Kensington vs Leabrook

Kensington is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 55 in Leabrook. In both, most households are people living alone. In Kensington, about half of households rent. In Leabrook, most households own their home. Houses cost more in Leabrook: a median of $1.9 million, against $1.21 million in Kensington. Kensington is closer to the city centre: 4.6 km, against 5.7 km. On these figures, Kensington tends to suit renters and buyers on a tighter budget, while Leabrook suits older residents.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Kensington has more childcare (4 vs 0)
  • Leabrook carries lower crime risk (32/100 vs 62/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Kensington has cheaper houses ($1,210,000 vs $1,895,000)
  • Leabrook has cheaper units ($570,000 vs $765,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Kensington

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (51% vs 26%)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

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

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Leabrook

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (32/100 vs 62/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (41% vs 24%)
  • But Kensington has more units and townhouses to downsize into (70% vs 60%)

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

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

Kensington Leabrook
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.

Kensington Leabrook
Walkability 90 / 87
Kensington — Walkability: 90/100 Leabrook — Walkability: 87/100
Safety 38 / 68
Kensington — Safety: 38/100 Leabrook — Safety: 68/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Kensington — Low fire risk: 100/100 Leabrook — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 19 / 30
Kensington — Low flood risk: 19/100 Leabrook — Low flood risk: 30/100

Demographics

Leabrook skews older (55 vs 43); Leabrook has higher household incomes ($88,036 vs $70,460).

Kensington Leabrook
Population 1,808
+11% vs other
 1,605
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.2% +2.0%
Median age 43 55
Median household income $70,460/yr $88,036/yr
+25% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk $308/wk
+3% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Kensington Leabrook
0-4 4.1% / 3.5%
Kensington — 0-4: 4.1% Leabrook — 0-4: 3.5%
5-14 8.8% / 7.9%
Kensington — 5-14: 8.8% Leabrook — 5-14: 7.9%
15-19 5.9% / 5.7%
Kensington — 15-19: 5.9% Leabrook — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 5.5% / 4.3%
Kensington — 20-24: 5.5% Leabrook — 20-24: 4.3%
25-34 15.2% / 8.3%
Kensington — 25-34: 15.2% Leabrook — 25-34: 8.3%
35-44 12.6% / 9.5%
Kensington — 35-44: 12.6% Leabrook — 35-44: 9.5%
45-54 12.7% / 9.7%
Kensington — 45-54: 12.7% Leabrook — 45-54: 9.7%
55-64 11.1% / 10.3%
Kensington — 55-64: 11.1% Leabrook — 55-64: 10.3%
65-74 12.9% / 12.0%
Kensington — 65-74: 12.9% Leabrook — 65-74: 12.0%
75-84 8.2% / 15.7%
Kensington — 75-84: 8.2% Leabrook — 75-84: 15.7%
85+ 3.0% / 13.1%
Kensington — 85+: 3.0% Leabrook — 85+: 13.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Kensington 57.0% lone person
Kensington — Lone Person: 57.0% Kensington — Couple Families: 24.3% Kensington — One Parent Families: 12.6% Kensington — Group Household: 5.0% Kensington — Other Families: 1.1%
Leabrook 60.1% lone person
Leabrook — Lone Person: 60.1% Leabrook — Couple Families: 28.9% Leabrook — One Parent Families: 7.2% Leabrook — Group Household: 2.2% Leabrook — Other Families: 1.5%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Kensington 50.8% renting
Kensington — Owned Outright: 24.9% Kensington — Mortgage: 24.3% Kensington — Renting: 50.8%
Leabrook 25.5% renting
Leabrook — Owned Outright: 48.7% Leabrook — Mortgage: 25.8% Leabrook — Renting: 25.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Kensington Leabrook
Bachelor Degree 23.6% / 25.0%
Kensington — Bachelor Degree: 23.6% Leabrook — Bachelor Degree: 25.0%
Postgraduate Degree 10.1% / 11.2%
Kensington — Postgraduate Degree: 10.1% Leabrook — Postgraduate Degree: 11.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.3% / 8.9%
Kensington — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3% Leabrook — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Certificate III & IV 7.8% / 5.4%
Kensington — Certificate III & IV: 7.8% Leabrook — Certificate III & IV: 5.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.5% / 3.1%
Kensington — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.5% Leabrook — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.0%).

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.

