Kent Town
An 87.9% surge in median house price within a single year, from $1,650,000 to $3,100,000, makes Kent Town one of Adelaide's most striking price movers. At 0.61 km2 with just 1,443 residents, the suburb packs a density of 2,371 people per km2 and directs 61.1% of its households into the rental market. University qualifications reach 57.2%, which is 27.1 percentage points above the national figure, and the median age of 36 sits 4 years below the national level. These two signals together point to a young, highly educated renter population, a profile that partly explains why household income lands in only the 44.8th percentile despite strong professional credentials.
Population
1,443
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,461/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
33
Median House
$3.1M
Median 1Q 2026
The $3,100,000 median house price as of 1Q 2026 reflects a dramatic move, up 87.9% from $1,650,000 just one year earlier in 1Q 2025, though the small sample size in a 0.61 km2 suburb means individual transactions can shift the median sharply. Separate houses account for only 8.1% of the dwelling stock, with apartments at 60.8% and semi-detached at 31.1%, so buyers chasing freestanding homes face very constrained supply. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 55.4% and three-bedroom at 23%, with 4-plus bedroom homes at just 3.1%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,924, which sits at 30.4% of income, above the conventional mortgage stress threshold, even though the entry point for a separate house is exceptionally high. Outright owners (21.7%) and mortgage holders (17.3%) together account for less than 40% of households.
For Buyers
The $3,100,000 median house price as of 1Q 2026 reflects a dramatic move, up 87.9% from $1,650,000 just one year earlier in 1Q 2025, though the small sample size in a 0.61 km2 suburb means individual transactions can shift the median sharply. Separate houses account for only 8.1% of the dwelling stock, with apartments at 60.8% and semi-detached at 31.1%, so buyers chasing freestanding homes face very constrained supply. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 55.4% and three-bedroom at 23%, with 4-plus bedroom homes at just 3.1%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,924, which sits at 30.4% of income, above the conventional mortgage stress threshold, even though the entry point for a separate house is exceptionally high. Outright owners (21.7%) and mortgage holders (17.3%) together account for less than 40% of households.
For Investors
Kent Town is overwhelmingly a renter suburb, with 61.1% of households renting and weekly rent at $330, which is low relative to the $3,100,000 house price median and implies a very thin gross yield. The 15.4% vacancy rate is well above typical investment targets, signalling genuine oversupply in the apartment segment that comprises 60.8% of stock. Active development with 33 applications lodged in the past 12 months, mostly alterations rather than new dwellings, suggests limited new supply pressure. The rent-to-income ratio sits at 22.6%, below the 30% stress threshold, so tenants can comfortably hold positions. The 87.9% one-year price gain in the brief reflects a small-sample luxury segment rather than a broad market move, and investors should treat that figure with caution when modelling forward returns.
Development Activity
Total DAs
147
Last 12 Months
33
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+32.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Kent Town iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Prince Alfred College
R-12 · 1127 students
Demographics
The median age of 36 is 4 years below the national figure, consistent with a young professional and student concentration near Adelaide's inner east. University qualifications at 57.2% run 27.1 percentage points above the national average, the highest single-indicator gap in the brief. Overseas-born residents make up 38.5%, which is 16.9 percentage points above national. Ancestry is led by English (503), with Irish (156) and Scottish (141) rounding out the Anglo-Celtic base, while Chinese (125) represents the largest non-European group. Average household size of 1.7 is 0.8 below the national figure, reflecting the dominance of single-occupant and couple-without-children households. Couples without children account for 54.1% of families and the volunteering rate sits at 21.5%.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
8.1%
Houses
31.1%
Townhouse
60.8%
Apartment
Tenure
The dwelling mix is skewed firmly toward apartments (60.8%) and semi-detached housing (31.1%), with separate houses at just 8.1%. This profile limits the options for buyers seeking a freestanding home, which keeps prices elevated through scarcity. The two-bedroom category dominates at 55.4%, followed by three-bedroom at 23% and studio or one-bedroom at 18.5%. Tenure is unusual: 61.1% of households rent compared to the national renter share, while only 17.3% hold a mortgage. The price history shows a move from $1,650,000 in 1Q 2025 to $3,100,000 in 1Q 2026, though the suburb's small size means these medians can shift on limited transactions. Mortgage-to-income sits at 30.4%, at the stress boundary, and the 15.4% vacancy rate is a persistent feature of a high-density apartment corridor.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,924
Rent / wk
