Kendenup
With a median age of 54 and household income sitting at just the 14.3rd percentile nationally, Kendenup is a small agricultural town of 1,062 people in WA's Great Southern region that has aged faster than most of rural Australia. At 386 square kilometres, the locality is expansive but sparsely settled at 2.7 people per km2, and 53.6% of homes are owned outright, well above the national average. Agriculture employs 20.3% of the local workforce, the dominant industry by a clear margin. The 20.6% vacancy rate points to constrained rental demand, which is consistent with a low-turnover community where 83.1% of residents stayed in the same address over the previous year.
Population
1,062
Median Age
54.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,040/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$296K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At $296,000, Kendenup's estimated median house price is substantially below WA state and national medians, making it one of the more affordable rural options for buyers seeking outright ownership in the Great Southern. Separate houses account for 97.7% of dwellings, so the market is almost entirely detached stock with no unit or apartment alternatives. Three-bedroom homes represent 49.0% of the housing mix and 4-plus bedroom homes a further 30.4%, meaning the suburb tilts toward larger family-oriented floor plans rather than starter homes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,194, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.5% stays below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting current buyers are not stretched relative to local incomes. With 53.6% of homes owned outright compared to around 30% nationally, the ownership culture is deep and long-established.
For Buyers
At $296,000, Kendenup's estimated median house price is substantially below WA state and national medians, making it one of the more affordable rural options for buyers seeking outright ownership in the Great Southern. Separate houses account for 97.7% of dwellings, so the market is almost entirely detached stock with no unit or apartment alternatives. Three-bedroom homes represent 49.0% of the housing mix and 4-plus bedroom homes a further 30.4%, meaning the suburb tilts toward larger family-oriented floor plans rather than starter homes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,194, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.5% stays below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting current buyers are not stretched relative to local incomes. With 53.6% of homes owned outright compared to around 30% nationally, the ownership culture is deep and long-established.
For Investors
Kendenup presents a mixed investor picture. Weekly rent of $230 against a $296,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.0%, higher than most metropolitan markets, but the 20.6% vacancy rate is a significant offsetting risk because it indicates that available properties sit empty for extended periods. The renter base is thin at just 12.0% of households, well below state and national norms, limiting tenant demand. Rent-to-income for tenants sits at 22.1%, which is affordable, so affordability is not the constraint on tenancy. No development applications were recorded in the past 12 months, confirming this is a static supply market with minimal construction activity. Population at 1,062 is small and the community is highly stable, so capital growth catalysts are limited without a broader regional demand shift.
Schools in Kendenup iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Kendenup Primary School
K-6 · 67 students
Demographics
The median age of 54 is 14 years above the national figure of 40, placing Kendenup firmly among Australia's oldest-skewing rural communities. The age gap reflects decades of younger residents leaving for regional centres and capital cities, a pattern common to small agricultural towns. English ancestry leads at 568 residents, followed by Irish (95) and Scottish (86), with overseas-born residents at 24.9%, which is 3.3 percentage points above the national average. Average household size of 2.2 is slightly below the national figure of 2.5. University qualifications reach only 15.6%, which is 14.5 percentage points below the national average, consistent with a workforce concentrated in trades, agriculture, and manual labour rather than professional services. Volunteering is high at 25.7%, above typical metropolitan rates.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.7%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
The housing stock is among the most uniformly detached in WA, with separate houses at 97.7% and no recorded apartment or semi-detached stock. Outright owners at 53.6% far exceed the national average of around 30%, reflecting long-term residents who have paid off mortgages over many years. Mortgage holders represent 34.4% and renters just 12.0%, a tenure split that signals a settled, low-churn population. Three-bedroom homes are the modal type at 49.0%, with 4-plus bedroom properties at 30.4%. The estimated median house price of $296,000 is well below WA medians, and monthly mortgage repayments of $1,194 are low in absolute terms. Mortgage-to-income at 26.5% and rent-to-income at 22.1% both sit below stress thresholds, so housing costs are manageable relative to local incomes.
