Kelvin Grove
At 7,909 residents and 4,690.2 people per sq km, Kelvin Grove is a compact inner-Brisbane suburb shaped by students, renters and apartment living. Its median age of 28 is 12 years below the national figure, while university attainment is 60.8%, or 30.7 percentage points above national. Apartments account for 62.2% of dwellings and renting for 65.4%, with vacancy at 10.5%, because the local housing stock serves mobile study and early-career households. Compared with nearby Red Hill, Kelvin Grove is more urban and apartment-oriented. Its overseas-born share of 42.8% is 21.2 points above national, adding international connections to the local economy. Turnover is 48.4%, so resident continuity is lower than in more established family suburbs.
Population
7,909
Median Age
28.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,670/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
28
Buying in Kelvin Grove requires a property-specific approach because a current median house price cannot be quoted reliably. The suburb's indicative mortgage cost is $2,000 per month, while mortgage payments equal 27.7% of household income, above the 24.0% rent-to-income figure. Apartments make up 62.2% of dwellings, compared with 31.4% separate houses, so unit selection, body corporate costs and building condition matter more than in nearby Red Hill's more detached-home setting. Smaller properties dominate: 26.9% contain 0 or 1 bedroom and 35.7% contain 2 bedrooms. A household income at the 58th percentile is above the national midpoint, but buyers should still test borrowing capacity against interest-rate changes and apartment resale demand.
For Buyers
Buying in Kelvin Grove requires a property-specific approach because a current median house price cannot be quoted reliably. The suburb's indicative mortgage cost is $2,000 per month, while mortgage payments equal 27.7% of household income, above the 24.0% rent-to-income figure. Apartments make up 62.2% of dwellings, compared with 31.4% separate houses, so unit selection, body corporate costs and building condition matter more than in nearby Red Hill's more detached-home setting. Smaller properties dominate: 26.9% contain 0 or 1 bedroom and 35.7% contain 2 bedrooms. A household income at the 58th percentile is above the national midpoint, but buyers should still test borrowing capacity against interest-rate changes and apartment resale demand.
For Investors
Kelvin Grove's investment case is anchored by strong rental demand but moderated by elevated supply risk. Renting accounts for 65.4% of occupied dwellings, far above outright ownership at 12.9%, while weekly rent is $400. Vacancy is 10.5%, higher than a tightly supplied rental market, because apartment concentration and frequent resident movement create more competing stock. Development activity reached 27 applications in 12 months, reinforcing the possibility of new or improved accommodation competing with older units. The wider growth trend is 2.13% annually and is driven primarily by overseas migration, which supports tenant inflow. Compared with lower-turnover family suburbs, Kelvin Grove may suit investors prioritising renter depth and location exposure, but vacancy, maintenance and project quality need close monitoring.
Development Activity
Total DAs
109
Last 12 Months
28
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+47.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Kelvin Grove
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Queensland Academy for Creative Industries
Kelvin Grove State College
Demographics
Kelvin Grove is markedly younger and more highly educated than Australia overall. The median age is 28, which is 12 years below the national figure, and 60.8% of residents hold university qualifications, 30.7 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents account for 42.8%, or 21.2 points above national, with English, Chinese, Irish and Scottish ancestry among the largest reported groups. Mandarin is the most common non-English language, with 263 speakers, followed by Arabic at 75. Average household size is 2.3 people, 0.2 below national, because apartments and shared or smaller households are common. Mobility is high: 48.4% changed address while 51.6% stayed, supporting a younger, internationally connected population but reducing stability compared with older suburban areas.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
31.4%
Houses
6.4%
Townhouse
62.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Kelvin Grove's 1.69 sq km footprint and density of 4,690.2 people per sq km support a housing market led by apartments rather than detached homes. Apartments represent 62.2% of dwellings, nearly double the 31.4% separate-house share, while 6.4% are semi-detached. Bedroom supply is concentrated in smaller formats: 26.9% have 0 or 1 bedroom, 35.7% have 2, 23.8% have 3 and 13.7% have 4 or more. Renting at 65.4% is higher than the combined outright and mortgage-owned shares, reflecting a student and early-career market. Rent absorbs 24.0% of household income, below the 27.7% mortgage measure, and household income sits at the 58th percentile, above the national midpoint. Compared with nearby Red Hill, this is a more compact and apartment-dependent housing environment.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiMedian weekly rent for new bonds (Jun 2026 quarter), QLD RTA bond data. Census 2021 median: $400.
