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Kensington vs West Melbourne

Name: Kensington vs West Melbourne — 2021 Census comparison
Creator: Australian Bureau of Statistics
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Suburb / Locality comparison ≈ 1.7 km apart · Kensington profile · West Melbourne profile

Kensington West Melbourne

Kensington (Vic.) and West Melbourne are neighbouring inner-city areas with distinct profiles. West Melbourne is far more diverse, with 53.5% of people born overseas and 45.0% using a language other than English at home, compared to 31.1% and 24.7% in Kensington (Vic.). Kensington (Vic.) tends to be wealthier, with 34.5% of households earning $3,000 or more a week, well above the 22.6% in West Melbourne. Housing also differs, as Kensington (Vic.) has far more three-bedroom homes (40.3%) and detached houses (17.1%) than West Melbourne, where apartments dominate.

Both areas are a walker's paradise, with nearly every home within a 10-minute walk of public transport. They share similar typical weekly rents and school advantage scores, and both have populations that are younger than the national figure. While West Melbourne is more transient—with 73.9% of residents moving in the last five years compared to 49.0% in Kensington (Vic.)—both areas remain highly accessible, urban environments.

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Where they differ most

Recent movers: 24.9 pts higher in West Melbourne Recent arrivals: 24.0 pts higher in West Melbourne 3+ bedrooms: 23.1 pts higher in Kensington Born overseas: 22.5 pts higher in West Melbourne Other language: 20.3 pts higher in West Melbourne

Demographics & Identity

Population in Kensington in West Melbourne +2,720 larger in Kensington gap narrowing

10,745 87th pct 8,025 87th pct

Median age in Kensington in West Melbourne +4 yrs older in Kensington gap widening

