Kensington Gardens
The compact 1.09 sq km suburb houses 2,498 people, with a median age of 45, which is 5 years above the national figure. University attainment is 57.6%, or 27.5 percentage points above national levels. Compared with nearby Kensington Park and Leabrook, Kensington Gardens presents a premium, established profile, supported by 40.0% outright ownership and a low crime rate of 21.6 incidents per 1,000 residents.
Local council: Burnside
Population
2,498
Median Age
45.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,571/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
21
Median House
$2.3M
First quarter 2026
The 29.4% mortgage-to-income measure is higher than the 22.0% rent-to-income measure, so borrowing capacity and deposit size remain important despite the suburb's established housing base. The dwelling mix includes 46.0% separate houses, 21.0% semi-detached homes and 33.0% apartments. Two-bedroom homes account for 42.8%, above the 31.5% share of three-bedroom homes, which suits downsizers and smaller households more than buyers seeking predominantly large family stock.
For Buyers
The 29.4% mortgage-to-income measure is higher than the 22.0% rent-to-income measure, so borrowing capacity and deposit size remain important despite the suburb's established housing base. The dwelling mix includes 46.0% separate houses, 21.0% semi-detached homes and 33.0% apartments. Two-bedroom homes account for 42.8%, above the 31.5% share of three-bedroom homes, which suits downsizers and smaller households more than buyers seeking predominantly large family stock.
For Investors
Investor conditions are mixed. Renting accounts for 30.3% of dwellings, below the 40.0% owned-outright share, while weekly rent is $346. A 9.3% vacancy rate is high compared with the 30.3% renter share, which can reduce tenant urgency and limit short-term rental growth when more properties are available. Development activity reached 21 applications in 12 months, compared with the suburb's 1.09 sq km area, indicating ongoing property attention in a tightly defined market. Recent examples include pool safety fencing, an outbuilding and a water-tank screen, so the activity points to maintenance and incremental upgrades as well as potential redevelopment.
Development Activity
Total DAs
151
Last 12 Months
21
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-22.2%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
Kensington Gardens has an older and more highly educated profile than Australia overall: the median age is 45, which is 5 years above the national figure, while 57.6% of residents hold university qualifications, 27.5 percentage points above national levels. Overseas-born residents make up 32.6%, 11.0 points above the national comparison, with Mandarin recorded for 91 residents. Leading ancestries include English at 803 people, Chinese at 280, Italian at 246 and Scottish at 240. Average household size is 2.2, or 0.3 below national levels, helping explain why couples without children represent 44.6% of households.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
46.0%
Houses
21.0%
Townhouse
33.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is expensive and tenure is split. That growth is higher than the 0.0% peak-to-latest change because the latest result is already the peak. Outright ownership is 40.0%, mortgage ownership 27.3% and renting 30.3%, so no single tenure dominates. The physical mix is 46.0% separate houses, 21.0% semi-detached homes and 33.0% apartments. Two-bedroom dwellings account for 42.8%, above three-bedroom homes at 31.5%, pointing to a meaningful downsizer and smaller-household market compared with larger family stock.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$346
Census 2021
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$915
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.3%
Unoccupied
110
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.0%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
29.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
38.5%
Couples with children
44.6%
Couples, no children
15.4%
Single parent
657
Total families
Economy & Employment
Employment is concentrated in knowledge and service sectors. Healthcare represents 21.8% of industry employment, with 204 workers, above Professional and Technical services at 15.5% and 145 workers. Education adds 13.6% and 127 workers, followed by Public Administration at 7.5% and Retail at 5.5%. The occupational profile is led by 452 Professionals and 187 Managers, compared with 159 Clerical and Administrative workers and 87 Trades workers. Labour-force participation is 58.3%, unemployment is 4.6%, and full-time work accounts for 56.6%, or 682 people, versus 463 part-time workers. This concentration supports demand for professional, health and education services.
