Kensington, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Kensington NSW is 11,927 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Kensington is $943 per week ($49,036 per year). Median rent in Kensington is $500 per week ($2,167 per month). Kensington has a median age of 32 years, younger than the national median of 38. Kensington has a population density of 4,469 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Kensington is China. The most common religion is No religion (38.0% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Kensington is $2,760.

There were 177 recorded offences in Kensington in 2025-26, a rate of 15 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (112 offences).

Population
11,927
Census 2021
Median income
$943/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$500/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
32years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Kensington vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Kensington is $943 a week, 23% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 477th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $500 a week, $115 more than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 23.6% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 32, 11 years younger than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureKensingtonTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$943/wk$765/wk +23%$766/wk
Household income$2,118/wk$1,704/wk +24%$1,637/wk
Rent$500/wk$385/wk +30%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$2,760/mo$1,965/mo +40%$1,733/mo
Median age3243 −11 yrs42
Rent share of household income23.6%22.6% +1.0 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Kensington, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Kensington Population

11,927 residents at the 2021 Census.

Kensington Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$943/wk
$49,036 per year
Ranked 1,681 of 14,663
Median Rent
$500/wk
$2,167 per month
Ranked 576 of 14,663
Median Age
32years
6 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$2,760/mo
Avg household size: 2.3 · 1 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Kensington Rent Prices & Affordability

24% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $2,118/wk
Median rent $500/wk
Rent to income 23.6%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Kensington against your income

About $9,178 a month
Median rent $500/wk
Left after rent $1,618/wk
Rent share 23.6%

Kensington Schools

57
schools nearby
26
government
1103
avg ICSEA score
22,199
total students
Reddam House Independent
Combined
1203
ICSEA
Claremont College Independent
Primary · K-6 · 265 students
1201
ICSEA
Sydney Girls High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 929 students
1193
ICSEA
Woollahra Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 667 students
1193
ICSEA
Sydney Boys High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 1,205 students
1189
ICSEA
Emanuel School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 849 students
1186
ICSEA
Lycee Condorcet The International French School Of Sydney Independent
Combined · K-12 · 1,129 students
1173
ICSEA
St Francis of Assisi Regional Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 151 students
1167
ICSEA
Coogee Boys' Preparatory School Independent
Primary · K-6 · 102 students
1165
ICSEA
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 196 students
1164
ICSEA
St Charles' Catholic Primary School Waverley Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 308 students
1161
ICSEA
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 472 students
1160
ICSEA
St Brigid's Catholic Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 205 students
1159
ICSEA
Paddington Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 147 students
1155
ICSEA
Randwick Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 853 students
1155
ICSEA

Showing 15 of 57 schools.

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Kensington, with a map

Kensington Map

Kensington, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Kensington

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 50.1% (5,974) Female 49.9% (5,954)

Population Density

4,469
people per km²
11,927 people · 2.7 km²

Households

2.3
Avg household size
1
Persons per bedroom
$2,744
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

China
6.1%
India
2.9%
Indonesia
2.9%
England
2.8%
Malaysia
1.8%
New Zealand
1.8%
Hong Kong
1.7%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
7.9%
Greek
3.8%
Cantonese
3.4%
Spanish
2.6%
Indonesian
2.3%
Hindi
1.2%
Portuguese
1.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
20.1%
Australian
18.4%
Chinese
17.9%
Irish
9.4%
Greek
6.3%
Scottish
5.5%
Indian
4.0%
Italian
3.8%
German
2.9%
Filipino
1.7%
Vietnamese
1.3%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
38.0%
Catholic
20.9%
Not stated
7.4%
Eastern Orthodox
6.7%
Anglican
6.3%
Buddhism
4.2%
Judaism
3.2%
Hinduism
3.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

1.2%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
32.7% 3,432
Separated
2.1% 217
Divorced
5.7% 602
Widowed
2.9% 308
Never married
56.5% 5,921

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
40.3%
Couple: no children
34.8%
Couple: no children under 15
13.9%
One parent: no children under 15
6.8%
One parent: children under 15
4.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
30.5%
2 persons
36.8%
3 persons
15.5%
4 persons
12.0%
5 persons
3.7%
6+ persons
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Kensington

Housing Tenure

Of the 4,354 occupied private dwellings in Kensington at the 2021 Census, 54.8% were rented, 24.3% owned outright and 18.6% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
1.4% 60 dwellings
Owned outright
24.3% 1,060 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
18.6% 812 dwellings
Rented
54.8% 2,388 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
0.8% 33 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
75.1%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
13.2%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
11.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
16.8%
2 bedrooms
46.0%
3 bedrooms
20.7%
4 bedrooms
10.3%
5 bedrooms
4.8%
6+ bedrooms
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
9.8%
$300-$449/mo
1.5%
$450-$599/mo
1.5%
$600-$799/mo
1.3%
$800-$999/mo
2.6%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
8.7%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
11.1%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
21.8%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
19.4%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
22.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
18.7%
1 vehicle
50.5%
2 vehicles
23.7%
3 vehicles
4.8%
4+ vehicles
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Kensington

