Kenwick
At 44.6%, Kenwick has a substantially higher overseas-born share than the national comparison, while its median age of 35 is 5 years below the national figure. The suburb is anchored by detached housing, with 98.2% of dwellings classified as separate houses, and a mortgage-oriented tenure profile of 45.2% paying off a home loan. Compared with denser Cannington, Kenwick has a more low-rise residential form, although its 9.87 square kilometres include varied streetscapes. Household income sits at the 42.5th percentile, while weekly rent is $300. The combination of family-sized homes, overseas migration and established infrastructure supports a practical suburban market because demand is not reliant on apartments or one narrow household type.
Local council: Gosnells
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
Kenwick suits buyers seeking conventional houses rather than apartment stock. Separate homes account for 98.2% of dwellings, compared with just 0.3% apartments and 1.1% semi-detached properties. The bedroom profile is also family-oriented: 49.2% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 44.2% have 4 or more, both much higher than the 5.3% share of 2-bedroom homes. A typical mortgage repayment measure is $1,517 monthly, while mortgage costs equal 24.4% of household income and are not flagged as stressful. With no current median house price stated, buyers should assess recent comparable sales, land size and renovation needs rather than rely on a suburb-wide price assumption. Kenwick can suit households wanting space, but car dependence is higher than in transit-led areas.
For Buyers
Kenwick suits buyers seeking conventional houses rather than apartment stock. Separate homes account for 98.2% of dwellings, compared with just 0.3% apartments and 1.1% semi-detached properties. The bedroom profile is also family-oriented: 49.2% of homes have 3 bedrooms and 44.2% have 4 or more, both much higher than the 5.3% share of 2-bedroom homes. A typical mortgage repayment measure is $1,517 monthly, while mortgage costs equal 24.4% of household income and are not flagged as stressful. With no current median house price stated, buyers should assess recent comparable sales, land size and renovation needs rather than rely on a suburb-wide price assumption. Kenwick can suit households wanting space, but car dependence is higher than in transit-led areas.
For Investors
Kenwick has a meaningful rental base, with 28.7% of occupied dwellings rented compared with 24.9% owned outright. Weekly rent is $300 and the vacancy rate is 6.7%, so investors should test achievable rent and leasing time carefully rather than assume immediate scarcity. There were 0 recorded developments in the past 12 months, which limits the near-term risk of a large new supply wave, although it also means fewer obvious redevelopment catalysts. The forecast trend is 1.42% annually and overseas migration is the primary growth driver, supporting demand because new arrivals commonly enter the rental market before buying. The established status and 98.2% separate-house share favour houses over apartments, but investors should compare yields against nearby Maddington and Beckenham before committing.
Schools in Kenwick
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
KENWICK SCHOOL
COMMUNICARE ACADEMY
REHOBOTH CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
EAST KENWICK PRIMARY SCHOOL
Demographics
Kenwick has a median age of 35, which is 5 years below the national comparison, and its average household size of 2.7 people is 0.2 higher. Families remain important: couples with children account for 49.5% of families, while one-parent families represent 17.9%. The overseas-born share is 44.6%, or 23 percentage points above the national comparison, helping explain the presence of Indian ancestry at 289 people and languages including Punjabi at 76, Mandarin at 70 and Malayalam at 52. Christianity is recorded for 2,468 residents, compared with 1,808 reporting no religion and 453 Islam. University attendance is 26.5%, 3.6 percentage points below the national comparison, while 82.4% stayed at the same address, higher than the 17.6% turnover rate. This creates a settled but culturally varied household base.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.2%
Houses
1.1%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Kenwick's housing is overwhelmingly detached, with 98.2% separate houses, 1.1% semi-detached dwellings and 0.3% apartments. Three-bedroom homes account for 49.2% of stock and 4-bedroom-or-larger homes 44.2%, both higher than the 5.3% share of 2-bedroom dwellings. Tenure is split between 45.2% mortgages, 28.7% renting and 24.9% outright ownership, with only 1.2% in other arrangements. Weekly rent is $300, compared with a monthly mortgage measure of $1,517. Housing costs take 20.9% of renter household income and 24.4% of mortgage-holder income, with neither stress flag activated. No median house price is available, so comparisons should focus on dwelling condition, land and recent comparable sales. The low apartment share makes Kenwick more house-led than many established metropolitan suburbs.