$770
Bond data Jun 2026 quarter · houses $770 · units $690
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$757
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
10.5%
Unoccupied
372
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.7%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
37.7%
Couples with children
40.7%
Couples, no children
17.1%
Single parent
1,697
Total families
Economy & Employment
Kelvin Grove's economy combines health, professional, education and service work. Healthcare is the largest industry at 18.1%, followed by Professional and Technical Services at 16.3%, Education at 13.9%, Hospitality at 8.1% and Public Administration at 6.3%. Professionals number 1,615, ahead of Community and Personal Service workers at 617 and Clerical and Administrative workers at 492. Labour-force participation is 70.4%, with 4,818 people in the labour force, but unemployment is 8.1% and full-time employment is 52.4%, reflecting a mixed student and working population. The socioeconomic profile is uneven: the Education and Occupation decile is 10, while Economic Resources is decile 1. This gap helps explain why education and professional capacity rank above national levels even though renting and income pressure remain significant. IRSAD is decile 8, also above the national midpoint.
Unemployment
8.1%
Labour Force
4,818
Unemployed
391
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
52.4%
Part-time
36.9%
Participation
70.4%
Employed
4,427
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
60.8%
Postgraduate
20.4%
Born Overseas
42.8%
Dwellings
3,149
Transport to Work
Kelvin Grove suits residents who value inner-city access, compact housing and varied travel options. Public transport accounts for 15.0% of commuting, walking or cycling for 12.3% and working from home for 25.8%, while 42.5% drive a car, creating more choice than a heavily car-dependent outer suburb. Two government schools are located in the suburb: Kelvin Grove State College and Queensland Academy for Creative Industries, a state high school. Families should check enrolment zones and year-level availability against the exact address, since boundaries can cut across compact suburbs. The 1.69 sq km area supports short local trips, although apartment living and 10.5% vacancy can produce turnover and varying building environments. IRSAD is decile 8, above the national midpoint, but safety should still be assessed at street level because no suburb-wide crime rate is available to quote.
Drive
42.5%
Public Transport
15.0%
Walk / Cycle
12.3%
Work from Home
25.8%
Population Forecast
+2.13%/yr
(+267 people/yr)
EstablishedKelvin Grove is classified as established, but its growth indicators remain positive. The annual trend is 2.13%, driven primarily by overseas migration, while population change across the wider area reaches 29.6% over 10 years. That 2.13% pace is higher than a no-growth baseline, although the trajectory is labelled Mixed because housing affordability moved from 63.3 in 2011 to 51.0 in 2021 and rental growth reached 6.7%. Gentrification is still at the Early signs stage, with a score of 37, so change is present without a mature premium-suburb profile. The area also recovered from a COVID dip of 6.6%, with recovery recorded at 17.3%. Ongoing development, overseas migration and apartment demand should keep the suburb changing, but vacancy and affordability will influence the pace.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+598
Net Internal / yr
-99
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +51% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +598/yr, COVID recovered (-7% dip → full recovery)
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kelvin Grove compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kelvin Grove a good suburb to live in?
Kelvin Grove suits people seeking inner-city convenience, apartments and access to education or professional work. The median age is 28, public transport use is 15.0% and walking or cycling is 12.3%. Renting reaches 65.4%, so the suburb may feel more mobile than family-oriented areas.
What is the median house price in Kelvin Grove?
A current median house price cannot be quoted reliably. Kelvin Grove is apartment-dominant, with 62.2% apartments and 31.4% separate houses, so buyers should compare recent sales by property type, bedroom count and building condition rather than rely on one suburb-wide figure.
What schools are in Kelvin Grove?
Two government schools are located in Kelvin Grove: Kelvin Grove State College and Queensland Academy for Creative Industries, a state high school. Check enrolment zones and year-level availability for the exact address, particularly within the suburb's compact 1.69 sq km area.
Is Kelvin Grove safe?
A suburb-wide crime rate is not available to quote, so safety is best assessed at street level using recent local incidents, lighting and evening activity. Kelvin Grove's IRSAD decile is 8, above the national midpoint, but socioeconomic standing is not a direct measure of personal safety.
Is Kelvin Grove good for property investment?
Kelvin Grove can suit investors targeting renters because 65.4% of dwellings are rented and weekly rent is $400. The 10.5% vacancy rate is higher than a tightly supplied market, while 27 development applications in 12 months indicate competing supply. Tenant demand and vacancy need equal attention.
How is Kelvin Grove's population changing?
Growth remains positive, with an annual trend of 2.13% and population change across the wider area of 29.6% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Mixed, while gentrification is at the Early signs stage with a score of 37.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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