WA 6172 Census 2021 + Live DA Data

Port Kennedy

Port Kennedy’s standout feature is its detached-home scale: 93.9% of dwellings are separate houses and 80.1% contain 4 or more bedrooms. The suburb has 13,477 residents, a median age of 36, and household income at the 71.9th percentile, giving it a mortgage-belt profile rather than a high-density apartment market. Overseas-born residents account for 30.7%, 9.1 percentage points above the national figure, while forecast growth is driven by overseas migration. Compared with newer Baldivis, Port Kennedy reads as more established, with an aging trajectory and a 5.0 percentage-point rise in its senior share.

Port Kennedy urban fabric map

Population

13,477

Median Age

36.0

Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)

$1,921/wk

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

0

21.21 km²· 635.4 people/km²· Family income $2,112/wk

Port Kennedy suits buyers prioritising space and a conventional family layout. Separate houses account for 93.9% of dwellings, while 80.1% have 4 or more bedrooms, so the stock is much more family-sized than apartment-oriented. A current median house price is not available for a clean price benchmark, but the typical mortgage payment is $1,700 monthly and mortgage costs equal 20.4% of household income. Ownership is mortgage-led, at 52.8% compared with 21.9% owned outright. Affordability is marked as improving, moving from 50.7 in 2011 to 46.4 in 2021, although buyers should test rates and insurance costs.

For Buyers

Port Kennedy suits buyers prioritising space and a conventional family layout. Separate houses account for 93.9% of dwellings, while 80.1% have 4 or more bedrooms, so the stock is much more family-sized than apartment-oriented. A current median house price is not available for a clean price benchmark, but the typical mortgage payment is $1,700 monthly and mortgage costs equal 20.4% of household income. Ownership is mortgage-led, at 52.8% compared with 21.9% owned outright. Affordability is marked as improving, moving from 50.7 in 2011 to 46.4 in 2021, although buyers should test rates and insurance costs.

For Investors

Port Kennedy presents a mostly detached rental market, with 22.8% of households renting and weekly rent at $350. The 6.1% vacancy rate gives tenants more choice than a tightly supplied market, so investors should avoid assuming automatic rental pressure. Rent growth is forecast at 6.1%, while overseas migration is the primary growth driver and may broaden tenant demand. There were 0 recorded development projects in the past 12 months, reducing the immediate supply pipeline. Renting is slightly higher than outright ownership, 22.8% vs 21.9%, but the 93.9% separate-house share points to maintenance and land-cost exposure.

Schools in Port Kennedy

Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.

ENDEAVOUR EDUCATION SUPPORT CENTRE

Education Support Centres Government

PEEL LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT CENTRES Government

ST BERNADETTE'S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

NON-GOVT SCHOOLS Non-Government

ENDEAVOUR PRIMARY SCHOOL

Primary Schools Government

PORT KENNEDY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Primary Schools Government

Demographics

Port Kennedy has a median age of 36, which is 4.0 years below the national figure, but its forecast trajectory is Aging as the senior share rises 5.0 percentage points and the young share falls 5.0 points. The overseas-born share is 30.7%, 9.1 points above national, while university attainment is 15.1%, 15.0 points below national. English ancestry is most common at 6,679 people, followed by Scottish at 1,422 and Irish at 1,098. No religion is the largest stated affiliation at 6,841, ahead of Christianity at 5,289. The 2.8-person average household is 0.3 above national, reinforcing a family-oriented profile.

Age Distribution

0-14
22.1%
15-24
14.0%
25-44
24.5%
45-64
27.1%
65+
12.4%

Bedrooms

Studio/1br
0.4%
2 bed
4.1%
3 bed
15.4%
4+ bed
80.1%

Dwelling Structure

93.9%

Houses

6.1%

Townhouse

0.0%

Apartment

Tenure

Own 21.9% Mortgage 52.8% Rent 22.8% Other 2.5%

Port Kennedy’s housing is overwhelmingly detached and relatively large: 93.9% of dwellings are separate houses and 80.1% contain 4 or more bedrooms, compared with 6.1% semi-detached homes. Tenure is concentrated among mortgagors, with 52.8% paying a mortgage, versus 21.9% owning outright and 22.8% renting. Housing costs are not flagged as stressed, with mortgage costs at 20.4% of household income and rent at 18.2%. The affordability measure is labelled improving, moving from 50.7 in 2011 to 46.4 in 2021, while the 6.1% vacancy rate gives renters more choice than a tight market.

Mortgage / mo

$1,700

Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.