35 yrs 14th pct 31 yrs 7th pct

Age structure

43.6% Young adults (25–44) +14.0 pts ▸ 57.6%

21.4% Older adults (45–64) ◂ +7.2 pts 14.2%

10.4% Youth (15–24) +6.1 pts ▸ 16.5%

14.5% Children (0–14) ◂ +7.2 pts 7.3%

10.0% Seniors (65+) ◂ +5.7 pts 4.4%

Marital status

54.5% Never married +10.1 pts ▸ 64.6%

32.1% Married ◂ +5.5 pts 26.6%

7.9% Divorced ◂ +2.5 pts 5.4%

2.9% Widowed ◂ +2.0 pts 0.9%

2.6% Separated ◂ +0.1 pts 2.5%

Age & sex structure

Kensington West Melbourne

Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

65.3% Australia ◂ +23.7 pts 41.6%

2.8% China +7.9 pts ▸ 10.6%

1.6% India +5.3 pts ▸ 6.9%

3.2% England ◂ +0.8 pts 2.4%

3.0% Vietnam ◂ +1.2 pts 1.8%

2.5% New Zealand ◂ +0.6 pts 2.0%

0.6% Philippines +1.1 pts ▸ 1.7%

0.8% Italy even 0.8%

0.2% Nepal +0.4 pts ▸ 0.6%

0.5% South Africa ◂ +0.3 pts 0.2%

Ancestry

30.3% English ◂ +11.7 pts 18.6%

25.8% Australian ◂ +11.5 pts 14.3%

10.5% Chinese +10.7 pts ▸ 21.2%

15.2% Irish ◂ +7.0 pts 8.2%

10.8% Scottish ◂ +4.9 pts 5.8%

2.4% Indian +4.2 pts ▸ 6.6%

6.0% Italian ◂ +1.3 pts 4.7%

4.7% German ◂ +1.8 pts 2.8%

3.2% Vietnamese ◂ +0.6 pts 2.6%

1.1% Filipino +1.3 pts ▸ 2.3%

1.8% Dutch ◂ +0.5 pts 1.3%

1.6% Greek ◂ +0.3 pts 1.2%

Language

Language used at home

71.5% English only ◂ +23.8 pts 47.7%

3.3% Mandarin +10.3 pts ▸ 13.6%

3.2% Cantonese +0.2 pts ▸ 3.4%

3.0% Vietnamese ◂ +0.9 pts 2.1%

0.4% Hindi +2.0 pts ▸ 2.4%

1.2% Italian ◂ +0.1 pts 1.1%

1.0% Arabic even 1.0%

0.6% Greek ◂ +0.2 pts 0.5%

0.2% Tagalog +0.4 pts ▸ 0.6%

0.2% Punjabi +0.1 pts ▸ 0.3%

Religion

Religious affiliation

57.2% No religion ◂ +3.4 pts 53.8%

27.1% Christianity ◂ +4.8 pts 22.3%

5.4% Not stated +3.3 pts ▸ 8.8%

1.5% Hinduism +4.4 pts ▸ 5.8%

4.1% Buddhism +1.1 pts ▸ 5.2%

3.8% Islam ◂ +0.9 pts 3.0%

0.6% Other religions +0.2 pts ▸ 0.8%

0.3% Judaism even 0.3%

Education & Qualifications

Schools/1k kids in Kensington in West Melbourne +0.22 more in Kensington

1.92 27th pct 1.71 23rd pct

Schools ≤3 km in Kensington in West Melbourne +19 more in West Melbourne

41 90th pct 60 94th pct

Avg size in Kensington in West Melbourne +62 larger in Kensington

497 72nd pct 435 64th pct

ICSEA in Kensington in West Melbourne +8 higher in West Melbourne

1,088 89th pct 1,096 90th pct

Highest year of school

82.0% Year 12 +0.4 pts ▸ 82.3%

4.3% Year 11 +0.5 pts ▸ 4.8%

4.8% Year 9 or below ◂ +2.6 pts 2.1%

4.4% Year 10 +0.2 pts ▸ 4.6%

Highest qualification level

43.0% Bachelor degree ◂ +0.1 pts 42.9%

22.2% Postgraduate degree +1.6 pts ▸ 23.8%

10.3% Advanced diploma / diploma +0.1 pts ▸ 10.3%

8.9% Certificate III / IV ◂ +1.5 pts 7.4%

6.4% Graduate diploma / certificate ◂ +2.3 pts 4.1%

0.7% Certificate I / II even 0.6%

Field of qualification

19.5% Management & commerce +3.0 pts ▸ 22.5%

16.2% Society & culture ◂ +2.5 pts 13.6%

10.9% Health ◂ +4.1 pts 6.9%

9.2% Engineering & related +1.4 pts ▸ 10.6%

9.1% Creative arts ◂ +0.5 pts 8.6%

5.0% Information technology +2.8 pts ▸ 7.8%

7.0% Education ◂ +3.2 pts 3.8%

5.7% Natural & physical sciences ◂ +0.2 pts 5.5%

2.7% Food, hospitality & personal services +1.7 pts ▸ 4.4%

4.0% Architecture & building +0.2 pts ▸ 4.2%

1.3% Agriculture & environment ◂ +0.6 pts 0.8%

Income

Personal income in Kensington in West Melbourne +$188 higher in Kensington gap widening

$1,246 91st pct $1,058 86th pct

Household income in Kensington in West Melbourne +$428 higher in Kensington gap widening

$2,216 84th pct $1,788 65th pct

Family income in Kensington in West Melbourne +$657 higher in Kensington gap widening

$3,063 91st pct $2,406 78th pct

Household income distribution

30.2% $1,500–$2,999 +3.6 pts ▸ 33.8%

17.5% $650–$1,499 +7.9 pts ▸ 25.4%

21.9% $4,000 or more ◂ +8.9 pts 13.0%

13.8% Under $650 +0.1 pts ▸ 13.8%

12.6% $3,000–$3,999 ◂ +3.1 pts 9.6%

Personal income distribution

26.5% $650–$1,499 +5.7 pts ▸ 32.2%

29.2% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +5.3 pts 23.9%

28.9% Under $650 even 28.9%

11.0% $3,000 or more ◂ +4.3 pts 6.7%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

