Rosebery vs Kensington

In both, most homes are flats or apartments. In Rosebery, about half of households rent. In Kensington, most households rent. Units cost more in Kensington: a median of $988,000, against $900,000 in Rosebery, though rent is higher in Rosebery. Kensington is closer to the city centre: 6.9 km, against 7.7 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

Kensington

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (19 vs 13)

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

First-home buyers

Rosebery

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($2,515,000 vs $3,480,888)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Kensington

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($500/wk vs $580/wk)

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

Too close to call

Nothing among the 5 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Investors

Rosebery

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is growing faster (33.8% vs -20.5%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.0% vs 1.7%)
  • returns a higher gross yield on units (5.8% vs 4.7%)

Weighs house yield, unit yield, and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Rosebery Kensington
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.

Rosebery Kensington
Walkability 92 / 96
Rosebery — Walkability: 92/100 Kensington — Walkability: 96/100
Safety 46 / 37
Rosebery — Safety: 46/100 Kensington — Safety: 37/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Rosebery — Low fire risk: 100/100 Kensington — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Rosebery rents higher ($580/wk vs $500/wk).

Rosebery Kensington
Population 13,533
+12% vs other
 11,927
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +33.8% -20.5%
Median age 33 32
Median household income $118,248/yr
+7% vs other
 $110,136/yr
Median weekly rent $580/wk
+14% vs other
 $500/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Rosebery Kensington
0-4 5.9% / 4.2%
Rosebery — 0-4: 5.9% Kensington — 0-4: 4.2%
5-14 6.1% / 7.9%
Rosebery — 5-14: 6.1% Kensington — 5-14: 7.9%
15-19 3.4% / 6.3%
Rosebery — 15-19: 3.4% Kensington — 15-19: 6.3%
20-24 9.6% / 14.9%
Rosebery — 20-24: 9.6% Kensington — 20-24: 14.9%
25-34 29.4% / 21.0%
Rosebery — 25-34: 29.4% Kensington — 25-34: 21.0%
35-44 17.4% / 14.0%
Rosebery — 35-44: 17.4% Kensington — 35-44: 14.0%
45-54 10.3% / 10.3%
Rosebery — 45-54: 10.3% Kensington — 45-54: 10.3%
55-64 7.4% / 8.5%
Rosebery — 55-64: 7.4% Kensington — 55-64: 8.5%
65-74 5.4% / 6.0%
Rosebery — 65-74: 5.4% Kensington — 65-74: 6.0%
75-84 3.8% / 4.4%
Rosebery — 75-84: 3.8% Kensington — 75-84: 4.4%
85+ 1.4% / 2.4%
Rosebery — 85+: 1.4% Kensington — 85+: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (29.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Rosebery 39.4% lone person
Rosebery — Lone Person: 39.4% Rosebery — Couple Families: 34.2% Rosebery — Group Household: 13.3% Rosebery — One Parent Families: 10.5% Rosebery — Other Families: 2.5%
Kensington 41.6% lone person
Kensington — Lone Person: 41.6% Kensington — Couple Families: 32.0% Kensington — Group Household: 13.2% Kensington — One Parent Families: 10.6% Kensington — Other Families: 2.6%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Rosebery 52.0% renting
Rosebery — Owned Outright: 20.5% Rosebery — Mortgage: 27.5% Rosebery — Renting: 52.0%
Kensington 56.1% renting
Kensington — Owned Outright: 24.9% Kensington — Mortgage: 19.1% Kensington — Renting: 56.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Rosebery Kensington
Bachelor Degree 25.6% / 24.6%
Rosebery — Bachelor Degree: 25.6% Kensington — Bachelor Degree: 24.6%
Postgraduate Degree 12.2% / 12.6%
Rosebery — Postgraduate Degree: 12.2% Kensington — Postgraduate Degree: 12.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.2% / 7.4%
Rosebery — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.2% Kensington — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.4%
Certificate III & IV 7.9% / 6.0%
Rosebery — Certificate III & IV: 7.9% Kensington — Certificate III & IV: 6.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 2.0%
Rosebery — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Kensington — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (25.6%).

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.

Rosebery Kensington
China 10.8% / 6.1%
Rosebery — China: 10.8% Kensington — China: 6.1%
England 3.7% / 2.8%
Rosebery — England: 3.7% Kensington — England: 2.8%
Indonesia 2.3% / 2.9%
Rosebery — Indonesia: 2.3% Kensington — Indonesia: 2.9%
India 1.5% / 2.9%
Rosebery — India: 1.5% Kensington — India: 2.9%
Greece 2.7% / 1.5%
Rosebery — Greece: 2.7% Kensington — Greece: 1.5%
Ireland 2.6% / —
Rosebery — Ireland: 2.6% Kensington — Ireland: not among its largest
Malaysia — / 1.8%
Rosebery — Malaysia: not among its largest Kensington — Malaysia: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (10.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Rosebery 72.2% flats / apartments
Rosebery — Flats / Apartments: 72.2% Rosebery — Houses: 23.1% Rosebery — Townhouses: 4.8%
Kensington 72.0% flats / apartments
Kensington — Flats / Apartments: 72.0% Kensington — Houses: 21.0% Kensington — Townhouses: 7.0%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Rosebery Kensington
Median house price $2,515,000 $3,480,888
Median unit price $900,000 $988,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 25 days
from 39 sales
 35 days
from 31 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.

