East Bendigo - Kennington

An assessment of population growth drivers in East Bendigo - Kennington reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

East Bendigo - Kennington's population is 14,239 as of Feb 2026. This shows an increase of 251 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 13,988. The change is inferred from ABS' estimated resident population of 14,022 in June 2024 and additional validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 830 persons per square kilometer. Population growth was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, they use VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made via weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on demographic trends, the area is projected to grow by 2,796 persons to 2041, reflecting an 18.1% increase over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within East Bendigo - Kennington when compared nationally

East Bendigo - Kennington has seen approximately 63 dwelling approvals per year. Over the past five financial years (FY-21 to FY-25), around 318 homes were approved, with an additional 20 approved in FY-26 so far. On average, about 0.4 new residents have arrived annually for each new home over these years.

This suggests that supply is meeting or exceeding demand, offering more buyer choices and supporting potential population growth above projections. The average construction cost of new homes has been around $319,000. In the current financial year, approximately $31.2 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to the rest of Victoria, East Bendigo - Kennington has about two-thirds the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 70th percentile nationally when measured by this metric.

Recent construction comprises 62% detached dwellings and 38% medium and high-density housing. This shift from the current pattern (82% houses) suggests diminishing developable land availability and a response to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs, offering options across different price points. The area has approximately 204 people per dwelling approval, indicating a low density market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, East Bendigo - Kennington is forecasted to gain around 2,579 residents by 2041. Construction pace is maintaining with projected growth, but buyers might face increasing competition as the population grows.

East Bendigo - Kennington has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 22 projects that may impact this region. Notable projects include St Aidans Road Kennington Social Housing, Prime Business Park, Marnie Place Estate, and Kennington Reservoir Dam Wall Rehabilitation. 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 performance in East Bendigo - Kennington has been broadly consistent with national averages

East Bendigo - Kennington has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 3.5% as of September 2025, which is below the Rest of Vic.'s rate of 3.8%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.5%.

There were 6,599 residents in work with an unemployment rate of 0.3% below the Rest of Vic.'s rate and workforce participation at 57.4%, somewhat below the standard rate of 61.4%. According to Census responses, 16.9% of residents worked from home. Key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, education & training, and retail trade. The area has a notable concentration in health care & social assistance with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 1.7% versus the regional average of 7.5%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on the count of Census working population to local population. In the 12-month period ending in September 2025, employment increased by 2.5% alongside labour force increasing by 2.6%, resulting in unemployment rising by 0.1 percentage points. This compares to Rest of Vic., where employment fell by 0.7%, labour force contracted by 0.6%, and unemployment rose marginally. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer further insight into potential future demand within East Bendigo - Kennington. National employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these projections to East Bendigo - Kennington's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.8% over five years and 14.2% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

The East Bendigo - Kennington SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $52,891 and an average income of $65,701 in financial year 2023, according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. These figures are compared to those for Rest of Vic., which were $50,954 and $62,728 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates project the median income to be approximately $57,255 and the average income to be around $71,121 as of September 2025. Data from the 2021 Census indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in East Bendigo - Kennington rank modestly, between the 29th and 40th percentiles. The largest segment comprises 28.9% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, with 4,115 residents falling into this bracket, mirroring regional levels where 30.3% occupy this bracket. Housing costs are manageable with 86.8% retained, however disposable income sits below average at the 33rd percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

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

East Bendigo - Kennington's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 82.4% houses and 17.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings. Home ownership in East Bendigo - Kennington was 40.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.7% and rented ones at 33.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,430, aligning with Non-Metro Vic.'s average. Weekly rent median was $295, compared to Non-Metro Vic.'s $285. Nationally, East Bendigo - Kennington's mortgage repayments were lower at $1,430 versus Australia's $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 61.7% of all households, including 22.1% couples with children, 27.8% couples without children, and 10.8% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 38.3%, with lone person households at 34.2% and group households comprising 4.2%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Vic. average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 28.9%, exceeding the Rest of Vic average of 21.7%. This is also higher than the SA3 area's rate of 23.6%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 18.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.7%) and graduate diplomas (4.3%). Vocational credentials are held by 33.3% of residents aged 15+, with advanced diplomas at 11.7% and certificates at 21.6%.

Current educational participation is high, with 26.7% enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.5% in primary, 7.1% in secondary, and 5.2% in tertiary education.

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

East Bendigo - Kennington has 75 active public transport stops serviced by 9 routes. These routes provide a total of 1,379 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 244 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily, with car being the dominant mode at 92%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.3 per dwelling, below the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 16.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 197 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 18 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in East Bendigo - Kennington is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

East Bendigo - Kennington faces significant health challenges based on AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are high, with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is slightly lower than average at approximately 52% of the total population (~7,390 people). The most common medical conditions are arthritis (10.8%) and mental health issues (10.7%). However, 61.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.4% across Rest of Vic. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. The area has 23.6% of residents aged 65 and over (3,363 people). Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

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

East Bendigo-Kennington, surveyed on 27th June 2016, had a cultural diversity index of below average. Its population was predominantly Australian citizens (89.9%), born in Australia (88.0%), and spoke English at home exclusively (91.5%). Christianity was the dominant religion, practiced by 50.6% of the population.

Notably, the 'Other' religious category comprised 0.9%, slightly higher than the Rest of Vic's 0.8%. In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (31.5%), Australian (28.3%), and Irish (11.2%). Some ethnic groups showed significant differences: Scottish at 9.2% compared to regionally 8.8%, Sri Lankan at 0.3% versus 0.1%, and German at 3.4% versus 3.5%.

East Bendigo - Kennington hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

East Bendigo - Kennington has a median age of 43, matching the Rest of Vic figure and exceeding the national average of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 25-34 years are notably prominent at 14.9%, while those aged 5-14 years are comparatively smaller at 9.6% compared to the Rest of Vic. Between the 2016 and 2021 Census, the median age decreased by 1.1 years from 44 to 43, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Key changes include an increase in the 25-34 age group from 12.2% to 14.9%, and the 35-44 cohort from 10.6% to 12.2%. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort declined from 11.9% to 10.0%, and the 55-64 group dropped from 12.8% to 11.4%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in East Bendigo - Kennington's age profile. The 25-34 cohort is projected to grow by 49%, adding 1,048 residents to reach 3,172. Meanwhile, the 55-64 and 65-74 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.