11.5% Mental health ◂ +3.0 pts 8.5%

9.6% Asthma ◂ +3.1 pts 6.6%

8.5% Other condition ◂ +2.4 pts 6.1%

5.2% Arthritis ◂ +3.0 pts 2.2%

3.0% Diabetes ◂ +1.4 pts 1.6%

2.5% Heart disease ◂ +1.2 pts 1.3%

2.1% Cancer ◂ +1.0 pts 1.1%

1.1% Lung condition ◂ +0.7 pts 0.3%

0.6% Stroke ◂ +0.4 pts 0.2%

0.5% Dementia ◂ +0.5 pts 0.1%

Number of long-term health conditions

67.6% None +6.0 pts ▸ 73.6%

19.7% One condition ◂ +5.5 pts 14.2%

4.7% Two conditions ◂ +1.7 pts 3.0%

2.3% Three or more ◂ +1.6 pts 0.7%

Community Participation

First Nations

First Nations people in Kensington in West Melbourne +6 larger in West Melbourne

63 80th pct 69 81st pct

Median age in Kensington in West Melbourne +1 yrs older in Kensington

32 yrs 69th pct 31 yrs 66th pct

Median income in Kensington in West Melbourne +$371 higher in Kensington

$1,270 87th pct $899 73rd pct

Household income in Kensington in West Melbourne +$662 higher in Kensington

$2,125 67th pct $1,463 40th pct

Family & Households

Household size in Kensington in West Melbourne +0.2 larger in Kensington gap widening

2.1 19th pct 1.9 11th pct

Family composition

35.9% Couples without children +18.4 pts ▸ 54.4%

49.7% Couples with children ◂ +15.4 pts 34.3%

12.0% One-parent families ◂ +4.1 pts 7.9%

2.4% Other families +1.1 pts ▸ 3.4%

Household size

35.5% 2 people +5.8 pts ▸ 41.3%

34.9% 1 person +4.2 pts ▸ 39.0%

14.8% 3 people ◂ +2.4 pts 12.4%

11.3% 4 people ◂ +5.5 pts 5.8%

2.6% 5 people ◂ +1.5 pts 1.0%

0.9% 6 or more ◂ +0.5 pts 0.4%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Kensington in West Melbourne +$28 higher in Kensington gap narrowing

$416 85th pct $388 79th pct

Mortgage in Kensington in West Melbourne +$56 higher in Kensington gap narrowing

$2,162 79th pct $2,106 77th pct

People / bedroom in Kensington in West Melbourne +0.20 higher in West Melbourne gap widening

