Kensington (NSW) is well-off — but expensive to rent
Kensington (NSW) 2033 · Eastern Suburbs - South, Greater Sydney, NSW
Kensington (NSW) is among the more advantaged parts of Australia (SEIFA decile 10 of 10); a young, family-heavy area (median age 32). The trade-offs: renting is expensive, a median of $850 a week (DCJ, 2026-Q1); unemployment runs above the Sydney norm, at 6.0%.
Mostly apartments, with a median age of 32 and households on a median $2,117 a week at the 2021 Census.
Compiled from ABS regional population (SA2), the 2021 Census, SEIFA 2021, NSW DCJ median rents, NSW DCJ median sale prices, OpenStreetMap and ACARA Schools NSW / NSW Dept of Education · figures current to September 2026.
What it costs to buy
NSW DCJ Rent and Sales Report · 2025-Q4Median sale price from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice's recorded property sales. Compare year-on-year — quarter-to-quarter moves are mostly seasonal noise.
By dwelling type — 2025-Q4 quarter
| Type | Median sale price |
|---|---|
| Unit / flat | $925,000n=35 |
The median sale price across all dwellings in Kensington (NSW) was $1,070,000, based on sales in postcode 2033, for the 2025-Q4 quarter. That is $130,000 below the Greater Sydney median. By type: a unit / flat $925,000.
This is the median price of properties recorded as sold this quarter — settlement can lag a purchase decision by weeks, so the most recent quarter can revise slightly as more sales are recorded.
Show every quarter, with the year-on-year change
| Quarter | Median price | Year on year | Greater Sydney |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-Q4 | $1,070,000 | — | $1,200,000 |
Sale price data © NSW Department of Communities and Justice, Rent and Sales Report, based on sales in postcode 2033, December 2025 release. Figures are the median for properties sold in the quarter. DCJ suppresses a median where too few properties sold.
What it costs to rent
NSW DCJ Rent and Sales Report · 2026-Q1Median weekly rent for new tenancies, from the NSW Department of Communities and Justice's bond lodgements. Compare year-on-year — quarter-to-quarter moves are mostly seasonal noise.
By dwelling type — 2026-Q1 quarter
| Type | Studio | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4+ bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| House | — | — | — | — | $2,000low sample |
| Unit / flat | — | $850n=167 | $875n=129 | $1,300n=31 | — |
n is the number of new bonds behind each median — treat a figure marked low sample as indicative only.
The median weekly rent across all dwellings in Kensington (NSW) was $850, based on new bonds lodged in postcode 2033, for the 2026-Q1 quarter. That is $70 a week above the Greater Sydney median. By type: a 2-bedroom unit $875.
This is the median rent on new leases signed this quarter, not what existing tenants pay. It usually runs higher than the Census figure.
Show every quarter, with the year-on-year change
| Quarter | Median rent | Year on year | Greater Sydney |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-Q1 | $850 | — | $930 |
Rent data © NSW Department of Communities and Justice, Rent and Sales Report, based on new bonds in postcode 2033, March 2026 release. Figures are the median for new bonds lodged in the quarter, not all tenancies. DCJ suppresses a median where too few bonds were lodged.
Kensington (NSW) on the map
The Australian Bureau of Statistics Statistical Area 2 outline for Kensington (NSW), NSW.
Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Boundary: ABS SA2 (ASGS 2021), simplified — an SA2 can differ from the gazetted suburb, and detached parts such as islands may not all be shown.
How the population has changed
Kensington (NSW) against the New South Wales average, both set to 100 in the first year shown so the growth rates compare.
Kensington (NSW) population grew from 15,711 in 2016 to 14,584 in 2025, a change of -7.2% over the period, against the New South Wales average.
Show the data table
| Year | Kensington (NSW) | New South Wales average |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 15,711 | 7,732,858 |
| 2017 | 15,888 | 7,855,316 |
| 2018 | 15,498 | 7,954,476 |
| 2019 | 14,925 | 8,046,748 |
| 2020 | 14,269 | 8,110,610 |
| 2021 | 11,944 | 8,097,062 |
| 2022 | 12,369 | 8,182,098 |
| 2023 | 13,870 | 8,356,387 |
| 2024 | 14,341 | 8,492,050 |
| 2025 | 14,584 | 8,592,524 |
Where the growth is coming from
Kensington (NSW) gained 1,543 residents from internal migration and 1,756 from overseas in the year to June 2025, while 3,087 people moved away — a net addition of 212 before natural increase.
- Internal migration in+1,543
- Internal migration out+2,065
- Overseas migration in+1,756
- Natural increase+31
Components of population change over the sample year. Natural increase is shown apart from migration so the two are not read as one figure.
