Kenmore Hills
Household income in the 94.8th percentile nationally and a university qualification rate of 60.7% tell the core story: Kenmore Hills is one of Brisbane's most advantaged pockets. All four SEIFA indexes place the suburb in decile 10, the top tier nationally, while the median age of 47 sits 7 years above the national figure, signalling a mature, owner-occupier base rather than a transient renter market. Owner-occupiers account for 87% of households combined, and 87.8% of dwellings are separate houses on a suburb spanning 4.23 square kilometres west of the CBD.
Population
2,448
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,712/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
5
Median House
$752K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price is $752,000, moderate compared to inner-Brisbane markets but anchored by strong fundamentals. With 87.8% of dwellings being separate houses and 74.2% having four or more bedrooms, the stock overwhelmingly suits families rather than downsizers. The mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 22.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning most buying households can carry repayments comfortably on the area's above-average incomes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,694. Outright owners represent 47.8% of all households, above any typical mortgage-belt suburb, pointing to long-held wealth and low forced-sale risk.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price is $752,000, moderate compared to inner-Brisbane markets but anchored by strong fundamentals. With 87.8% of dwellings being separate houses and 74.2% having four or more bedrooms, the stock overwhelmingly suits families rather than downsizers. The mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 22.9%, below the 30% stress threshold, meaning most buying households can carry repayments comfortably on the area's above-average incomes. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,694. Outright owners represent 47.8% of all households, above any typical mortgage-belt suburb, pointing to long-held wealth and low forced-sale risk.
For Investors
Kenmore Hills presents a low-yield, low-vacancy profile typical of established wealth suburbs. Weekly rent averages $598 and the renter share is just 13.2%, among the lower rates across Greater Brisbane, so the tenant pool is thin. The vacancy rate of 6.9% is elevated compared to the broader market, which moderates short-term demand. Overseas migration drives the SA2-level growth at an average net gain of 129 residents per year, while internal migration runs at negative 11, suggesting arrivals tend to settle rather than pass through. Only 4 development applications lodged in the past 12 months confirm this is a slow-churn, capital-preservation suburb rather than a yield-play.
Development Activity
Total DAs
26
Last 12 Months
5
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-44.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 47 is 7 years above the national average, placing Kenmore Hills firmly in the older resident tier. University qualifications reach 60.7%, which is 30.6 percentage points above the national figure, one of the largest gaps you will find in Queensland. Overseas-born residents stand at 36.7%, a full 15.1 points above national, yet English-speaking ancestry dominates: English (928), Irish (280) and Scottish (265) are the top three groups. Average household size is 2.9, slightly above national. Volunteering runs at 23.4% and 79.9% of residents stayed at the same address over five years, reflecting the stable, community-embedded character of the area.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
87.8%
Houses
4.0%
Townhouse
8.2%
Apartment
Tenure
Owner-occupation dominates: 47.8% own outright and 39% carry a mortgage, leaving renters at just 13.2% compared to the state average. Separate houses account for 87.8% of the stock, with apartments at 8.2% and semi-detached at 4%, making Kenmore Hills one of the more detached-dominant suburbs in the region. Four-plus bedroom dwellings make up 74.2% of all homes, reflecting the large-family orientation. The estimated median is $752,000. Rent-to-income sits at 22.1%, below the 30% stress threshold. The high outright-ownership share indicates that much of the housing wealth is entrenched and debt-free, limiting forced sales and underpinning price stability.
Mortgage / mo
$2,694
Rent / wk
$598
HH Size
2.9
Personal Income / wk
$898
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.9%
Unoccupied
58
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.1%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
25.5%
Couples, no children
2,081
Total families
Economy & Employment
Education (18.5% of employed residents) and Professional/Tech (17.9%) are the leading industries, together accounting for more than a third of local employment. Healthcare follows at 14.5% and Finance at 6.3%. Professionals are the dominant occupation category at 444 workers, followed by Managers (227), a distribution that aligns with the decile 10 IEO score for education and occupational status. The unemployment rate is 4.0% and the full-time employment rate is 61.5%. The participation rate of 52.7% is lower than the national level because the older median age of 47 leaves 788 residents outside the labour force, not because of poor job access.
