Kenwick
Detached houses make up 98.2% of Kenwick's dwellings, one of the most house-dominant profiles in Perth, and that single fact shapes the rest of the suburb. The median house price of $381,000 sits well below most metropolitan markets, while 44.6% of residents were born overseas, 23.0 points above the national figure. Household income lands in the 42.5th percentile nationally and SEIFA scores cluster around decile 3, marking Kenwick as a working, affordable suburb rather than a gentrified one. The median age of 35 runs 5.0 years below the national figure, and 45.7% of households carry a mortgage, more than the 25.2% who own outright.
Population
5,684
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,433/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$381K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At a $381,000 median house price, Kenwick is among the more affordable detached-house markets in Perth, which matters because 98.2% of dwellings are separate houses rather than apartments. Buyers here get space: 49.2% of homes have three bedrooms and a further 44.2% have four or more, so two-bedroom and smaller stock is rare at under 7% combined. The mortgage profile reflects this entry-level appeal, with 45.7% of households paying off a loan against just 25.2% owning outright. Monthly repayments average $1,517 and the mortgage-to-income ratio reads 24.4%, below the 30% stress threshold, so the typical buyer is not overextended. Weekly rent of $300 means the gap between renting and buying is narrow, pushing many tenants toward ownership.
For Buyers
At a $381,000 median house price, Kenwick is among the more affordable detached-house markets in Perth, which matters because 98.2% of dwellings are separate houses rather than apartments. Buyers here get space: 49.2% of homes have three bedrooms and a further 44.2% have four or more, so two-bedroom and smaller stock is rare at under 7% combined. The mortgage profile reflects this entry-level appeal, with 45.7% of households paying off a loan against just 25.2% owning outright. Monthly repayments average $1,517 and the mortgage-to-income ratio reads 24.4%, below the 30% stress threshold, so the typical buyer is not overextended. Weekly rent of $300 means the gap between renting and buying is narrow, pushing many tenants toward ownership.
For Investors
Renters make up 29.1% of Kenwick households, below the share of mortgage holders at 45.7%, giving landlords a moderate rather than dominant tenant pool. Weekly rent of $300 against the $381,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.1%, stronger than premium Perth suburbs where yields sit closer to 2%, because the low entry price does most of the work. The vacancy rate of 6.7% is elevated, signalling that supply meets demand and tenants have choice, so rent escalation is unlikely to be rapid. Demand support comes from migration: net overseas inflow runs 585 a year against an internal outflow of 238, and rent grew 6.7% over the measured period. With no development applications recorded in the past 12 months, new competing supply is limited, which favours holding existing stock.
Schools in Kenwick iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Rehoboth Christian College
PP-12 · 1009 students
East Kenwick Primary School
K-6 · 385 students
Demographics
Kenwick's median age of 35 is 5.0 years below the national figure, a young profile driven by migration rather than births. Overseas-born residents reach 44.6%, fully 23.0 points above national, and the language mix reflects recent arrivals: Punjabi (76 speakers), Mandarin (70), Malayalam (52), Khmer (41) and Arabic (39) lead the non-English languages. Indian ancestry (289) sits among the top groups behind English (1,503). University qualifications at 26.5% run 3.6 points below national, consistent with a workforce weighted toward trades and labour. Average household size is 2.7, which is 0.2 above national, supported by couples with children making up 2,116 of 4,461 families. Islam (453) and Hinduism (223) are notable second and third religions behind Christianity (2,468), underlining the migrant character.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.2%
Houses
1.1%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward mortgaged ownership: 45.7% of households are paying off a loan, well above the 25.2% who own outright, with 29.1% renting. That mortgage-heavy split points to a suburb of working buyers rather than established, debt-free owners. The stock is overwhelmingly detached at 98.2% separate houses, with apartments at just 0.3%, so density stays low at 575.8 people per square kilometre across 9.87 square kilometres. Bedroom counts skew large, with 49.2% three-bedroom and 44.2% four-or-more, leaving smaller dwellings scarce. At a $381,000 median against household income in the 42.5th percentile, affordability is favourable, and the price-to-income relationship explains why mortgage-to-income stays at 24.4%, below the 30% stress line that strains many costlier markets.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$683
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.7%
Unoccupied
141
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
19.4%
Couples, no children
4,461
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads local employment at 17.1% (248 workers), followed by Construction at 10.1% (147), Retail at 8.0% (116), Education at 7.7% (111) and Manufacturing at 7.4% (108), a blue-collar and service mix rather than a knowledge economy. By occupation, Labourers (378), Clerical and Admin (311) and Machinery Operators and Drivers (306) outnumber Professionals (292), which aligns with SEIFA education scores at decile 3. Unemployment sits at 8.3%, above typical metropolitan rates, and participation reads 57.3% with 1,485 residents not in the labour force. The full-time employment rate is 65.0%. The four SEIFA deciles cluster tightly between 3 and 4, with IER at decile 4 slightly above the others, indicating modest economic resources consistent with the 42.5th-percentile household income.