Rosebery Kensington
3 bed $2.37M / $2.55M
Rosebery — 3 bed: $2.37M (20 sales) Kensington — 3 bed: $2.55M (17 sales)

20 vs 17 sales

4 bed $2.65M / $3.65M
Rosebery — 4 bed: $2.65M (11 sales) Kensington — 4 bed: $3.65M (16 sales)

11 vs 16 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

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

Rosebery Kensington
1 bed $675K / $742K
Rosebery — 1 bed: $675K (73 sales) Kensington — 1 bed: $742K (50 sales)

73 vs 50 sales

2 bed $928K / $1.04M
Rosebery — 2 bed: $928K (127 sales) Kensington — 2 bed: $1.04M (107 sales)

127 vs 107 sales

3 bed $1.37M / $1.49M
Rosebery — 3 bed: $1.37M (43 sales) Kensington — 3 bed: $1.49M (20 sales)

43 vs 20 sales

Zoning mix

Rosebery Kensington
Residential 75% 49%
Parks and recreation 3% 25%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 23%
Industrial 10% 0%
Commercial 3%
same for both
Other and special use 3% 0%
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

Rosebery Kensington
New dwellings approved 2,350
across Sydney
 455
across Randwick
Approvals change year on year +929% -26%

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.

Rosebery Kensington
Houses 4.0%
$1,350/wk on $1.77M
 1.7%
$1,175/wk on $3.5M
Units 5.8%
$992/wk on $890K
 4.7%
$842/wk on $926K

Ranking within NSW

Rosebery Kensington
House price Higher than 89% of NSW Higher than 95% of NSW
Income Higher than 83% of NSW —
Schools Higher than 13% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 16% of NSW —
EV adoption Higher than 94% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 82% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 71% of NSW Higher than 1% of NSW
Rental yield (units) Higher than 92% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW

Liveability

Kensington scores higher overall (85 vs 68).

Rosebery Kensington
Grade B A
Score 68/100 85/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Rosebery Kensington
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
54/100
 Moderate
63/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 20
within 5 km
 16
within 5 km

Schools

Rosebery Kensington
Inside the suburb 3 4
Rated above peers 0 2
Rated at peers 1
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 3
The University of New South Wales, 1.6 km
 3
The University of New South Wales, 0.0 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 5.1% 12.8%

Schools in Rosebery

  • St Therese Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Gardeners Road Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary

Schools in Kensington

  • Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College Catholic · Secondary above peers
  • Kensington Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Joseph's Rosebery, Kensington Campus Catholic · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Rosebery Kensington
Supermarkets 4
same for both
Cafes & restaurants 25 29
Parks & reserves 13 19
Childcare 10 8
GPs 3 2
Pharmacies 2
same for both
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1
same for both
Fuel stations 2 3
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 1 0

Mobility

Rosebery Kensington
Walkability score 92/100 96/100
Distance to Sydney 7.7 km
+10% vs other
 6.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 14 min
same for both
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 94/100
Tram · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 411.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 393.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.1%
postcode 2018
 2.2%
postcode 2033
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 8
postcode 2018
 8
postcode 2033

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.

Rosebery Kensington
Worked from Home 53.6% / 53.0%
Rosebery — Worked from Home: 53.6% Kensington — Worked from Home: 53.0%
Car (driver) 30.3% / 27.5%
Rosebery — Car (driver): 30.3% Kensington — Car (driver): 27.5%
Bus 3.9% / 5.9%
Rosebery — Bus: 3.9% Kensington — Bus: 5.9%
Walked Only 4.4% / 5.2%
Rosebery — Walked Only: 4.4% Kensington — Walked Only: 5.2%
Car (passenger) 3.3% / 2.6%
Rosebery — Car (passenger): 3.3% Kensington — Car (passenger): 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (53.6%).

Setting

Rosebery Kensington
Elevation 17 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 41 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.0 km
4.9 km to a named beach
 3.5 km
3.6 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Rosebery Kensington
Connectivity score 76/100 74/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Hybrid fibre-coaxial
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 30%
6,540 premises
 10%
6,069 premises

Climate

Rosebery Kensington
Annual rainfall 1,129 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 27.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 9.5°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Rosebery Kensington
PM2.5 5.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 12.9 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.73 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Rosebery Kensington
Average residential rate $875/yr $1,641/yr
Council Sydney Randwick

Federal electorate

Rosebery Kensington
Division Sydney Kingsford Smith
Member Tanya Plibersek Matt Thistlethwaite
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Rosebery Kensington
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Rosebery

Apartments Cafe Culture Inner Multicultural Parks Professionals Urban

Kensington

Apartments Easy Commute Inner Multicultural Parks Professionals Students Trams Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Rosebery

Rosebery vs Mascot Rosebery vs Zetland Rosebery vs Alexandria Rosebery vs Eastlakes Rosebery vs Beaconsfield

Other comparisons with Kensington

Kensington vs Randwick Kensington vs Waterloo Kensington vs Kingsford Kensington vs Zetland Kensington vs Eastlakes Kensington vs Centennial Park
Full data on Rosebery Full data on Kensington
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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