Kensington Leabrook
England 4.9% / 6.5%
Kensington — England: 4.9% Leabrook — England: 6.5%
India 5.1% / 2.5%
Kensington — India: 5.1% Leabrook — India: 2.5%
China 2.5% / 3.6%
Kensington — China: 2.5% Leabrook — China: 3.6%
Italy 2.1% / 1.0%
Kensington — Italy: 2.1% Leabrook — Italy: 1.0%
Malaysia 0.8% / 0.8%
Kensington — Malaysia: 0.8% Leabrook — Malaysia: 0.8%
New Zealand 0.9% / —
Kensington — New Zealand: 0.9% Leabrook — New Zealand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Kensington 42.6% townhouses
Kensington — Townhouses: 42.6% Kensington — Houses: 29.9% Kensington — Flats / Apartments: 27.6%
Leabrook 32.9% townhouses
Leabrook — Townhouses: 32.9% Leabrook — Houses: 40.3% Leabrook — Flats / Apartments: 26.8%
Townhouses Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Kensington Leabrook
Median house price $1,210,000 $1,895,000
Median unit price $765,000 $570,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 16 sales
 51 days
from 5 sales

Zoning mix

Kensington Leabrook
Residential 87% 96%
Infrastructure and transport 10% 0%
Commercial 3% 4%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Kensington Leabrook
New dwellings approved 227
across Norwood Payneham and St Peters
 250
across Burnside
Approvals change year on year +141% +32%

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.

Kensington Leabrook
Houses 3.8%
$760/wk on $1.05M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within SA

Kensington Leabrook
House price Higher than 64% of SA Higher than 92% of SA
Income — Higher than 67% of SA
Schools Higher than 25% of SA —
Walkability Higher than 99% of SA Higher than 97% of SA
Affordability — Higher than 5% of SA
EV adoption Higher than 93% of SA Higher than 94% of SA
NBN connectivity Higher than 87% of SA Higher than 88% of SA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 40% of SA —

Liveability

Leabrook scores higher overall (85 vs 56).

Kensington Leabrook
Grade B A+
Score 56/100 85/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Kensington carries more crime risk (62 vs 32); Kensington carries more flood risk (81 vs 70).

Kensington Leabrook
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
62/100
 Low
32/100
Flood High
81/100
 High
70/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 5
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Kensington Leabrook
Inside the suburb 3 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 3
Adelaide University, Magill Campus, 3.1 km
 3
Adelaide University, Magill Campus, 2.9 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 3.0% 2.8%

Schools in Kensington

  • Marryatville Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Mary MacKillop College Catholic · Secondary at peers
  • St Joseph's Memorial School - Junior Primary Campus Catholic · Primary

Schools in Leabrook

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Kensington Leabrook
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 2
same for both
Parks & reserves 4 3
Childcare 4 0
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 2 3

Mobility

Kensington Leabrook
Walkability score 90/100 87/100
Distance to Adelaide 4.6 km 5.7 km
+24% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 10 min 11 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 50.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 35.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.9%
postcode 5068
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 45
postcode 5068
same for both

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.

Kensington Leabrook
Car (driver) 60.5% / 63.8%
Kensington — Car (driver): 60.5% Leabrook — Car (driver): 63.8%
Worked from Home 17.2% / 18.5%
Kensington — Worked from Home: 17.2% Leabrook — Worked from Home: 18.5%
Bus 8.8% / 5.9%
Kensington — Bus: 8.8% Leabrook — Bus: 5.9%
Car (passenger) 4.2% / 4.8%
Kensington — Car (passenger): 4.2% Leabrook — Car (passenger): 4.8%
Bicycle 3.4% / 4.6%
Kensington — Bicycle: 3.4% Leabrook — Bicycle: 4.6%
Walked Only 5.3% / 2.4%
Kensington — Walked Only: 5.3% Leabrook — Walked Only: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (63.8%).

Setting

Kensington Leabrook
Elevation 80 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 107 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 13.3 km 13.9 km

NBN connectivity

Kensington Leabrook
Connectivity score 75/100
same for both
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
1,063 premises
 0%
866 premises

Climate

Kensington Leabrook
Annual rainfall 457 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 29.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Kensington Leabrook
PM2.5 6.0 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 1.12 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Kensington Leabrook
Average residential rate $1,995/yr $2,410/yr
Council Norwood Payneham and St Peters Burnside

Federal electorate

Kensington Leabrook
Division Sturt
same for both
Member Claire Clutterham
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Kensington Leabrook
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Kensington

Cafe Culture Inner Parks Professionals River Townhouses Urban

Leabrook

Inner Parks Premium Professionals Retirees River Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Kensington

Kensington vs Norwood Kensington vs Kensington Park Kensington vs Toorak Gardens Kensington vs Beulah Park Kensington vs Marryatville

Other comparisons with Leabrook

Leabrook vs Burnside Leabrook vs Kensington Park Leabrook vs Kensington Gardens Leabrook vs Hazelwood Park Leabrook vs Tusmore Leabrook vs Erindale
Full data on Kensington Full data on Leabrook
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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