Unemployment
4.6%
Labour Force
1,262
Unemployed
58
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.6%
Part-time
38.5%
Participation
58.3%
Employed
1,204
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.6%
Postgraduate
16.1%
Born Overseas
32.6%
Dwellings
1,073
Transport to Work
Kensington Gardens suits residents comfortable with a car-led eastern-suburbs routine. Car drivers account for 68.8% of journeys, well above public transport at 7.9% and walking or cycling at 4.1%; working from home is 15.1%. That pattern matters because daily convenience is more dependent on road access than transit frequency. The recorded crime rate is 21.6 per 1,000 residents across 54 incidents, consistent with the suburb's low-crime profile. Families should check exact-address enrolment zones and compare nearby school options by sector and type; boundaries can differ across streets within postcode 5068. A volunteering rate of 19.3% also sits alongside the suburb's comparatively settled 74.7% residential stability.
Drive
68.8%
Public Transport
7.9%
Walk / Cycle
4.1%
Work from Home
15.1%
Growth Outlook
Recent growth is strongest in pricing and property activity. The median house price increased 19.6% between 1Q 2025 and 1Q 2026, higher than the 0.0% peak-to-latest movement because 1Q 2026 remains the peak. Development activity recorded 21 applications over 12 months, compared with resident turnover of 25.3% and the 74.7% who stayed at the same address. The mix of pool fencing, an outbuilding and a water-tank screen suggests much activity is incremental rather than a clear wave of new housing. For buyers, growth has been visible above all in values and upgrades, while the compact 1.09 sq km footprint limits assumptions about large-scale redevelopment.
Population trend: Burnside council area
Kensington Gardens sits in the Burnside council area. These are the council area's residents, not Kensington Gardens's.
Residents 2025
48,257
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.8%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.7%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
54
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
21.6
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kensington Gardens compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kensington Gardens a good suburb to live in?
Kensington Gardens may suit buyers seeking a premium eastern-suburbs setting with an older, educated resident base. The median age is 45, which is 5 years above national levels, and university attainment is 57.6%. Its crime rate is 21.6 per 1,000 residents, while car use at 68.8% is much higher than public transport at 7.9%.
What schools are in Kensington Gardens?
School choices for a Kensington Gardens address should be checked against current enrolment zones and the exact postcode, 5068. Compare nearby options by sector, type and travel time rather than relying only on the suburb name, because boundaries can differ across eastern-suburbs streets. Families should confirm eligibility directly before making a housing decision.
Is Kensington Gardens safe?
Kensington Gardens recorded 54 incidents, equivalent to 21.6 incidents per 1,000 residents. That supports a low-crime profile compared with higher-rate locations, although conditions can vary by street, time and offence type. The figure should be considered alongside the suburb's 2,498 residents and its relatively settled profile, with 74.7% staying at the same address.
Is Kensington Gardens good for property investment?
Kensington Gardens has investor appeal through premium values and a 30.3% renter share, but conditions are not uniformly tight. Weekly rent is $346 and vacancy is 9.3%, which is high compared with a strongly constrained rental market. There were 21 development applications in 12 months, while 40.0% of residents owned outright, indicating both rental demand and substantial established ownership.
How is Kensington Gardens's population changing?
Kensington Gardens has 2,498 residents and appears relatively settled rather than highly mobile. A total of 74.7% stayed at the same address, compared with turnover of 25.3%. The median age of 45, which is 5 years above the national figure, points to an older resident trajectory, while the average household size of 2.2 is below the national comparison by 0.3.
What languages are spoken in Kensington Gardens?
Overseas-born residents account for 32.6%, which is 11.0 percentage points above the national comparison. Mandarin is recorded for 91 residents, while Greek, Italian, Persian and Sinhalese each account for 17, 17, 17 and 16 people respectively. English ancestry is the largest listed ancestry at 803 people, followed by Chinese at 280.
What development is occurring in Kensington Gardens?
There were 21 development applications during the past 12 months. Examples include pool safety fencing, an outbuilding or shed, and a water-tank screen, with 1 dwelling noted in one sample. Compared with a large greenfield release, this pattern suggests incremental upgrades and property improvements are more prominent than major new housing estates.
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), SA Department for Housing and Urban Development (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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