0.90 86th pct 1.10 93rd pct

How homes are owned or rented

49.1% Rented +16.0 pts ▸ 65.2%

30.6% Owned with a mortgage ◂ +10.0 pts 20.6%

18.1% Owned outright ◂ +6.3 pts 11.8%

1.2% Other tenure +0.3 pts ▸ 1.5%

1.0% Not stated even 1.0%

Types of homes

29.3% Flat or apartment +50.3 pts ▸ 79.6%

53.4% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +34.7 pts 18.6%

17.1% Separate house ◂ +15.9 pts 1.2%

0.1% Other dwelling +0.4 pts ▸ 0.5%

Bedrooms per home

42.0% 2 bedrooms +7.0 pts ▸ 49.0%

16.3% 1 bedroom +15.8 pts ▸ 32.1%

30.4% 3 bedrooms ◂ +16.6 pts 13.8%

8.6% 4 bedrooms ◂ +6.0 pts 2.6%

1.2% 5 or more ◂ +0.4 pts 0.8%

0.3% Studio / none +0.3 pts ▸ 0.6%

Weekly rent distribution

42.0% $350–$549 +12.2 pts ▸ 54.2%

16.0% $200–$349 +10.5 pts ▸ 26.5%

17.9% $550–$749 ◂ +8.5 pts 9.4%

16.1% Under $200 ◂ +12.7 pts 3.5%

5.3% $750 or more ◂ +0.9 pts 4.4%

Monthly mortgage distribution

32.6% $1,800–$2,999 ◂ +0.1 pts 32.6%

25.9% $3,000 or more +1.5 pts ▸ 27.4%

24.8% $1,000–$1,799 +1.8 pts ▸ 26.7%

11.6% Under $1,000 ◂ +3.6 pts 8.1%

Transport & Vehicles

PT stops in Kensington in West Melbourne +29 more in West Melbourne

20 86th pct 49 87th pct

Stops/1k in Kensington in West Melbourne +4.24 more in West Melbourne

1.86 65th pct 6.11 82nd pct

Departures/1k in Kensington in West Melbourne +2,503.8 more in West Melbourne

1,092.6 87th pct 3,596.4 100th pct

PT routes in Kensington in West Melbourne +16 more in West Melbourne

4 82nd pct 20 86th pct

Stop walk in Kensington in West Melbourne +8 longer in West Melbourne

2 14th pct 10 46th pct

Drive to city in Kensington in West Melbourne +1 longer in Kensington

8 3rd pct 7 1st pct

Reach 30 min in Kensington in West Melbourne +80,732 more in Kensington

80,732 88th pct 0 0th pct

Reach 45 min in Kensington in West Melbourne +391,389 more in Kensington

431,198 90th pct 39,809 60th pct

Transit to city in Kensington in West Melbourne +18 longer in West Melbourne

29 7th pct 47 30th pct

How people get to work

46.5% Worked at home ◂ +8.1 pts 38.4%

22.8% Car (driver) ◂ +6.5 pts 16.3%

3.2% Walked +8.4 pts ▸ 11.6%

4.9% Train +0.2 pts ▸ 5.1%

3.9% Bicycle ◂ +1.5 pts 2.4%

1.4% Car (passenger) +0.4 pts ▸ 1.8%

0.9% Bus ◂ +0.1 pts 0.7%

Motor vehicles per home

54.5% 1 vehicle ◂ +3.4 pts 51.1%

16.9% No vehicle +19.5 pts ▸ 36.4%

23.8% 2 vehicles ◂ +13.2 pts 10.6%

3.8% 3 vehicles ◂ +2.3 pts 1.4%

1.0% 4 or more ◂ +0.5 pts 0.5%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

16.8% Professional & technical +1.3 pts ▸ 18.0%

14.3% Health care & social assistance ◂ +4.5 pts 9.8%

6.5% Accommodation & food +4.8 pts ▸ 11.3%

10.9% Education & training ◂ +3.0 pts 7.8%

8.0% Public administration & safety ◂ +2.5 pts 5.5%

6.3% Retail trade +1.4 pts ▸ 7.8%

6.9% Finance & insurance +0.4 pts ▸ 7.3%

2.9% Administrative & support +2.0 pts ▸ 4.9%

4.2% Construction +0.1 pts ▸ 4.3%

3.5% Transport & warehousing even 3.5%

3.5% Manufacturing ◂ +0.3 pts 3.2%

2.9% Arts & recreation ◂ +0.7 pts 2.2%

Occupations people work in

43.4% Professionals ◂ +3.8 pts 39.7%

17.0% Managers ◂ +3.4 pts 13.7%

12.0% Clerical & administrative ◂ +0.5 pts 11.5%

7.6% Community & personal service +2.2 pts ▸ 9.9%

6.6% Technicians & trades +1.6 pts ▸ 8.3%

4.0% Labourers +2.5 pts ▸ 6.5%

5.6% Sales workers +0.6 pts ▸ 6.1%

2.3% Machinery operators & drivers +0.3 pts ▸ 2.7%

Walkability

Walk score in Kensington in West Melbourne +0.3 higher in West Melbourne

9.0 100th pct 9.2 100th pct

Types ≤15 min in Kensington in West Melbourne even

7.9 100th pct 7.9 99th pct

15-min city in Kensington in West Melbourne +1.8 pts higher in Kensington

100.0% 100th pct 98.2% 99th pct

Walk to shops in Kensington in West Melbourne +1.8 pts higher in Kensington

100.0% 100th pct 98.2% 99th pct

Walk to transit in Kensington in West Melbourne +0.3 pts higher in Kensington

100.0% 100th pct 99.7% 99th pct

Walk to school in Kensington in West Melbourne +2.3 pts higher in Kensington

100.0% 100th pct 97.7% 98th pct

Walk to a park in Kensington in West Melbourne +1.6 pts higher in Kensington

100.0% 100th pct 98.4% 85th pct

Walk to health in Kensington in West Melbourne +5.5 pts higher in West Melbourne

92.3% 97th pct 97.8% 99th pct

Amenities/1k in Kensington in West Melbourne +2.3 more in West Melbourne

12.7 48th pct 15.0 53rd pct

Intersections/km² in Kensington in West Melbourne +550 higher in Kensington

779 100th pct 229 92nd pct

Mean slope in Kensington in West Melbourne +1.1 pts higher in West Melbourne

5.2% 45th pct 6.3% 57th pct

Compare Kensington with nearby areas

Flemington Travancore West Melbourne North Melbourne Parkville Ascot Vale Moonee Ponds Docklands

Compare West Melbourne with nearby areas

Kensington Port Melbourne Flemington Docklands North Melbourne Footscray Seddon Travancore

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Kensington vs West Melbourne [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sal/SAL21327/kensington/vs/SAL22757/west-melbourne