Kensington Gardens
A $2,337,500 median house price in a suburb of just 2,498 people tells you something important: Kensington Gardens is one of Adelaide's most exclusive residential pockets, with a population density of 2,289 per km2 packed into 1.09 km2. University qualifications reach 57.6%, which is 27.5 percentage points above the national figure, and Professionals make up the largest occupation group at 452 workers. The median age of 45 sits 5 years above the national average, and 41% of dwellings are owned outright, pointing to an established, wealth-holding resident base rather than a transient one. House prices grew 19.6% from $1,955,000 to $2,337,500 between early 2025 and early 2026.
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
19
Median House
$2.3M
Median 1Q 2026
At $2,337,500 in the first quarter of 2026, the median house price grew 19.6% from $1,955,000 a year earlier, making Kensington Gardens one of the strongest capital growth stories in Adelaide over that period. Separate houses account for 46% of stock but apartments (33%) and semi-detached (21%) make genuine inroads, so detached supply is tighter than the suburb size suggests. Two-bedroom dwellings are the most common at 42.8%, with three-bedroom at 31.5% and four-plus at 21.8%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 29.4%, just below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 41% comfortably outnumber mortgage holders at 27.9%, reflecting a buyer base that has held property long enough to shed debt.
For Buyers
At $2,337,500 in the first quarter of 2026, the median house price grew 19.6% from $1,955,000 a year earlier, making Kensington Gardens one of the strongest capital growth stories in Adelaide over that period. Separate houses account for 46% of stock but apartments (33%) and semi-detached (21%) make genuine inroads, so detached supply is tighter than the suburb size suggests. Two-bedroom dwellings are the most common at 42.8%, with three-bedroom at 31.5% and four-plus at 21.8%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 29.4%, just below the 30% stress threshold. Outright owners at 41% comfortably outnumber mortgage holders at 27.9%, reflecting a buyer base that has held property long enough to shed debt.
For Investors
The renter share is 31.1%, slightly below what you would expect compared to inner Adelaide averages, and weekly rent of $346 against a $2,337,500 median implies a gross yield well under 1%, so yield is not the investment case here. The vacancy rate of 9.3% is elevated, signalling that not all rental stock finds tenants quickly. Development activity logged 18 applications in the past 12 months, low for a suburb of this size, confirming that supply additions are modest. The price growth of 19.6% over one year is the primary investment signal, driven by constrained land, low turnover (74.7% of residents stayed), and a professional income base. Investors should weigh that near-term growth against thin yield and a vacancy rate that is above comfortable norms.
Development Activity
Total DAs
146
Last 12 Months
19
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-42.4%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 45 is 5 years above the national average, consistent with the 41% outright ownership rate and a couples-without-children share of 32.5% of families. University qualifications at 57.6% sit 27.5 percentage points above the national figure, one of the sharpest education gaps in the Adelaide metropolitan area. Overseas-born residents reach 32.6%, which is 11 percentage points above the national share. English ancestry leads (803 residents), followed by Chinese (280), Italian (246) and Scottish (240). The top non-English language is Mandarin (91 speakers), reflecting modest but notable Asian-heritage representation. Average household size of 2.2 is 0.3 below national, consistent with the older, smaller-household profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
46.0%
Houses
21.0%
Townhouse
33.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is heavily skewed toward ownership: 41% own outright and 27.9% carry a mortgage, leaving only 31.1% renting, lower than the state average. The outright-ownership dominance reflects long holding periods rather than new-buyer activity, consistent with 74.7% of residents not moving in the five years before the census. Stock composition is 46% separate houses, 33% apartments and 21% semi-detached, meaning house hunters face a narrower detached pool than the suburb count implies. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 42.8%, and 4-plus bedroom homes account for 21.8%. Prices climbed from $1,955,000 to $2,337,500 between 1Q 2025 and 1Q 2026, a 19.6% gain that places the suburb above most Adelaide suburb growth rates for that period.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$346
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
32.5%
Couples, no children
1,801
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the leading employer at 21.8% of workers (204 people), ahead of Professional/Tech at 15.5% (145) and Education at 13.6% (127). This services-sector cluster reflects the suburb's proximity to the eastern inner suburbs where hospitals and universities concentrate employment. By occupation, Professionals account for 452 workers and Managers for 187, together forming the clear majority of the local workforce. The full-time employment rate is 59.6%, and unemployment sits at 4.8%, broadly in line with the state average. Participation is 55.5%, lower than national norms because 837 residents are not in the labour force, a figure tied to the older age profile. Weekly personal income of $915 and household income in the 51.2nd income percentile are moderate relative to the suburb's house prices.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.6%
Part-time
35.6%
Participation
55.5%
Employed
1,145
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.6%
Postgraduate
16.1%
Born Overseas
32.6%
Dwellings
1,073
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 81% of commuters, and public transport use at 9.3% is below what inner Adelaide typically records, reflecting the suburb's residential character with limited through-routes. Walking or cycling accounts for 4.8%, modest but consistent with a compact, walkable street grid. No schools are recorded within the 1.09 km2 boundary, so families draw on schools in neighbouring suburbs such as Kensington and Norwood. Crime totals 54 incidents, giving a rate of 21.6 per 1,000 residents, which is low compared to higher-density Adelaide suburbs. The volunteering rate of 19.3% is above most metropolitan suburbs nationally, and only 7% of residents (169 people) need daily assistance. Rent-to-income at 22% keeps tenants below the 30% stress threshold, adding to livability for the 31.1% who rent.
Drive
81.0%
Public Transport
9.3%
Walk / Cycle
4.8%
Work from Home
N/A
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 has a low crime rate of 21.6 incidents per 1,000 residents, a volunteering rate of 19.3% and university qualifications at 57.6%, which is 27.5 percentage points above the national average. The main trade-off is a $2,337,500 median house price and limited public transport access, with 81% of commuters driving.
What is the median house price in Kensington Gardens?
The median house price is $2,337,500 as of Q1 2026, up 19.6% from $1,955,000 in Q1 2025. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,000 and weekly rent averages $346. Outright owners make up 41% of households, well above the national rate.
What schools are in Kensington Gardens?
No schools are recorded within the 1.09 km2 Kensington Gardens boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident population is highly educated, with 57.6% holding university qualifications, which is 27.5 percentage points above the national figure.
Is Kensington Gardens safe?
Recorded crime totals 54 incidents, producing a rate of 21.6 per 1,000 residents. That figure is low for an inner-Adelaide suburb and is consistent with the suburb's high-income, professionally employed population. Only 7% of residents (169 people) need daily living assistance.
Is Kensington Gardens good for property investment?
House prices grew 19.6% in one year to $2,337,500, but weekly rent of $346 implies a gross yield well below 1%. The 9.3% vacancy rate is elevated. The investment case rests on capital growth from constrained supply and stable demand, not rental income. Development activity ran at just 18 applications in 12 months.
How is Kensington Gardens's population changing?
The suburb has 2,498 residents and a low turnover rate of 25.3%, meaning 74.7% of residents stayed in place over the census period. The median age of 45 is 5 years above the national average, pointing to an aging, established resident base rather than fast demographic turnover.
What languages are spoken in Kensington Gardens?
About 32.6% of residents were born overseas, which is 11 percentage points above the national share. Mandarin is the leading non-English language (91 speakers), followed by Greek, Italian and Persian, each with 17 speakers. English ancestry leads at 803 residents, with Chinese (280) and Italian (246) the next largest groups.
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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