Unemployment
7.2%
Labour Force
12,697
Unemployed
914
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.0%
Part-time
26.7%
Participation
57.3%
Employed
2,367
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.5%
Postgraduate
7.1%
Born Overseas
44.6%
Dwellings
1,957
Transport to Work
Kenwick leans heavily on cars, with 85.8% driving to work and only 5.5% using public transport and 2.3% walking or cycling, a pattern that fits the low-density, detached-house layout. The suburb scores decile 3 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, below the national midpoint, which signals more residents face cost and resource pressure than in advantaged areas. Detailed crime statistics are not available in this dataset, but only 5.5% of residents (293 people) need daily assistance, near the typical share. No schools are recorded inside the 9.87 square kilometre boundary, so families rely on institutions in neighbouring suburbs. Volunteering runs at 11.2%, and rent-to-income at 20.9% keeps tenants comfortable relative to the 30% stress threshold.
Drive
85.8%
Public Transport
5.5%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+1.42%/yr
(+331 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation growth runs at 1.42% a year, and the suburb has expanded 15.1% over the past decade, classifying it as an established area with steady rather than explosive growth. The primary driver is overseas migration, adding a net 585 residents a year, which more than offsets an internal outflow of 238, so the population skews younger and more diverse over time. Real income grew 2.9% over the period and rent rose 6.7%, both modest. Affordability improved from 53.5% in 2011 to 45.1% in 2021, an easing trend uncommon in tightening Perth. The gentrification reading shows early signs at a score of 34, with population up 26% since 2011 and accelerating, though the broader trajectory remains mixed and the senior share rose 2.6 points.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+585
Net Internal / yr
-238
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +26% since 2011, Net internal outflow -238/yr, Strong overseas inflow +585/yr, Accelerating: 5% → 20%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kenwick compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kenwick a good suburb to live in?
Kenwick suits affordability-focused buyers, with a $381,000 median house price and 98.2% detached houses. SEIFA scores sit around decile 3, below the national midpoint, and household income is in the 42.5th percentile, so it is a working suburb rather than a premium one. The median age of 35 is 5.0 years below national.
What is the median house price in Kenwick?
The median house price is $381,000, well below most Perth metropolitan markets. Weekly rent averages $300 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,517, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 24.4%, below the 30% stress threshold. That implies a gross rental yield near 4.1%.
What schools are in Kenwick?
No schools are recorded inside the 9.87 square kilometre Kenwick boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident profile is relatively young, with a median age of 35, which is 5.0 years below the national figure, and 2,116 families with children.
Is Kenwick safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Kenwick in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 3 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, below the national midpoint, and 5.5% of residents (293 people) need daily assistance, broadly in line with typical shares.
Is Kenwick good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $300 against a $381,000 median gives a gross yield near 4.1%, higher than premium Perth suburbs near 2%. The 6.7% vacancy rate is elevated, limiting rent growth, but net overseas migration of 585 a year supports tenant demand, and no new development applications mean limited competing supply.
How is Kenwick's population changing?
Population is growing 1.42% a year and has risen 15.1% over the past decade. The main driver is overseas migration, adding a net 585 residents annually, which offsets an internal outflow of 238. The profile is getting younger and more diverse, though the senior share rose 2.6 points.
What languages are spoken in Kenwick?
About 44.6% of residents were born overseas, 23.0 points above the national figure. English dominates, but the leading non-English languages are Punjabi (76 speakers), Mandarin (70), Malayalam (52), Khmer (41) and Arabic (39), reflecting strong Indian and Southeast Asian migration into the suburb.
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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