Unemployment
2.0%
Labour Force
3,600
Unemployed
72
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
61.5%
Part-time
34.5%
Participation
52.7%
Employed
1,002
Occupations
Top Industries
University
60.7%
Postgraduate
21.0%
Born Overseas
36.7%
Dwellings
779
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high at 86.3% driving to work, above the national rate, reflecting the suburban, low-density setting where public transport serves only 4.9% of commuters. Kenmore Hills scores decile 10 on IRSAD, the top advantage tier nationally, meaning residents experience very low relative disadvantage. Need-for-assistance sits at 8.4%, or 201 residents, consistent with the aging median age of 47. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary in this dataset, so families draw on nearby catchment schools. Housing stress is absent: rent-to-income at 22.1% and mortgage-to-income at 22.9% both sit comfortably below the 30% threshold.
Drive
86.3%
Public Transport
4.9%
Walk / Cycle
3.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.86%/yr
(+87 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation grew 11.2% over the decade at the SA2 level, and current annual growth runs at 0.86%, equivalent to about 87 new residents per year. Medium forecasts project the SA2 population reaching 10,571 by 2031 from 10,170 in 2025. Overseas migration is the primary driver at a net average of 129 arrivals per year, partially offset by internal outflows of 11. The gentrification score sits at early signs with a population up 15% since 2011 and accelerating growth from 4% to 11%, though the suburb is already at decile 10 across all SEIFA measures, so further advantage uplift has limited headroom. Affordability improved from 55.5% in 2011 to 49.4% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+129
Net Internal / yr
-11
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +15% since 2011, Accelerating: 4% → 11%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kenmore Hills compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kenmore Hills a good suburb to live in?
Kenmore Hills ranks in decile 10 across all four SEIFA indexes, the top advantage tier nationally, and household income sits in the 94.8th percentile. University qualifications at 60.7% are 30.6 points above national. The suburb suits established families: 87.8% of dwellings are separate houses and 79.9% of residents stayed at the same address for five years or more.
What is the median house price in Kenmore Hills?
The estimated median house price is $752,000 (estimated from 2025 rent data). Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,694 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 22.9%, below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent averages $598.
What schools are in Kenmore Hills?
No schools are recorded inside the Kenmore Hills boundary in this dataset. Residents rely on schools in adjoining catchments. The local population is highly educated, with 60.7% holding university qualifications, which is 30.6 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Kenmore Hills safe?
Specific crime statistics are not available for Kenmore Hills in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest tier nationally, and only 8.4% of its 2,448 residents need daily assistance, both consistent with a low-disadvantage, stable residential area.
Is Kenmore Hills good for property investment?
Kenmore Hills suits capital-preservation strategies more than yield plays. Weekly rent of $598 against an estimated $752,000 median gives a modest gross yield, and the renter share of 13.2% limits the tenant pool. The vacancy rate of 6.9% is elevated relative to tighter Brisbane markets. However, decile 10 SEIFA status and a 47.8% outright-ownership rate underpin long-term price stability.
How is Kenmore Hills's population changing?
The SA2 population grew 11.2% over the past decade and now increases at 0.86% per year, or about 87 residents annually. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver at a net average of 129 per year. Medium forecasts project the SA2 reaching 10,571 by 2031, up from 10,170 in 2025.
What languages are spoken in Kenmore Hills?
About 36.7% of residents were born overseas, which is 15.1 percentage points above the national figure. English-speaking ancestry dominates, led by English (928), Irish (280) and Scottish (265). Mandarin is the most common non-English language with 38 speakers, and German has 14 speakers.
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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