Mortgage / mo
$1,517
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$300
Census 2021
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
49.5%
Couples with children
30.6%
Couples, no children
17.9%
Single parent
1,422
Total families
Economy & Employment
Kenwick's employment base combines essential services with practical industries. Healthcare leads at 17.1% and 248 workers, followed by construction at 10.1% and 147, retail at 8.0% and 116, education at 7.7% and 111, and manufacturing at 7.4% and 108. The occupational mix is similarly hands-on, led by trades at 471 people, labourers at 378, clerical and administrative roles at 311, machinery and drivers at 306, and professionals at 292. The labour force totals 2,742, including 1,539 full-time and 828 part-time workers, while unemployment is 7.8%. SEIFA results are relatively lower: IEO, IRSD and IRSAD each sit at decile 3, below IER at decile 4, with scores of 935, 949, 941 and 968 respectively. That pattern is consistent with a suburb where trades, labour and service work are more prominent than high-income professional employment, while household income ranks at the 42.5th percentile.
Unemployment
7.8%
Labour Force
2,742
Unemployed
213
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.9%
Part-time
32.7%
Participation
60.9%
Employed
2,529
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
26.5%
Postgraduate
7.1%
Born Overseas
44.6%
Dwellings
1,957
Transport to Work
Kenwick covers 9.87 square kilometres at a density of 575.8 people per square kilometre. Daily travel is strongly car-based: 80.6% drive, compared with 5.2% using public transport and 2.1% walking or cycling, while 6.0% work from home. This pattern is understandable because the suburb is dominated by separate houses and spread across a sizeable area, but households without a car should test their exact route to shops, stations and services. Four nearby schools span two sectors, with 2 government schools and 2 non-government schools, including government primary and education support options. Check enrolment zones against the exact address because boundaries can cut across suburb lines. For safety decisions, review current WA Police information and visit the immediate streets at different times. IRSAD is decile 3, lower than higher-advantage areas, so amenity and service access should be assessed block by block.
Drive
80.6%
Public Transport
5.2%
Walk / Cycle
2.1%
Work from Home
6.0%
Growth Outlook
Kenwick's growth outlook is established but not static. The forecast trend is 1.42% annually, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver, while population change across the wider area is 15.1% over 10 years. The trajectory is labelled Mixed because affordability, age structure and gentrification signals do not all move together. Rent growth of 6.7% is higher than real income growth of 2.9%, and the affordability measure moved from 53.5 in 2011 to 45.1 in 2021. The gentrification model gives a score of 34 and calls the stage Early signs, while the shift assessment records a score of 18 and Not gentrifying. A 2.6% rise in senior share and a 0.7% decline in young share reinforce the established profile, so growth is more likely to come through migration and gradual turnover than wholesale neighbourhood change.
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 can suit households wanting detached housing, with 98.2% of dwellings being separate houses and 49.2% containing 3 bedrooms. Car use is high at 80.6%, while IRSAD sits at decile 3, lower than higher-advantage areas, so transport and local amenity should be checked against the exact address.
What is the median house price in Kenwick?
No current median house price is stated for Kenwick. As a guide to the housing stock, 98.2% of dwellings are separate houses and weekly rent is $300. Buyers should compare recent comparable sales, land size and dwelling condition because individual properties can vary more than a single suburb figure suggests.
What schools are in Kenwick?
Kenwick has 4 nearby schools across 2 sectors: 2 government schools and 2 non-government schools. The government options include primary and education support provision. School access is broader than a single-school catchment, but enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address before signing a contract.
Is Kenwick safe?
For a current safety view, check the latest WA Police updates and inspect the immediate streets at different times. Kenwick has 5,684 residents across 9.87 square kilometres, so conditions can vary between pockets. Compare current local information with nearby suburbs rather than relying on a general suburb-wide impression.
Is Kenwick good for property investment?
Kenwick may suit investors seeking established detached housing, with 28.7% of dwellings rented and weekly rent of $300. The vacancy rate is 6.7% and 0 developments were recorded over 12 months. Compare expected yield with nearby Maddington and Beckenham, because the 1.42% annual growth forecast does not remove property-specific risks.
How is Kenwick's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at 15.1% over 10 years, with annual growth of 1.42% driven primarily by overseas migration. The trajectory is Mixed: the senior share rose 2.6 percentage points while the young share fell 0.7 points. Growth is therefore steady but more established than rapid.
What languages are spoken in Kenwick?
Punjabi is the largest listed language at 76 speakers, followed by Mandarin at 70 and Malayalam at 52. Khmer is recorded for 41 people and Arabic for 39. With 44.6% of residents born overseas, language needs are more varied than a single-language service approach, compared with a less migrant-oriented 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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
Explore Kenwick on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map