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 stood at 19,253 as of August 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure represents an increase of 2,027 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 17,226. The growth is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 19,025 as of June 2024 and an additional 444 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,481 persons per square kilometer, placing South Perth - Kensington in the upper quartile nationally. The area's growth rate of 11.8% since the 2021 census exceeded the national average of 8.6%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 90.8% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and estimates post-2032, AreaSearch employs growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). Future population trends project an above median growth for Australian statistical areas. South Perth - Kensington is expected to expand by 2,439 persons to 2041, recording a gain of 11.5% over the 17-year period.

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

South Perth - Kensington averaged approximately 141 new dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis, showing 705 homes approved over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, with 11 approvals so far in FY-26. Over these five years, an average of 1.9 new residents arrived per new home. However, recent data indicates this has increased to 5.9 people per dwelling over the past two financial years, reflecting the area's growing popularity and potential supply constraints. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost value of $1,419,000, suggesting developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year has seen $45.2 million in commercial approvals, indicating robust local business investment. Compared to Greater Perth, South Perth - Kensington has had slightly more development activity, at 22.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period, balancing buyer choice while supporting current property values. However, building activity has slowed in recent years. New building activity shows 18.0% detached dwellings and 82.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting a shift towards compact living to offer affordable entry pathways for downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a significant change from the current housing mix, which is currently 45.0% houses, due to reduced availability of development sites and shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements.

South Perth - Kensington has around 338 people per dwelling approval, indicating a developing market. Looking ahead, South Perth - Kensington is projected to grow by 2,211 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 54 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects are Riva Como, Victoria Park-Canning Level Crossing Removal, The Pearl, and Lumiere South Perth. Below is a list of projects deemed most relevant.

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

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 being strongly represented. The unemployment rate in the area was 1.9% as of June 2025, which is lower than Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%.

There was an estimated employment growth of 3.2% over the past year. As of June 2025, there were 11,917 residents employed in South Perth - Kensington with a workforce participation rate similar to Greater Perth's at 65.2%. The leading employment industries among residents are health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Notably, the area has a high concentration of professional & technical services jobs, which are at 1.7 times the regional average.

However, construction employment is relatively low at 6.4% compared to the regional average of 9.3%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. In the year to June 2025, employment levels increased by 3.2%, and the labour force grew by 3.0%, leading to a decrease in unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. This contrasts with Greater Perth where employment rose by 3.7% and unemployment rose by 0.1 percentage points during the same period. State-level data from Sep-25 shows WA's employment contracted by 0.82%, losing 14,590 jobs, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5% and employment growth was 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. 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, though these are simple weighting 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

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022. South Perth - Kensington's median income among taxpayers was $65,021 with an average of $106,327, placing it in the top percentile nationally. This compares to Greater Perth's median of $58,380 and average of $78,020. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, current estimates as of March 2025 would be approximately $72,570 (median) and $118,672 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in South Perth - Kensington ranked highly nationally, between the 73rd and 88th percentiles. The earnings profile showed that 28.0% of locals (5,390 people) fell within the $1,500 - $2,999 category, aligning with the surrounding region at 32.0%. Economic strength was evident with 35.8% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounted for 14.1% of income while strong earnings placed residents within the 76th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed 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's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, had 44.7% houses and 55.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares 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 was $2,388, higher than Perth metro's $2,200. Median weekly rent in South Perth - Kensington was $375, compared to Perth metro's $360. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $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 constitute 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 comprise the remaining 38.7%, with lone person households at 33.6% and group households making up 5.1%. The median household size is 2.2 people, aligning 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 residents aged 15+ have a higher educational attainment than broader benchmarks. 50.4% hold university qualifications compared to WA's 27.9% and the SA4 region's 29.9%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 32.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (13.5%) and graduate diplomas (4.5%). Vocational pathways account for 23.5%, with advanced diplomas at 10.7% and certificates at 12.8%.

Educational participation is high, with 29.3% currently enrolled in formal education: 9.8% in tertiary, 7.6% in secondary, and 7.0% in primary. There are seven schools operating within South Perth-Kensington educating approximately 3,797 students. The area demonstrates socio-educational advantages with an ICSEA score of 1108, indicating significant academic achievement. The educational mix includes four primary, two secondary, and one K-12 school.

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

South Perth-Kensington has 122 operational public transport stops offering a mix of ferry and bus services. These stops are served by 16 different routes, facilitating a total of 3,878 weekly passenger trips. The area boasts excellent transport accessibility with residents typically residing 133 meters from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 554 daily trips across all routes, translating to approximately 31 weekly trips per individual 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 reports excellent health outcomes with low prevalence of common conditions across all ages. Private health cover is high at approximately 75% (14,381 people), compared to Greater Perth's 67.8% and the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues affect 7.0%, asthma affects 6.9%, while 73.3% report no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Perth.

The area has 20.8% seniors (4,004 people), with strong health outcomes among this group performing better than the general population.

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 level of cultural diversity compared to most local areas, with 18.2% of its population 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%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are English (28.3%), Australian (20.8%), and Other (10.1%). Some ethnic groups show significant differences: South African representation is higher at 0.9% compared to the regional average of 0.8%, Croatian at 0.9% versus 0.8%, and Welsh 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 slightly higher than Greater Perth's figure of 37 and Australia's median age of 38. The 65-74 age cohort is notably over-represented in South Perth - Kensington at 11.5%, while the 5-14 year-olds are under-represented at 9%. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has increased 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 significantly evolve. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to grow by 1,049 people (75%), reaching a total of 2,455. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups are expected to account for 75% of total population growth. Meanwhile, the 0-4 and 5-14 cohorts are projected to experience population declines.