Employment

Employed full-time
38.4% 3,538 people
Employed part-time
20.4% 1,876 people
Unemployed
4.2% 383 people
Not in labour force
37.1% 3,419 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
44.8%
Managers
16.0%
Clerical & Administrative
11.9%
Technicians & Trade Workers
8.8%
Community & Personal Service
7.1%
Sales Workers
5.7%
Labourers
3.6%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
3.1%
$1-$149/wk
0.6%
$150-$299/wk
1.1%
$300-$399/wk
1.9%
$400-$499/wk
2.8%
$500-$649/wk
2.8%
$650-$799/wk
3.7%
$800-$999/wk
4.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.1%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.3%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.3%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.4%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
13.3%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
6.9%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.2%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.8%
$4,000+/wk
21.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
14.2%
$1-$149/wk
3.5%
$150-$299/wk
5.2%
$300-$399/wk
3.1%
$400-$499/wk
2.6%
$500-$649/wk
3.6%
$650-$799/wk
6.4%
$800-$999/wk
8.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.8%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.2%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.3%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
11.4%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.3%
$3,500+/wk
7.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
44.2%
Did not go to work
25.0%
Walked only
8.4%
Bus
7.5%
Car (passenger)
4.2%
Tram/Light Rail
3.9%
Bicycle
2.5%
Motorbike/Scooter
1.8%
Other
1.0%
Train
0.6%
Truck
0.5%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
88.7%
Year 10 or equivalent
6.8%
Year 11 or equivalent
3.1%
Year 9 or equivalent
1.4%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Bachelor Degree
46.2%
Postgraduate Degree
23.6%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
14.0%
Certificate III/IV
11.3%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.7%
Certificate I/II
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
28.8%
Society & Culture
15.4%
Health
12.2%
Engineering
9.9%
Creative Arts
9.2%
Natural & Physical Sciences
5.4%
Education
5.0%
Architecture & Building
4.9%
Information Technology
4.7%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
3.5%
Agriculture & Environment
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
25.0%
Vocational Education
19.9%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
11.7%
Pre-school
11.3%
Secondary: Government
9.8%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
7.6%
Secondary: Catholic
7.5%
Primary: Catholic
7.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
90.0%
Has need for assistance
4.0%
Need for assistance not stated
6.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
853
Asthma
386
Arthritis
199
Diabetes
196
Heart disease
195
Cancer
130
Lung condition
85
Kidney disease
76
Stroke
61
Dementia
44

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
9.7% 951
Did not provide
90.3% 8,871

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
16.1% 1,588
Not a volunteer
83.9% 8,258

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Regular
0.4% 38
Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 9
Previously served
1.0% 103
Never served
98.5% 9,721

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
59.7%
1 child
12.2%
2 children
18.6%
3 children
7.2%
4 children
2.0%
5+ children
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
16
1951: 1960
157
1961: 1970
224
1971: 1980
290
1981: 1990
492
1991: 2000
602
2001: 2010
915
2011: 2015
740
2016
257
2017
324
2018
393
2019
521
2020
255
2021
53

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

28.3%
moved in the last year
59.2%
moved in the last 5 years
6.0%
unemployment rate (Census)
61.7%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
7,990
Moved from NSW
2,072
Moved: same area (SA2)
468
Moved from overseas
234
Moved from VIC
102
Moved from QLD
91
Moved from ACT
61
Moved from WA
44
Moved from SA
41
Moved from TAS
10
Moved from NT
6

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
25.7%
5: 14 hours
29.8%
15: 29 hours
9.7%
30+ hours
5.6%
Did not do domestic work
29.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
92.2%
Step family: no other children
6.4%
Blended family: no other children
1.1%
Intact family: other children present
0.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Kensington Crime Statistics

177 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
112
Assault
19
Other Against Property
15
Drug Offences
10
Property Damage
9
Other Against Person
8
Sexual Offences
4

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Kensington

The closest suburb to Kensington is Kingsford (NSW), 1.5 km away.

Kingsford (NSW)
1.5 km away · income $845/wk · rent $475/wk
Zetland
1.6 km away · income $1,262/wk · rent $600/wk
Randwick
1.6 km away · income $1,336/wk · rent $572/wk
Daceyville
1.8 km away · income $450/wk · rent $130/wk
Centennial Park (NSW)
1.8 km away · income $1,415/wk · rent $500/wk
Rosebery (NSW)
1.9 km away · income $1,158/wk · rent $580/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Kensington

What is the population of Kensington NSW?

The population of Kensington NSW is 11,927 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 4,469 people per km². Kensington is ranked #463 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Kensington?

The median personal income in Kensington NSW is $943 per week, or $49,036 per year. The median household income is $2,118 per week. Family income is $2,744 per week. Kensington is ranked #1,681 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Kensington?

Median rent in Kensington NSW is $500 per week ($2,167 per month). Rent represents 23.6% of household income, which is considered affordable. Kensington ranks #576 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Kensington?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Kensington NSW is $2,760. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Kensington?

The median age in Kensington NSW is 32 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Kensington a good suburb to live in?

Kensington is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 11,927. The median income is $943/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (23.6% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 12107. All dollar figures in AUD.