Kensington vs Como

In both, most households own their home. In Kensington, the large majority of homes are detached houses and about half of households are couple families. In Como, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Kensington: a median of $1.65 million, against $1.5 million in Como, and rent is higher there too. Kensington is closer to the city centre: 6.2 km, against 7.9 km. On these figures, Kensington tends to suit families with children and couples, while Como suits young adults and people living alone.

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

Como

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (6 vs 3)
  • has more childcare (10 vs 5)
  • has more parks and reserves (12 vs 9)
  • But Kensington has more separate houses rather than flats (82% vs 33%)

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

First-home buyers

Como

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,500,000 vs $1,650,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Como

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (42% vs 28%)

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

Commuting to the city

Kensington

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (77/100 vs 67/100)

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

Downsizers and retirees

Como

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (67% vs 18%)
  • has more GPs (4 vs 2)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (20% vs 13%)
  • But Kensington is more walkable (77/100 vs 67/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Kensington and Como 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 Como
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 Como
Walkability 77 / 67
Kensington — Walkability: 77/100 Como — Walkability: 67/100
Safety 35 / 32
Kensington — Safety: 35/100 Como — Safety: 32/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Kensington — Low fire risk: 100/100 Como — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 100 / 54
Kensington — Low flood risk: 100/100 Como — Low flood risk: 54/100

Demographics

Como has more residents (14,786 vs 4,627); Kensington has higher household incomes ($129,792 vs $92,560).

Kensington Como
Population 4,627 14,786
+220% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.3% +4.6%
Median age 38
same for both
Median household income $129,792/yr
+29% vs other
 $92,560/yr
Median weekly rent $375/wk
+7% vs other
 $350/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Kensington Como
0-4 5.3% / 4.8%
Kensington — 0-4: 5.3% Como — 0-4: 4.8%
5-14 14.6% / 8.3%
Kensington — 5-14: 14.6% Como — 5-14: 8.3%
15-19 7.8% / 4.3%
Kensington — 15-19: 7.8% Como — 15-19: 4.3%
20-24 6.2% / 8.3%
Kensington — 20-24: 6.2% Como — 20-24: 8.3%
25-34 12.2% / 18.6%
Kensington — 25-34: 12.2% Como — 25-34: 18.6%
35-44 14.0% / 14.3%
Kensington — 35-44: 14.0% Como — 35-44: 14.3%
45-54 15.9% / 10.5%
Kensington — 45-54: 15.9% Como — 45-54: 10.5%
55-64 10.8% / 10.3%
Kensington — 55-64: 10.8% Como — 55-64: 10.3%
65-74 8.5% / 10.2%
Kensington — 65-74: 8.5% Como — 65-74: 10.2%
75-84 3.3% / 6.1%
Kensington — 75-84: 3.3% Como — 75-84: 6.1%
85+ 1.3% / 4.2%
Kensington — 85+: 1.3% Como — 85+: 4.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Kensington 29.7% lone person
Kensington — Lone Person: 29.7% Kensington — Couple Families: 50.8% Kensington — One Parent Families: 11.6% Kensington — Group Household: 5.9% Kensington — Other Families: 2.0%
Como 50.6% lone person
Como — Lone Person: 50.6% Como — Couple Families: 27.8% Como — One Parent Families: 9.8% Como — Group Household: 8.4% Como — Other Families: 3.4%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Kensington 28.2% renting
Kensington — Owned Outright: 29.7% Kensington — Mortgage: 42.0% Kensington — Renting: 28.2%
Como 42.1% renting
Como — Owned Outright: 28.8% Como — Mortgage: 29.1% Como — Renting: 42.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Kensington Como
Bachelor Degree 23.8% / 24.7%
Kensington — Bachelor Degree: 23.8% Como — Bachelor Degree: 24.7%
Postgraduate Degree 8.1% / 8.8%
Kensington — Postgraduate Degree: 8.1% Como — Postgraduate Degree: 8.8%
Certificate III & IV 8.0% / 8.5%
Kensington — Certificate III & IV: 8.0% Como — Certificate III & IV: 8.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.8% / 7.8%
Kensington — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.8% Como — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.7% / 3.4%
Kensington — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.7% Como — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.7%).