$350

Census 2021

HH Size

2.8

Personal Income / wk

$755

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

6.1%

Unoccupied

292

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

18.2%

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

20.4%

Community Profile

Languages Spoken at Home

Afrikaans
43
Serbian
29
Italian
21
German
19
Portuguese
19
Mandarin
17

Ancestry

English
6,679
Scottish
1,422
Irish
1,098
Other
1,044
Ancestry NS
816
Maori
444

Household Composition

46.3%

Couples with children

33.7%

Couples, no children

18.7%

Single parent

3,735

Total families

Economy & Employment

Healthcare leads Port Kennedy’s industry mix at 17.0%, followed by education at 10.7%, construction at 10.4%, public administration at 9.0% and mining at 8.9%. This spread links local work to care, public services, building and resource activity. Trades are the largest occupation group with 1,255 people, ahead of community and personal services at 869. Participation is 64.3%, unemployment is 7.1%, and household income is at the 71.9th percentile. SEIFA is uneven: education and occupation sits in decile 2, while economic resources is decile 8, compared with IRSD and IRSAD at 4 and 4. The gap suggests stronger resources than education and occupation outcomes.

Unemployment

7.1%

Labour Force

6,756

Unemployed

480

Source: ABS Census 2021

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

Overall advantage
4
Disadvantage
4
Economic resources
8
Education & occupation
2

Full-time

59.7%

Part-time

32.8%

Participation

64.3%

Employed

6,276

Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021

Occupations

Trades 1,255
Community/Personal 869
Professionals 744
Labourers 733
Clerical/Admin 687
Machinery/Drivers 660
Sales 654
Managers 542

Top Industries

Healthcare 17.0%
Education 10.7%
Construction 10.4%
Public Admin 9.0%
Mining 8.9%

University

15.1%

Postgraduate

2.5%

Born Overseas

30.7%

Dwellings

4,480

Transport to Work

Port Kennedy is practical for car-oriented households: 80.2% travel as car drivers, compared with 4.8% using public transport and 1.5% walking or cycling. The suburb has 6 local schools, including 5 government options across primary, education support and language development, plus 1 non-government primary school. Check enrolment zones against the exact address when comparing properties across suburb boundaries. Density is 635.4 people per sq km across 21.21 sq km, while IRSAD sits in decile 4 and 5.6% of residents need assistance. For safety, inspect recent local incidents before deciding, since conditions can vary by street. The 11.7% volunteering rate indicates some civic participation.

Drive

80.2%

Public Transport

4.8%

Walk / Cycle

1.5%

Work from Home

7.2%

Population Forecast

+0.68%/yr

(+100 people/yr)

Established

Port Kennedy is forecast to grow at 0.68% annually, with overseas migration identified as the primary driver. That pace is modest compared with a high-growth corridor, and it sits alongside a -4.4% population change across the wider area over 10 years. The shift is labelled Aging: the senior share rises 5.0 percentage points while the young share falls 5.0 points, so future demand may lean more toward established households than new family formation. Gentrification is not occurring, with a score of 0 and stage Not gentrifying. Rent growth of 6.1% is higher than the annual growth trend, creating a stronger rental signal than the broader population trajectory.

Historical + Forecast

Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025

Age Cohort Forecast

Primary Driver

Overseas Migration

Net Overseas / yr

+145

Net Internal / yr

-9

0

Gentrification Signal

Not gentrifying

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

How Port Kennedy compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs

Population
Top 2%
Household Income
Top 28%
Rent Level
Top 28%
Apartments
Bottom 0%
Renters
Top 32%
Uni Educated
Bottom 19%
Public Transport
Top 27%
Born Overseas
Top 13%
Density
Top 18%

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Port Kennedy a good suburb to live in?

Port Kennedy is better suited than many apartment-focused areas to households wanting space, with 93.9% separate houses and 80.1% containing 4 or more bedrooms. It is car-dependent, as 80.2% drive to work compared with 4.8% using public transport, so access to a vehicle is important.

What is the median house price in Port Kennedy?

A current median house price is not available, so buyers should use recent comparable sales and an address-specific valuation rather than rely on nearby suburbs. Port Kennedy has 93.9% separate houses, 52.8% mortgaged households and a listed monthly mortgage figure of $1,700.

What schools are in Port Kennedy?

Port Kennedy has 6 local schools, with 5 government facilities and 1 non-government primary school. The mix includes primary, education support and language development options. School access is more practical when enrolment zones are checked against the exact address, particularly near suburb boundaries.

Is Port Kennedy safe?

Check recent local incident data for the exact street before deciding, because safety can vary by location. Port Kennedy has 13,477 residents and a density of 635.4 people per sq km, so street-level context is more useful than relying on a broad suburb impression alone.

Is Port Kennedy good for property investment?

Port Kennedy may suit investors seeking detached rental stock, with 22.8% of households renting, weekly rent at $350 and vacancy at 6.1%. Rent growth is forecast at 6.1%, higher than the 0.68% annual population trend, but 0 development projects were recorded in the past 12 months.

How is Port Kennedy's population changing?

Port Kennedy has 13,477 residents today. The wider area recorded a -4.4% population change over 10 years, while the annual trend is 0.68% and overseas migration is the primary driver. The trajectory is Aging, with the senior share up 5.0 points and the young share down 5.0 points.

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). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.

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