How it has changed
Census · five-yearlyThe 2016 Census against 2021. Older figures are mapped onto today's boundaries via the ABS Time Series Profile, so comparisons are approximate where borders moved.
| Measure | 2016 | 2021 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,887 | 11,809 | -21% |
| Median age | 26 | 32 | +6 yrs |
| Median household income | $1,642/wk | $2,117/wk | +29% |
| Median weekly rent | $520/wk | $500/wk | -3.8% |
| Born overseas | 55.1% | 47.7% | -7.4 pts |
Who lives here
Census · five-yearlyFrom the 2021 Census — the most recent available; 2026 Census data isn't expected until mid-2027. Each figure carries its definition, so you know what is being counted.
People
Income
Housing
Work
Household
Country of birth
Language at home
How homes are held
- Owned outright 24.1%
- Mortgaged 18.6%
- Rented 55.3%
- Other / not stated 2.1%
How well-off the area is
Census · five-yearlyThe ABS SEIFA indexes rank every area by relative advantage and disadvantage. Decile 1 is the lowest tenth of Australia; decile 10 is the highest.
- Relative disadvantage (IRSD)Lower decile means more relative disadvantageDecile 9score 1,071
- Advantage & disadvantage (IRSAD)Higher decile means more relative advantageDecile 10score 1,122
- Economic resources (IER)Income and housing capacityDecile 4score 968
- Education & occupation (IEO)Education and occupational skill levelsDecile 10score 1,146
Getting around, and what's nearby
OpenStreetMap · quarterlyWhat OpenStreetMap records inside the suburb boundary. Counts reflect what is tagged in OSM and can undercount a real but less-mapped area. The park count here is OpenStreetMap green space of any kind, including privately held land — it is a different measure from the council parks below.
Within the Kensington (NSW) SA2, OpenStreetMap records 2 schools, 2 childcare and kindergarten centres, 2 GP or clinic locations, 4 supermarkets and 24 green spaces. For families: 2 libraries and 6 playgrounds. Eating out and socialising: 16 cafés, 13 restaurants and 2 pubs and bars. Staying active: 2 gyms, 2 public pools and 16 sports fields. Also 1 shopping centre. The nearest train station, Kensington, is about 500 m from the suburb centre. OpenStreetMap also maps 31 bus stops here.
List every mapped place
Schools
- Our Lady of the Rosary Primary School
- Kensington Public School
Childcare & kindergartens
- SDN House at Pooh Corner
- Goodstart Kensington
Libraries
- Law Library
- UNSW Library
Gyms & fitness
- C3 Training
- Anytime Fitness
Shopping centres
- Peter's of Kensington
GPs & clinics
- Vital Health Medical Centre
- University Health Service
Supermarkets
- Foodworks
- Lucky Supermarket
- IGA
- Kensington Supermarket
Green spaces
- Fitzpatrick Park
- Wills Reserve
- Kokoda Memorial Park
- Kensington Park
- Alumni Park
- Raleigh Park
- C Block Lawn
Train stations
- Kensington
- UNSW Anzac Parade
- ES Marks
- UNSW High Street
Schools
Every open NSW school whose campus sits inside the SA2 boundary, with the average ICSEA across them. Open a school for its own ICSEA, student background and a link to My School.
The Kensington (NSW) SA2 contains 3 schools — 2 primary schools and 1 secondary school, of which 1 is government and 2 non-government. Its schools with a published ICSEA average 1116 (1000 is the national average); each school's own figure and student background are on its page. NAPLAN results for each school are on its My School profile (ACARA). For area context, Kensington (NSW) sits in decile 10 of the ABS SEIFA index of education and occupation nationally and 87% of adults here completed Year 12 (Census 2021).
The centre of this SA2 is zoned for Daceyville Public School (primary), Randwick Boys High School (secondary).
Parts of this SA2 also fall in the catchment of Rainbow Street Public School (primary), Randwick Public School (primary), Kensington Public School (primary), Paddington Public School (primary), Gardeners Road Public School (primary), J J Cahill Memorial High School (secondary), Alexandria Park Community School (secondary).
Catchments can divide a suburb — confirm your address on EdMap.
Want another suburb? Search the catchment finder.
Show school list
- Kensington Public School · State
- Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School · Non-Government
- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College · Non-Government
School list: NSW Government open data — ACARA Schools NSW, via the NSW data portal, CC BY 4.0. Catchments: NSW Department of Education “School intake zones” dataset, CC BY 4.0. ICSEA: ACARA School Profile. NAPLAN: myschool.edu.au (ACARA).
Nearby, in Eastern Suburbs - South
Others in the same ABS district, by population growth. If this one doesn't fit, one of these might.
- HereKensington (NSW)+1.7%
- 01Kingsford+4.0%
- 02Matraville - Chifley+2.2%
- 03Maroubra - West+1.8%
- 04Maroubra - North+1.7%
- 05Malabar - La Perouse+1.5%
- 06Randwick - South+0.9%
- 07Maroubra - South+0.6%
- 08Randwick - North-0.1%
- 09South Coogee-0.3%
- 10Coogee - Clovelly-0.6%
Dots place each suburb's growth on the same scale, slowest at left.
Kensington (NSW): common questions
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