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 Como
England 6.2% / 5.8%
Kensington — England: 6.2% Como — England: 5.8%
New Zealand 2.2% / 1.7%
Kensington — New Zealand: 2.2% Como — New Zealand: 1.7%
Malaysia 0.9% / 2.3%
Kensington — Malaysia: 0.9% Como — Malaysia: 2.3%
South Africa 1.3% / 1.7%
Kensington — South Africa: 1.3% Como — South Africa: 1.7%
India 1.0% / 2.0%
Kensington — India: 1.0% Como — India: 2.0%
China — / 1.8%
Kensington — China: not among its largest Como — China: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Kensington 81.9% houses
Kensington — Houses: 81.9% Kensington — Townhouses: 12.4% Kensington — Flats / Apartments: 5.6%
Como 32.8% houses
Como — Houses: 32.8% Como — Townhouses: 52.5% Como — Flats / Apartments: 14.7%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Kensington Como
Median house price $1,650,000 $1,500,000
Median unit price $690,000 $693,250
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 12 days
from 26 sales
 31 days
from 105 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Kensington Como
2 bed $1.58M / $795K
Kensington — 2 bed: $1.58M (10 sales) Como — 2 bed: $795K (22 sales)

10 vs 22 sales

3 bed $1.61M / $1.31M
Kensington — 3 bed: $1.61M (18 sales) Como — 3 bed: $1.31M (62 sales)

18 vs 62 sales

4 bed $1.78M / $1.73M
Kensington — 4 bed: $1.78M (19 sales) Como — 4 bed: $1.73M (61 sales)

19 vs 61 sales

Development activity

Kensington Como
New dwellings approved 442
across South Perth
same for both
Approvals change year on year +24%
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.

Kensington Como
Houses 4.4%
$840/wk on $1M
 4.4%
$838/wk on $1M
Units — 5.2%
$738/wk on $735K

Ranking within WA

Kensington Como
House price —
same for both
Income — Higher than 56% of WA
Schools Higher than 66% of WA Higher than 42% of WA
Walkability Higher than 93% of WA Higher than 89% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 94% of WA Higher than 96% of WA
NBN connectivity Higher than 97% of WA Higher than 96% of WA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 50% of WA Higher than 49% of WA
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 44% of WA

Liveability

Kensington scores higher overall (84 vs 62); Kensington is more walkable (77 vs 67).

Kensington Como
Grade A B
Score 84/100 62/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Como carries more flood risk (46 vs 0).

Kensington Como
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
65/100
 Moderate
68/100
Flood None
0/100
 Moderate
46/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 12
within 5 km
 6
within 5 km

Schools

Kensington Como
Inside the suburb 3 6
Rated above peers 1
same for both
Rated at peers 1 3
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 3
Curtin University of Technology, 3.1 km
 3
Curtin University of Technology, 3.8 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 4.4% 4.3%

Schools in Kensington

  • Kensington Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Kent Street Senior High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Kensington Secondary School Government · Secondary · Special school

Schools in Como

  • Como Secondary College Government · Secondary above peers
  • Como Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Penrhos College Independent · Combined at peers
  • St Pius X Catholic School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Collier Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Alta-1 College - Como Campus Independent · Secondary · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Kensington Como
Supermarkets 1 2
Cafes & restaurants 3 8
Parks & reserves 9 12
Childcare 5 10
GPs 2 4
Pharmacies 0 2
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 2
EV chargers 3 0

Mobility

Kensington Como
Walkability score 77/100 67/100
Distance to Perth 6.2 km 7.9 km
+27% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 11 min 13 min
Public transport score 94/100
Bus
 94/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 105.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 522.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.1%
postcode 6151
 2.4%
postcode 6152
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 26
postcode 6151
 37
postcode 6152

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 Como
Car (driver) 67.4% / 68.1%
Kensington — Car (driver): 67.4% Como — Car (driver): 68.1%
Worked from Home 12.2% / 10.4%
Kensington — Worked from Home: 12.2% Como — Worked from Home: 10.4%
Bus 9.1% / 9.8%
Kensington — Bus: 9.1% Como — Bus: 9.8%
Car (passenger) 5.7% / 4.5%
Kensington — Car (passenger): 5.7% Como — Car (passenger): 4.5%
Train 1.0% / 4.3%
Kensington — Train: 1.0% Como — Train: 4.3%
Bicycle 3.1% / 1.3%
Kensington — Bicycle: 3.1% Como — Bicycle: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.1%).

Setting

Kensington Como
Elevation 30 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 24 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 12.3 km
4.7 km to a named beach
 11.0 km
3.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Kensington Como
Connectivity score 98/100 91/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 95%
2,024 premises
 67%
8,444 premises

Climate

Kensington Como
Annual rainfall 650 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Federal electorate

Kensington Como
Division Swan
same for both
Member Zaneta Mascarenhas
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Kensington Como
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Kensington

Easy Commute Inner Parks Premium Professionals Quiet Transport Hub

Como

Easy Commute Inner Parks Premium Professionals Townhouses Transport Hub

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Kensington

Kensington vs South Perth Kensington vs East Victoria Park Kensington vs Victoria Park Kensington vs Bentley

Other comparisons with Como

Como vs South Perth Como vs Bentley Como vs Manning Como vs Salter Point Como vs Karawara
Full data on Kensington Full data on Como
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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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