South Perth - Kensington
Statistical Area - sa2

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

South Perth - Kensington's population is 19,251 as of November 2025. This shows an increase of 2,025 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,226. The growth was inferred from ABS estimates and new addresses data. The population density is 2,480 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile nationally. South Perth - Kensington's growth rate of 11.8% since the Census exceeded the national average of 8.9%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 90.8% of overall population gains recently.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and growth rates by age cohort from the ABS's Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Future trends project an above median population growth, with the area expected to expand by 2,439 persons to 2041, a gain of 11.5% over 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions South Perth - Kensington among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

South Perth - Kensington has averaged approximately 141 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25. A total of 705 homes were approved during this period, with an additional 20 approved in FY26 so far. On average, each dwelling constructed has accommodated around 1.9 new residents per year over these years, indicating a balanced supply and demand scenario that has maintained stable market conditions. However, recent figures show an acceleration to 5.9 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, suggesting increasing demand and tightening supply.

The average construction value of new homes is $598,000, indicating developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. Commercial approvals this financial year have reached $45.2 million, reflecting robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Perth, South Perth - Kensington has shown slightly more development activity, averaging 22.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years. This has maintained good buyer choice while supporting existing property values. However, building activity has slowed in recent years.

The current new building activity shows a significant skew towards compact living, with 18.0% detached dwellings and 82.0% townhouses or apartments. This shift reflects reduced availability of development sites and addresses shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements, marking a considerable change from the current housing mix which is currently 45.0% houses. With around 338 people per dwelling approval, South Perth - Kensington shows a developing market with population forecasts indicating an increase of 2,213 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

South Perth - Kensington has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 34thth percentile nationally

Area infrastructure significantly impacts performance. AreaSearch identified 49 potential influence projects. Notable ones are Riva Como, The Pearl, Lumiere South Perth, One Richardson. Below 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 South Perth - Kensington performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

South Perth - Kensington has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate was 1.9% in June 2025, compared to Greater Perth's 3.9%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.2%. As of June 2025, 11,917 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 2.0%, similar to Greater Perth's workforce participation rate of 65.2%. Leading employment industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. The area has a notable concentration in professional & technical services, with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average, while construction has limited presence at 6.4%, compared to 9.3% regionally.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. From June 2024 to June 2025, employment levels increased by 3.2%, and labour force grew by 3.0%, leading to a decrease in unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth saw employment rise by 3.7% and unemployment increase by 0.1 percentage points over the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates across industry sectors. Applying these projections to South Perth - Kensington's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.9% over five years and 14.2% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode-level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows South Perth - Kensington had a median income among taxpayers of $65,021 and an average of $106,327. This places it in the top percentile nationally, compared to Greater Perth's median of $58,380 and average of $78,020. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $74,254 (median) and $121,425 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in South Perth - Kensington rank highly nationally, between the 73rd and 88th percentiles. The earnings profile shows that 28.0% of locals (5,390 people) fall into the $1,500 - $2,999 income category, similar to the surrounding region where this cohort represents 32.0%. Strong economic indicators include 35.8% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 14.1% of income, with residents ranking in the 76th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

South Perth - Kensington had 44.7% houses and 55.4% other dwellings in its dwelling structure as of the latest Census, compared to Perth metro's 49.3% houses and 50.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in South Perth - Kensington was 33.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 26.8% and rented ones at 40.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,388, higher than Perth metro's average of $2,200. The median weekly rent figure was $375, compared to Perth metro's $360. Nationally, South Perth - Kensington's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,388 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were comparable at $375.

South Perth - Kensington features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 61.3% of all households, including 24.4% couples with children, 28.7% couples without children, and 6.7% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 38.7%, with lone person households at 33.6% and group households comprising 5.1%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which aligns with the Greater Perth average.

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

South Perth - Kensington's educational attainment significantly exceeds broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 50.4% hold university qualifications compared to 27.9% in Western Australia (WA) and 29.9% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are most common at 32.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 13.5% and graduate diplomas at 4.5%. Vocational pathways account for 23.5% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 10.7% and certificates at 12.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.8% in tertiary education, 7.6% in secondary education, and 7.0% pursuing primary education. The area has a robust network of 7 schools educating approximately 3,797 students. South Perth - Kensington demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1108. The educational mix includes 4 primary, 2 secondary, and 1 K-12 school.

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

Analysis shows 122 active transport stops operating in South Perth - Kensington, offering a mix of ferry and bus services. These stops are served by 16 individual routes, collectively providing 3,878 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 133 meters from the nearest stop.

Service frequency averages 554 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 31 weekly trips per stop.

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

South Perth - Kensington demonstrates excellent health outcomes with a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 75% (14,380 people), compared to 67.8% across Greater Perth and the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions in the area, impacting 7.0 and 6.9% of residents respectively.

A total of 73.3% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Perth. The area has 20.8% (4,004 people) of residents aged 65 and over. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

South Perth - Kensington 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

South Perth-Kensington has a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 18.2% of its residents speaking a language other than English at home and 35.7% born overseas. Christianity is the predominant religion in South Perth-Kensington, making up 46.0% of the population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented in South Perth-Kensington compared to Greater Perth, comprising 0.4% versus 0.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are English at 28.3%, Australian at 20.8%, and Other at 10.1%. Some ethnic groups have notable differences: South African representation is higher at 0.9% compared to the regional average of 0.8%, Croatian is at 0.9% (regional average 0.8%), and Welsh is also notably represented at 0.7%.

South Perth - Kensington's population is slightly older than the national pattern

South Perth - Kensington has a median age of 40, which is higher than Greater Perth's figure of 37 and Australia's figure of 38 years. The 65-74 cohort is notably over-represented locally at 11.5%, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 9.0%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has grown from 5.4% to 7.3% of the population. Conversely, the 45-54 cohort has declined from 13.3% to 12.2%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests South Perth - Kensington's age profile will evolve significantly. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 1,049 people (75%) from 1,405 to 2,455. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 75% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.