Mortgage / mo
$1,194
Rent / wk
$230
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$556
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
20.6%
Unoccupied
113
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.5%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
42.9%
Couples, no children
756
Total families
Economy & Employment
Agriculture employs 20.3% of the workforce (42 workers), the largest single industry, followed by Healthcare at 15.5% (32 workers) and Education at 14.5% (30 workers). Transport and Public Administration each contribute 8.7%. By occupation, Managers (80) edge out Labourers (76), with Machinery and Drivers (45) and Professionals (44) following. The employment base reflects a farming and services economy typical of small WA rural towns. The unemployment rate is 5.0%, broadly comparable to rural WA norms. Participation rate is only 42.5%, substantially below national figures, because 392 residents are not in the labour force, a direct consequence of the 54-year median age and the proportion of retirees. Weekly household income of $1,040 sits at the 14.3rd percentile nationally, reflecting both lower wages in agriculture and a large retired cohort with superannuation rather than employment income.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.5%
Part-time
36.5%
Participation
42.5%
Employed
359
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.6%
Postgraduate
2.7%
Born Overseas
24.9%
Dwellings
431
Transport to Work
Car use is dominant with 85.6% of residents commuting by car, higher than most WA regional towns, because public transport is minimal at only 2.5%. Walking or cycling accounts for 5.6% of commutes, which is notable for a rural locality and likely reflects movement within the small town centre. No schools are recorded within the Kendenup locality boundary, so families depend on services in nearby Mount Barker or Albany. At 9.4% of residents (91 people) needing daily assistance, and with a median age of 54, care service demand is above metropolitan norms. SEIFA scores are not available for this locality, so a decile comparison cannot be made. Crime data is also not available. Housing costs sit below stress thresholds with rent-to-income at 22.1%, making daily living affordable for those with stable local employment.
Drive
85.6%
Public Transport
2.5%
Walk / Cycle
5.6%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kendenup compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kendenup a good suburb to live in?
Kendenup suits people seeking quiet rural living with affordable housing. The $296,000 median house price is well below WA averages and housing costs are manageable, with rent-to-income at 22.1% and mortgage-to-income at 26.5%. The median age of 54 is 14 years above the national figure, so the community skews heavily toward long-term, older residents. Amenities are limited, with no schools recorded locally, and car dependence is high at 85.6%.
What is the median house price in Kendenup?
The estimated median house price in Kendenup is $296,000 (estimated from rent, 2025). Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,194 and weekly rent sits at $230. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.5% remains below the 30% stress threshold, making buying more financially manageable than in most WA markets.
What schools are in Kendenup?
No schools are recorded within the Kendenup locality boundary in this dataset. Families typically access schools in nearby Mount Barker or Albany. University qualification rates locally are 15.6%, which is 14.5 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the vocational and agricultural focus of the local workforce.
Is Kendenup safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Kendenup in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, Kendenup is a small rural community of 1,062 residents with a highly stable population: 83.1% of residents remained at the same address over the prior year, a retention rate higher than most rural localities. Small, stable rural towns in WA typically have lower reported crime rates than regional centres.
Is Kendenup good for property investment?
Investment returns are mixed. A $230 weekly rent against a $296,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.0%, above metropolitan averages. However, the 20.6% vacancy rate is a significant risk, signalling extended periods between tenancies. The renter base is only 12.0% of households, well below state norms, and no development activity was recorded in the past 12 months, limiting both tenant supply and capital growth prospects.
How is Kendenup's population changing?
Kendenup's current population is 1,062, spread across 386 square kilometres at 2.7 people per km2. With a median age of 54, which is 14 years above the national average, the community is aging and likely to see natural decline as older cohorts dominate. The 83.1% residential stay-rate confirms very low mobility, with little in-migration to offset aging. No development applications were recorded in the prior 12 months.
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 Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), 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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