30.9% couples without children, and 6.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 51.7%, with lone person households at 44.4% and group households comprising 7.2%. The median household size is 1.8 people, which is smaller than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

Educational achievement in Kingston places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Kingston's residents aged 15 and above have a higher proportion of university qualifications at 71.5%, compared to Australia's 30.4% and the SA4 region's 46.8%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 38.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (25.2%) and graduate diplomas (8.1%). Vocational pathways make up 15.1%, with advanced diplomas at 8.0% and certificates at 7.1%. Educational participation is high, with 27.5% currently enrolled in formal education, including 14.1% in tertiary, 4.5% in primary, and 3.5% in secondary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 27.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.1% in tertiary education, 4.5% in primary education, and 3.5% pursuing secondary education.

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

Kingston has 25 operational public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 47 distinct routes, facilitating 3,021 weekly passenger trips in total. The accessibility of transport is deemed good, with residents typically residing within 200 meters of the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward from Kingston. The car remains the primary mode of transportation, used by 67% of residents, while walking and bus usage stand at 14% and 10%, respectively. On average, there are 0.7 vehicles per dwelling, lower than the regional norm.

According to the 2021 Census, 14.3% of Kingston's residents work from home, a figure potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, an average of 431 trips are made daily, equating to roughly 120 weekly trips per individual stop.

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

Kingston's health outcomes show excellent results according to AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups. Approximately 75% of Kingston's total population (5630 people) had private health cover, compared to 62.4% in the Australian Capital Territory and a national average of 55.7%.

Mental health issues affected 9.8% of residents, while asthma impacted 8.6%. A total of 71.8% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.2% across the Australian Capital Territory. The under-65 population showed better than average health outcomes. Kingston has 14.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1091 people), with seniors demonstrating particularly strong health outcomes that rank higher than the general population nationally.

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

Kingston's population shows high cultural diversity, with 26.9% born overseas and 18.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Kingston, accounting for 34.0% of its population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented in Kingston at 0.7%, compared to 0.2% across Australian Capital Territory.

The top three ancestral groups are English (25.8%), Australian (19.9%), and Irish (11.0%). Other ethnic groups with notable representation include French (1.2%) and Welsh (0.8%), both overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.5% and 0.6%, respectively, while Russian is also notably represented at 0.6%.

Kingston's population is younger than the national pattern

Kingston has a median age of 35 years, which is equal to that of the Australian Capital Territory and slightly lower than Australia's figure of 38 years. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Kingston has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (28.7%), but fewer residents aged 5-14 (3.8%). This concentration of residents aged 25-34 is significantly higher than the national average of 14.6%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the proportion of residents aged 75-84 has increased from 3.3% to 5.5%, while those aged 35-44 have risen from 18.3% to 20.4%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 15-24 has decreased from 9.2% to 7.4%, and those aged 25-34 have dropped from 30.4% to 28.7%. Population forecasts for Kingston in 2041 suggest substantial demographic changes, with the strongest projected growth in the 35-44 age group, which is expected to increase by 35%, adding 536 residents to reach a total of 2,062.