TAS 7050 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Kingston

Kingston's standout is how suburban its housing remains for a main Kingborough hub: 89.1% of dwellings are separate houses and only 0.8% are apartments. The population of 12,288 has a median age of 36, 4.0 years below the national profile, so demand is shaped by working households rather than retirees alone. Compared with nearby Blackmans Bay and Margate, Kingston functions more as the everyday shopping, school and services base, with a $825,000 median house price and household incomes in the 47.4 percentile.

Kingston urban fabric map

Population

12,288

Median Age

36.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,517/wk

DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year

13

Median House

$825K

YTD 2026

37.22 km²· 330.2 people/km²· Family income $1,892/wk

Homebuyers are paying a $825,000 median house price in a market that is still 89.1% separate houses, giving far more choice in detached stock than apartments, which are only 0.8%. The typical dwelling fit is practical: 49.7% are 3-bedroom homes and 24.2% have 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage pressure looks contained, with $1,625 monthly repayments equal to 24.7% of income, below stress levels, although prices are already back at the 2026 peak with 0.0% discount from peak.

For Buyers

Homebuyers are paying a $825,000 median house price in a market that is still 89.1% separate houses, giving far more choice in detached stock than apartments, which are only 0.8%. The typical dwelling fit is practical: 49.7% are 3-bedroom homes and 24.2% have 4 or more bedrooms. Mortgage pressure looks contained, with $1,625 monthly repayments equal to 24.7% of income, below stress levels, although prices are already back at the 2026 peak with 0.0% discount from peak.

For Investors

Investors face a mixed rent and growth picture. Renting covers 29.8% of households and the median rent is $380 a week, but the 4.7% vacancy rate is higher than ultra-tight conditions and can soften lease-up power. Only 4 planning applications appeared in the past 12 months, so new supply pressure is lower than in faster-building corridors. Long-run capital growth has been stronger, with the house median rising 685.7% since 1996 at a 7.1% CAGR, because detached stock near Hobart's southern services base remains scarce.

Development Activity

Total DAs

13

Last 12 Months

13

YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements

Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year

N/A

Monthly DA Lodgements

DA Categories

New Dwelling
3
Garage / Carport / Shed
3
Signage / Advertising
2
Childcare / Education
1
Driveway / Crossover
1
Change of Use
1
Fencing
1
Granny Flat / Secondary Dwelling
1

Schools in Kingston iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged

Calvin Christian School

ICSEA 1088 Combined Independent

Prep-12 · 788 students

Southern Christian College

ICSEA 1059 Combined Independent

Prep-12 · 312 students

Kingston Primary School

ICSEA 1002 Primary Government

K-6 · 338 students

Kingston High School

ICSEA 1000 Secondary Government

7-12 · 577 students

Demographics

Kingston skews younger and more educated than the national baseline: the median age is 36, 4.0 years lower, and 45.5% hold a university qualification, 15.4 percentage points above national. Overseas-born residents make up 27.4%, also 5.8 points above national, led by English ancestry at 4,967 people and Chinese ancestry at 1,141. Mandarin is the largest non-English language with 432 speakers, while Christianity accounts for 4,888 residents, so the suburb mixes long-settled Tasmanian families with newer migrant households.

Age Distribution

0-14
17.7%
15-24
11.3%
25-44
31.9%
45-64
20.7%
65+
18.4%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
2.4%
2 bed
23.6%
3 bed
49.7%
4+ bed
24.2%

Dwelling Structure

89.1%

Houses

10.0%

Townhouse

0.8%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 34.0% Mortgage 36.1% Rent 29.8%

Housing is firmly owner-occupier led, with 34.0% owned outright, 36.1% mortgaged and 29.8% rented. The house median has moved from $105,000 in 1996 to $825,000 in 2026, a 685.7% rise and 7.1% CAGR across 30 years, and the latest price equals the peak. Separate houses dominate at 89.1% vs 10.0% semi-detached and 0.8% apartments, which keeps downsizer and renter choice lower. With rent at 25.0% of income and mortgage costs at 24.7%, stress indicators sit below common pressure thresholds.

