Thinking about buying your first home in Kensington (2033)? This page brings together 17 data cards from NSW government, the ABS, Transport for NSW, and Domain auction results to help you decide if Kensington is the right fit. The analysis covers affordability and FHB scheme eligibility, schools and childcare, dealbreakers like flood and bushfire, and how the suburb is changing. Jump between the four sections using the sticky navigation, or scroll through the full analysis below.
Is Kensington a good suburb to buy in 2026?
Kensington (2033) scores a Stickybeak Grade across safety, family fit, financial picture, and lifestyle. Scroll down for the full 17-card analysis, or use the section navigation to jump to what matters most.
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12 min
20 min
56 min
45 min
13 min
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The verdict
Who it is for
Kensington suits renters-turned-buyers who want to stay in the inner east without stretching to Randwick or Coogee house prices. The median unit at $1,000,000 is the realistic entry point here, given separate houses make up just 21% of stock and the median house sits at $4,190,000. The suburb skews young, with a median age of 32, and the walkability score of 80 puts cafes, parks, and transport within easy reach on foot.
Who would not love it
Families seeking a house with a yard will find slim pickings. Only 21% of dwellings are separate houses, and at $4,190,000 the median, that market is thin, with just 44 sales recorded in the window. The single primary school, despite a strong ICSEA of 1120, means secondary schooling requires planning and travel. The 55% renter share also means strata buildings here carry the transient-neighbour dynamic that owner-occupiers often find frustrating over time.
What to verify before you bid
- The median unit price of $1,000,000 sits well above the First Home Buyer Assistance Scheme threshold, so confirm your stamp duty position before you budget. - With 71% of dwellings being flats or apartments, obtain a full strata report and check the capital works fund balance and any outstanding special levies before exchanging. - Only 4 medical services are listed within 1.6 km, so verify GP and specialist access if that matters to your household.
Refreshed fortnightly; last refresh 12 May 2026. Verify any specific fact against its source card below.
SAFETY
Will I feel safe and comfortable in Kensington?
BOCSAR · KENSINGTON 2033
Recorded incidents reported to police
12-month rolling total at suburb level, indexed against Greater Sydney.
RATE PER 100K5,68512 mo to Dec 2025
VS GREATER SYDNEY−29%Below Sydney average
5-YR TREND (LGA)Randwick
Within LGA: Randwick
TOP OFFENCE CATEGORIES
THEFT76%393 reports
ASSAULT14%71 reports
MALICIOUS DAMAGE TO PROPERTY10%53 reports
ASSAULT SPLIT (DOMESTIC VS NON-DOMESTIC)
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FLAGGED29%
NON-DOMESTIC71%
Across 63 assault reports in this window.
DV-flagged assault has risen statewide as reporting has improved. Compare with caution to suburbs whose population has changed materially.
BOCSAR Recorded Criminal Incidents · Updated March 2026 · CC BY 4.0
Air quality
Air quality in Kensington
16
GoodAQI · NSW DCCEEW
13:49 AEST
Alexandria station · 2.6 km from centroid
12-month median:AQI 25 · Good
Air quality is generally safe for outdoor activity.
Pollutants
nearest station
PM2.5i
4.0µg/m³
24-hr avg
PM10i
6.2µg/m³
24-hr avg
NO₂i
1.8pphm
1hr reading
AQI · last 12 months · daily mean
Alexandria station · 365 daily points
Source: NSW DCCEEW Air Quality API↗ (CC BY 4.0). Historical data updated weekly; live readings cached 60 minutes.
Median weekly rent from lodged bonds. Sep 2025. Based on 153 new bond lodgements this quarter.
Rents here are at the higher end for Sydney. Higher holding costs for investors; higher savings pressure for renters.
Median weekly rent · Unit · 2 bed
$850per week
Sep 2025 · 153 bonds lodged
Quarterly trend · last 12 quarters
Nearby suburbs · same combination
Kingsford2032
$875▲$25
1.5 km away
Waterloo2017
$1,130▲$280
1.8 km away
Rosebery2018
$1,000▲$150
1.9 km away
Clovelly2031
$875▲$25
2.4 km away
NSW DCJ Rental Bond Board↗ · Sep 2025 · CC BY. Cells with 10 or fewer bond lodgements are suppressed; cells with 30 or fewer have the bond count suppressed but rent published. Figures are transacted rents, not asking rents.
DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE · NSW PLANNING PORTAL · 2033
What’s in the pipeline
NSW Planning Portal feed paused at the source for postcode 2033. Expected back by Q3 2026.
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Compare Kensington with another suburb
Also in Randwick
Comparing suburbs in the same area can sharpen your decision. Browse suburb insights for other Randwick postcodes, or explore the full Randwick suburb index.
Kensington is the primary suburb with postcode 2033 in New South Wales. In some cases multiple suburbs share the same postcode — Kensington is the main locality.
Which local government area is Kensington in?
Kensington (2033) is located in the Randwick local government area in New South Wales.
What data does Stickybeak show for Kensington?
Stickybeak shows 16 data cards for Kensington (2033) covering affordability (median sale prices, rental yield, first home buyer eligibility), lifestyle (schools, childcare, walkability, commute times), risk factors (flood zones, bushfire prone land, air quality, traffic volume), and suburb growth signals (development pipeline, price trajectory, demographics).
Is Kensington flood prone?
Flood risk varies street by street in Kensington. Check the Dealbreakers section on this page for the latest NSW flood zone mapping sourced from official state government data. Always verify at the property level with a Section 10.7 certificate before purchasing.
What are the best schools near Kensington?
The Schools card on this page lists primary and secondary schools within the catchment area for Kensington (2033), including their NAPLAN performance data and distance from the suburb centre.
Is Kensington (2033) eligible for the First Home Buyer scheme?
The First Home Buyer eligibility card on this page shows which NSW and federal government schemes — including the First Home Guarantee, stamp duty exemptions, and the First Home Super Saver scheme — apply to purchases in Kensington (2033). Eligibility depends on the purchase price and your individual circumstances.
How is Kensington changing?
The Change section on this page covers new housing supply from the development pipeline, historical price trajectory, and demographic shifts for Kensington (2033) using data from NSW Planning, the ATO, and the ABS.
