South Kingsville
At just 0.64 square kilometres, South Kingsville packs 2,156 residents into one of Melbourne's smallest and densest footprints, at 3,386 people per km2. What stands out is the income profile: household income sits in the 87.1st percentile nationally, yet the suburb is geographically compact and heavily semi-detached in character, with 54.5% of dwellings being semi-detached homes. University-educated residents reach 48.8%, which is 18.7 percentage points above the national figure.
Local council: Hobsons Bay
Population
2,156
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,261/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
10
Median House
$1.7M
October to December 2025
Only a handful of houses sold here in this period, so this median can jump sharply from one quarter to the next for reasons that have nothing to do with the market. Treat it as a rough guide, not a settled price.
Semi-detached homes define the housing mix at 54.5%, with separate houses at 41.5% and apartments at just 3.3%. Three-bedroom dwellings are the most common at 42.3%, followed by two-bedroom at 31.7%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,313, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.6% remains below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting purchase costs are manageable compared to income at this level.
For Buyers
Semi-detached homes define the housing mix at 54.5%, with separate houses at 41.5% and apartments at just 3.3%. Three-bedroom dwellings are the most common at 42.3%, followed by two-bedroom at 31.7%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,313, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.6% remains below the 30% stress threshold, suggesting purchase costs are manageable compared to income at this level.
For Investors
Renters make up 38.2% of households, providing a solid tenant base, with weekly rent at $381. The vacancy rate of 8.4% is elevated compared to typical inner-suburban Melbourne norms and warrants monitoring before committing capital. Development activity over the past 12 months logged 7 applications, predominantly lot subdivisions, indicating incremental densification rather than large new supply. Household income in the 87.1st percentile nationally supports tenant quality and rent stability.
Development Activity
Total DAs
21
Last 12 Months
10
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+150.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
$614K
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Demographics
The median age of 37 is 3.0 years below the national figure, placing South Kingsville among younger suburban cohorts. University qualifications reach 48.8%, which is 18.7 percentage points above the national average, a concentration driven partly by the professional and managerial workforce that makes up the two largest occupation groups. Overseas-born residents account for 27.5%, which is 5.9 percentage points above national. Ancestry is predominantly Anglo-Celtic, led by English (637), Irish (278) and Scottish (222), with Italian (124) also significant. Average household size of 2.3 is slightly below the national figure. Couples with children (861) outnumber couples without children (410) among the 1,684 families, consistent with the suburb's younger median age.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
41.5%
Houses
54.5%
Townhouse
3.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Semi-detached dwellings dominate the housing stock at 54.5%, a higher share than most Melbourne suburbs, while separate houses account for 41.5% and apartments just 3.3%. This semi-detached character keeps purchase prices lower than fully detached equivalents in nearby areas. Tenure splits across outright owners at 22.5%, mortgage holders at 39.4% and renters at 38.2%, a distribution skewed toward mortgage and renting compared to national ownership norms. Three-bedroom homes are the most common at 42.3%, followed by two-bedroom at 31.7%, with four-plus bedroom at 20.0%.
Mortgage / mo
$2,313
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$381
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$1,259
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.4%
Unoccupied
81
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
16.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
48.4%
Couples with children
34.8%
Couples, no children
13.9%
Single parent
583
Total families
Economy & Employment
Education (13.2%, 122 workers) and Healthcare (12.9%, 120 workers) lead the industry mix, followed by Professional/Tech at 11.5%, Construction at 10.2% and Finance at 8.8%. By occupation, Professionals (388) and Managers (236) are the two largest groups, which is consistent with household income sitting in the 87.1st percentile nationally. The unemployment rate is 4.0%, close to the national average, with a participation rate of 72.3%. Full-time employment accounts for 69.5% of those working. Weekly personal income averages $1,259, and family weekly income reaches $3,081, both above typical state levels given the professional concentration in the resident base.
Unemployment
3.8%
Labour Force
1,292
Unemployed
49
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.4%
Part-time
29.1%
Participation
75.6%
Employed
1,243
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
48.8%
Postgraduate
11.0%
Born Overseas
27.5%
Dwellings
880
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high, with 86.6% of residents driving to work and public transport usage at just 4.3%, below state averages for inner-to-middle Melbourne. Walking and cycling account for 4.1%. The crime rate of 43.6 incidents per 1,000 residents covers 94 recorded offences, predominantly property and deception offences (64 incidents), with drug offences (13) and crimes against the person (9) at lower levels. Housing stress indicators are favourable: rent-to-income at 16.9% and mortgage-to-income at 23.6% are both below stress thresholds, meaning residents are not financially stretched relative to income. Volunteering participation at 14.0% is a reasonable indicator of community engagement. No schools are recorded within the suburb's 0.64 km2 boundary, so families rely on nearby institutions.
Drive
46.1%
Public Transport
2.3%
Walk / Cycle
2.2%
Work from Home
46.8%
Growth Outlook
Development activity shows 7 applications in the past 12 months, mostly subdivision of existing lots, which signals gradual densification without wholesale new supply. The suburb's 74.0% residential stability rate, with 26.0% of residents moving in the prior period, indicates a relatively settled community where churn is moderate rather than rapid, limiting the dilution of established neighbourhood character.
Population trend: Hobsons Bay council area
South Kingsville sits in the Hobsons Bay council area. These are the council area's residents, not South Kingsville's.
Residents 2025
97,031
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.4%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.8%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
94
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
43.6
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How South Kingsville compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is South Kingsville a good suburb to live in?
South Kingsville appeals to working professionals, with household income in the 87.1st percentile nationally and university qualifications at 48.8%, which is 18.7 percentage points above the national average. The suburb is compact at 0.64 km2, semi-detached in character and car-dependent, with 86.6% of residents driving to work. Housing stress is low, with mortgage-to-income at 23.6% and rent-to-income at 16.9%.
What schools are in South Kingsville?
No schools are recorded within the 0.64 km2 South Kingsville boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident population is highly educated, with 48.8% holding university qualifications, which is 18.7 percentage points above the national figure.
Is South Kingsville safe?
South Kingsville recorded 94 offences in the most recent period, a rate of 43.6 per 1,000 residents. The majority, 64 of 94 incidents, were property and deception offences. Crimes against the person numbered just 9. The housing stress indicators are low, with rent-to-income at 16.9% and mortgage-to-income at 23.6%, reflecting a financially stable resident base.
Is South Kingsville good for property investment?
The renter share of 38.2% provides a solid tenant base, with weekly rent at $381. The 7 development applications in the past 12 months indicate incremental densification without large supply additions.
How is South Kingsville's population changing?
The median age of 37 is 3.0 years below the national figure, indicating a relatively younger community. Residential stability is high, with 74.0% of residents not moving in the prior period, and a turnover rate of 26.0%, suggesting the suburb attracts and retains residents rather than experiencing rapid churn.
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), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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