Herston vs Kelvin Grove

Kelvin Grove is the younger of the two, with a median age of 28 against 31 in Herston. In both, most households rent. In Kelvin Grove, most homes are flats or apartments. Houses cost more in Herston: a median of $1.72 million, against $1.5 million in Kelvin Grove. Herston is closer to the city centre: 3.4 km, against 3.8 km.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Kelvin Grove

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)
  • has more parks and reserves (12 vs 5)
  • carries lower crime risk (73/100 vs 94/100)
  • But Herston has more separate houses rather than flats (43% vs 31%)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Kelvin Grove

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,500,000 vs $1,720,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Kelvin Grove

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (73/100 vs 94/100)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (69% vs 57%)
  • But Herston has more GPs (2 vs 0)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Herston and Kelvin Grove drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Herston Kelvin Grove
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Herston Kelvin Grove
Walkability 82 / 85
Herston — Walkability: 82/100 Kelvin Grove — Walkability: 85/100
Safety 6 / 27
Herston — Safety: 6/100 Kelvin Grove — Safety: 27/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Herston — Low fire risk: 100/100 Kelvin Grove — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Kelvin Grove has more residents (7,909 vs 2,311); Herston has higher household incomes ($108,472 vs $86,840).

Herston Kelvin Grove
Population 2,311 7,909
+242% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.3% -0.2%
Median age 31 28
Median household income $108,472/yr
+20% vs other
 $86,840/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
same for both

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Herston Kelvin Grove
0-4 4.5% / 3.8%
Herston — 0-4: 4.5% Kelvin Grove — 0-4: 3.8%
5-14 8.8% / 9.6%
Herston — 5-14: 8.8% Kelvin Grove — 5-14: 9.6%
15-19 5.5% / 9.4%
Herston — 15-19: 5.5% Kelvin Grove — 15-19: 9.4%
20-24 14.7% / 17.8%
Herston — 20-24: 14.7% Kelvin Grove — 20-24: 17.8%
25-34 24.6% / 22.8%
Herston — 25-34: 24.6% Kelvin Grove — 25-34: 22.8%
35-44 14.8% / 14.1%
Herston — 35-44: 14.8% Kelvin Grove — 35-44: 14.1%
45-54 12.5% / 10.4%
Herston — 45-54: 12.5% Kelvin Grove — 45-54: 10.4%
55-64 7.6% / 5.8%
Herston — 55-64: 7.6% Kelvin Grove — 55-64: 5.8%
65-74 4.3% / 3.6%
Herston — 65-74: 4.3% Kelvin Grove — 65-74: 3.6%
75-84 2.1% / 1.9%
Herston — 75-84: 2.1% Kelvin Grove — 75-84: 1.9%
85+ 0.9% / 1.0%
Herston — 85+: 0.9% Kelvin Grove — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Herston 33.3% lone person
Herston — Lone Person: 33.3% Herston — Couple Families: 27.7% Herston — Group Household: 24.5% Herston — One Parent Families: 12.6% Herston — Other Families: 1.9%
Kelvin Grove 40.5% lone person
Kelvin Grove — Lone Person: 40.5% Kelvin Grove — Couple Families: 25.7% Kelvin Grove — Group Household: 19.2% Kelvin Grove — One Parent Families: 11.7% Kelvin Grove — Other Families: 2.9%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Herston 59.5% renting
Herston — Owned Outright: 16.6% Herston — Mortgage: 23.8% Herston — Renting: 59.5%
Kelvin Grove 66.0% renting
Kelvin Grove — Owned Outright: 13.1% Kelvin Grove — Mortgage: 20.9% Kelvin Grove — Renting: 66.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Herston Kelvin Grove
Bachelor Degree 24.9% / 25.1%
Herston — Bachelor Degree: 24.9% Kelvin Grove — Bachelor Degree: 25.1%
Postgraduate Degree 11.9% / 12.7%
Herston — Postgraduate Degree: 11.9% Kelvin Grove — Postgraduate Degree: 12.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.9% / 7.4%
Herston — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.9% Kelvin Grove — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4%
Certificate III & IV 7.2% / 7.0%
Herston — Certificate III & IV: 7.2% Kelvin Grove — Certificate III & IV: 7.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.2% / 3.2%
Herston — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2% Kelvin Grove — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.1%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Herston Kelvin Grove
China 2.3% / 5.7%
Herston — China: 2.3% Kelvin Grove — China: 5.7%
India 2.9% / 3.6%
Herston — India: 2.9% Kelvin Grove — India: 3.6%
England 2.6% / 2.5%
Herston — England: 2.6% Kelvin Grove — England: 2.5%
New Zealand 2.0% / 2.3%
Herston — New Zealand: 2.0% Kelvin Grove — New Zealand: 2.3%
Vietnam 1.0% / 2.1%
Herston — Vietnam: 1.0% Kelvin Grove — Vietnam: 2.1%
Sri Lanka 1.2% / —
Herston — Sri Lanka: 1.2% Kelvin Grove — Sri Lanka: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Herston 37.8% flats / apartments
Herston — Flats / Apartments: 37.8% Herston — Houses: 43.2% Herston — Townhouses: 18.9%
Kelvin Grove 62.5% flats / apartments
Kelvin Grove — Flats / Apartments: 62.5% Kelvin Grove — Houses: 31.2% Kelvin Grove — Townhouses: 6.3%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Herston Kelvin Grove
Median house price $1,720,000 $1,500,000
Median unit price $720,000
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 25 days
from 6 sales
 25 days
from 37 sales