$330
HH Size
1.7
Personal Income / wk
$831
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
15.4%
Unoccupied
124
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
30.4% stressed
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
54.1%
Couples, no children
703
Total families
Economy & Employment
Professional and technical services lead the local industry mix at 16.1% of workers, followed by Healthcare at 15.8% and Education at 12.5%, with Hospitality at 6.4% and Public Admin at 6.2%. By occupation, Professionals (266) and Managers (127) together account for over half of employed residents. Despite that skilled profile, the unemployment rate runs at 7.6%, above national norms, and the participation rate is 60.6%, with 431 residents not in the labour force. Full-time employment reaches 59.8% of those working. Household income sits at the 44.8th percentile nationally, well below what the high university qualification rate of 57.2% might suggest. This divergence likely reflects the concentration of students and early-career workers in a suburb where 61.1% rent and average household size is just 1.7.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.8%
Part-time
32.6%
Participation
60.6%
Employed
742
Occupations
Top Industries
University
57.2%
Postgraduate
18.2%
Born Overseas
38.5%
Dwellings
676
Transport to Work
Active transport use is high: 28.8% of residents walk or cycle to work, significantly above national norms, reflecting Kent Town's inner-city location with flat terrain and short commute distances. Public transport use is lower at 6.6%, while 59.0% drive. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families depend on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. The crime rate of 157.3 incidents per 1,000 residents is elevated, which is consistent with the inner-city mixed-use character and the high-vacancy, high-renter identity of the suburb. Rent-to-income at 22.6% stays below the 30% stress threshold, meaning the renter majority is not severely stretched. SEIFA data is not available for Kent Town in this dataset. Only 4.2% of residents (57 people) need daily assistance, low relative to the suburb's size.
Drive
59.0%
Public Transport
6.6%
Walk / Cycle
28.8%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
227
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
157.3
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kent Town compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kent Town a good suburb to live in?
Kent Town suits young professionals and students well, with 57.2% of residents holding university qualifications, 27.1 percentage points above the national figure, and active transport options used by 28.8% of workers. Trade-offs include a crime rate of 157.3 per 1,000 residents and a 15.4% vacancy rate that signals high unit turnover.
What is the median house price in Kent Town?
The median house price reached $3,100,000 in 1Q 2026, up from $1,650,000 in 1Q 2025, an 87.9% one-year move. The suburb is 60.8% apartments and only 8.1% separate houses, so the 'house price' median reflects a thin, luxury-end detached market in a small 0.61 km2 suburb.
What schools are in Kent Town?
No schools are recorded within the Kent Town suburb boundary in this dataset. The suburb covers just 0.61 km2, so families draw on schools in nearby suburbs. Local residents are highly educated, with 57.2% holding university qualifications, which is 27.1 percentage points above the national average.
Is Kent Town safe?
The recorded crime rate is 157.3 incidents per 1,000 residents, based on 227 total crimes in a population of 1,443. This is elevated compared to many Adelaide suburbs and is consistent with a dense inner-city area with a 15.4% vacancy rate and a high proportion of short-term renters.
Is Kent Town good for property investment?
Investment conditions are mixed. The 61.1% renter share provides a large tenant pool, but weekly rent of $330 against a $3,100,000 median implies very low gross yield. The 15.4% vacancy rate is above comfortable investment thresholds. The 87.9% one-year price move is a small-sample signal in a 1,443-person suburb and should not be extrapolated.
How is Kent Town's population changing?
Population forecast data is not in the brief for Kent Town. The current population is 1,443 across 0.61 km2. Mobility is high: 37.9% of residents moved in the year prior to the Census. The young median age of 36, which is 4 years below national, and proximity to the CBD suggest continued demand from students and younger workers.
What languages are spoken in Kent Town?
About 38.5% of Kent Town residents were born overseas, which is 16.9 percentage points above the national figure. The most common non-English languages are Mandarin (36 speakers), Cantonese (13) and Portuguese (13). Ancestry is predominantly English (503), with Irish (156), Scottish (141) and Chinese (125) also well represented.
How much development is happening in Kent Town?
There were 33 development applications lodged in Kent Town in the past 12 months. Most involve alterations to existing dwellings, fence replacements or change-of-use works, rather than new residential supply. This activity level is moderate for a 0.61 km2 suburb and reflects ongoing maintenance of an established apartment and terrace stock.
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.
Explore Kent Town on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map