Median House Price Trend

Source: State Valuer-General

Mortgage / mo

$1,625

Rent / wk

$380

HH Size

2.5

Personal Income / wk

$751

Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)

4.7%

Unoccupied

234

Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

25.0%

Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress

24.7%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Mandarin
432
Nepali
102
Canton
55
Korean
45
Punjabi
31
Urdu
29

Ancestry

English
4,967
Irish
1,281
Other
1,208
Chinese
1,141
Scottish
1,112
Dutch
529

Household Composition

28.4%

Couples, no children

9,406

Total families

Economy & Employment

Kingston's workforce leans on public and care-sector employment: Healthcare employs 815 residents or 18.6%, followed by Education at 569, Public Admin at 521, Professional/Tech at 386 and Construction at 337. Professionals are the largest occupation at 1,457, ahead of Clerical/Admin at 847 and Community/Personal at 776. The unemployment rate is 7.1% with 59.8% participation. SEIFA is middle rather than affluent: IEO decile 6, IER decile 4, IRSD decile 5 and IRSAD decile 5, suggesting education is above average but household resources are more mixed because many jobs sit in service and public sectors.

Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)

Overall advantage
5
Disadvantage
5
Economic resources
4
Education & occupation
6

Full-time

58.5%

Part-time

34.4%

Participation

59.8%

Employed

5,630

Occupations

Professionals 1,457
Clerical/Admin 847
Community/Personal 776
Managers 739
Sales 548
Labourers 509
Machinery/Drivers 197

Top Industries

Healthcare 18.6%
Education 13.0%
Public Admin 11.9%
Professional/Tech 8.8%
Construction 7.7%

University

45.5%

Postgraduate

15.8%

Born Overseas

27.4%

Dwellings

4,754

Transport to Work

Livability is strongest for households that want schools and services close by but still drive. Car commuting is 81.7%, far higher than public transport at 7.4% and walking or cycling at 3.0%, so daily convenience depends on road access. The education mix has clear depth for a suburb of 12,288: 4 local schools span ICSEA 1000 to 1088, led by Independent Calvin Christian School at 1088 and Southern Christian College at 1059, with Government primary and secondary options also present. IRSAD decile 5 points to middle socioeconomic access rather than premium advantage.

Drive

81.7%

Public Transport

7.4%

Walk / Cycle

3.0%

Work from Home

N/A

National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs

How Kingston compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 3%
Household Income
Bottom 47%
Rent Level
Top 21%
Apartments
Bottom 17%
Renters
Top 29%
Uni Educated
Top 13%
Public Transport
Top 20%
Born Overseas
Top 17%
Density
Top 21%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kingston a good suburb to live in?

Yes for buyers who want a detached-home setting near services. Kingston has 12,288 residents, 4 local schools and 89.1% separate houses, while its median age of 36 is lower than the national profile.

What is the median house price in Kingston?

The median house price is $825,000 in YTD 2026. That is higher than $731,000 in 2025 and above $747,500 in 2024, with the latest figure also matching the recorded peak.

What schools are in Kingston?

Kingston has 4 local schools: Calvin Christian School, Southern Christian College, Kingston Primary School and Kingston High School. ICSEA scores range from 1000 to 1088, covering Independent and Government sectors.

Is Kingston safe?

Safety should be checked at street level: Kingston has 12,288 residents over 37.22 sq km, and conditions can vary between pockets near shops, schools and quieter residential streets. Inspect locally before buying.

Is Kingston good for property investment?

Kingston has investor appeal through a $380 median weekly rent, 29.8% renting households and 7.1% long-term house price CAGR. The 4.7% vacancy rate is the main caution because it is higher than a very tight rental market.

How is Kingston's population changing?

Kingston has 12,288 residents and a median age of 36. Growth looks more incremental than estate-led because only 4 planning applications appeared in the past 12 months, while housing remains 89.1% detached.

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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