Development activity

Herston Kelvin Grove
New dwellings approved 9,382
across Brisbane
same for both
Approvals change year on year +9%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Herston Kelvin Grove
Houses —
same for both
Units — 4.9%
$665/wk on $704K

Ranking within QLD

Herston Kelvin Grove
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 81% of QLD Higher than 60% of QLD
Schools — Higher than 39% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 96% of QLD Higher than 97% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 99% of QLD Higher than 97% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 92% of QLD Higher than 91% of QLD
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 71% of QLD

Liveability

Herston scores higher overall (67 vs 62).

Herston Kelvin Grove
Grade A B
Score 67/100 62/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Herston carries more crime risk (94 vs 73).

Herston Kelvin Grove
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
94/100
 High
73/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 5
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Herston Kelvin Grove
Inside the suburb 1 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 2
Universities within 10 km 3
Kelvin Grove, 1.0 km
 3
Kelvin Grove, 0.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 7.7% 14.2%

Schools in Herston

  • QCHS - Royal Brisbane and ACT for Kids Campus Government · Secondary · Special school

Schools in Kelvin Grove

  • Compass Independent School Independent · Combined below peers
  • Kelvin Grove State College Government · Combined below peers
  • Queensland Academy for Creative Industries Government · Secondary

Amenities in the suburb

Herston Kelvin Grove
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 8 14
Parks & reserves 5 12
Childcare 4
same for both
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 1
same for both
Hospitals 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 1 2
EV chargers 0 2
Waterways 2 1

Mobility

Herston Kelvin Grove
Walkability score 82/100 85/100
Distance to Brisbane 3.4 km 3.8 km
+12% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 9 min
same for both
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 314.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 236.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 3.6%
postcode 4006
 2.6%
postcode 4059
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 4
postcode 4006
 23
postcode 4059

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Herston Kelvin Grove
Car (driver) 45.7% / 41.5%
Herston — Car (driver): 45.7% Kelvin Grove — Car (driver): 41.5%
Worked from Home 22.6% / 25.2%
Herston — Worked from Home: 22.6% Kelvin Grove — Worked from Home: 25.2%
Bus 12.2% / 15.4%
Herston — Bus: 12.2% Kelvin Grove — Bus: 15.4%
Walked Only 11.1% / 9.2%
Herston — Walked Only: 11.1% Kelvin Grove — Walked Only: 9.2%
Car (passenger) 3.4% / 4.3%
Herston — Car (passenger): 3.4% Kelvin Grove — Car (passenger): 4.3%
Bicycle 3.7% / 2.8%
Herston — Bicycle: 3.7% Kelvin Grove — Bicycle: 2.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (45.7%).

Setting

Herston Kelvin Grove
Elevation 18 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 48 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 9.9 km
2.9 km to a named beach
 10.9 km
3.2 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Herston Kelvin Grove
Connectivity score 82/100 79/100
Most common technology Fibre to the curb Hybrid fibre-coaxial
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 29%
1,272 premises
 22%
3,155 premises

Climate

Herston Kelvin Grove
Annual rainfall 1,032 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Herston Kelvin Grove
PM2.5 5.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.7 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Herston Kelvin Grove
Average residential rate $1,519/yr
same for both
Council Brisbane
same for both

Federal electorate

Herston Kelvin Grove
Division Brisbane
same for both
Member Madonna Jarrett
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Herston Kelvin Grove
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Herston

Apartments Inner Parks Professionals Students

Kelvin Grove

Apartments Inner Parks Professionals Students Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Herston

Herston vs Windsor Herston vs Spring Hill Herston vs Bowen Hills Herston vs Wilston

Other comparisons with Kelvin Grove

Kelvin Grove vs Brisbane City Kelvin Grove vs Spring Hill Kelvin Grove vs Red Hill Kelvin Grove vs Newmarket Kelvin Grove vs Wilston Kelvin Grove vs Petrie Terrace
Full data on Herston Full data on Kelvin Grove
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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