Kensington vs RandwickTwo Sydney suburbs compared for a home loan
Kensington (NSW 2033) is approximately 5 km south-east of the Sydney CBD, beside the University of New South Wales. Randwick (NSW 2031) is approximately 6 km south-east of the Sydney CBD, on the light rail. At the 2021 Census, Kensington had 11,927 residents with a median age of 32, and Randwick had 28,943 residents with a median age of 36.
In both suburbs the most common occupied dwelling was flats and apartments. Flats and apartments made up 71% of occupied dwellings in Kensington and 68% in Randwick, while 55% of Kensington households rented compared with 51% in Randwick. These differences matter for finance, because lenders assess apartments, strata buildings and houses on land differently.
Both suburbs are in the same state, so transfer duty is calculated on the same scale and the difference in upfront cost comes from the purchase price. The panel below applies that scale, and an estimate of lenders mortgage insurance, to the prices you enter.
NSW 2033 · Eastern Suburbs
Kensington
Kensington adjoins the University of New South Wales, where apartments make up 71.4 per cent of homes, 55.3 per cent rent and vacancy reached 17.6 per cent.
City of Randwick. Approximately 5 km south-east of the Sydney CBD, beside the University of New South Wales.
Read the full Kensington guideNSW 2031 · Eastern Suburbs
Randwick
Randwick is an eastern suburbs hospital and university centre where apartments make up 68.3 per cent of homes and only 13.8 per cent are houses.
City of Randwick. Approximately 6 km south-east of the Sydney CBD, on the light rail.
Read the full Randwick guide
What buying in Kensington and Randwick would mean for the loan
The difference between two suburbs is usually a difference in price, and price drives the deposit, the transfer duty, any lenders mortgage insurance and the repayment. Enter the prices you are seeing and the panel works out each of those for Kensington and Randwick.
Your prices and deposit
Enter the price you are seeing in each suburb. BorrowWise does not quote prices, so the comparison uses yours.
Enter a price for Kensington to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Enter a price for Randwick to see the repayment, transfer duty and upfront cash.
Warning: The interest rate used here is an example only. It is not a comparison rate and is not a rate offered by any lender, and it does not include fees and charges. Different rates, terms, fees or loan amounts will give a different result.
Estimates only. Repayments assume a principal and interest loan at a constant rate, which is an assumption and not a current market rate. Transfer duty is indicative for established homes, first home buyer relief depends on eligibility, and upfront cash includes an allowance of $3,000 for conveyancing and inspections. Lenders mortgage insurance is an estimate and is added to the loan. A lender makes its own assessment.
Kensington and Randwick: Census profile compared
Figures are from the 2021 Census, so rents, repayments and incomes have moved since. They are most useful for comparing one suburb with another and with Australia as a whole.
| Measure | Kensington | Randwick |
|---|---|---|
| People and households | ||
| Residents | 11,927 | 28,943 |
| Median ageAustralia 38 | 32 | 36 |
| Average household sizeAustralia 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.2 |
| Median household income, weeklyAustralia $1,746 | $2,118 | $2,422 |
| Housing costs at the 2021 Census | ||
| Median rent, weeklyAustralia $375 | $500 | $572 |
| Median mortgage repayment, monthlyAustralia $1,863 | $2,760 | $3,000 |
| Who owns and who rents | ||
| Households rentingAustralia 31% | 55% | 51% |
| Owned with a mortgageAustralia 35% | 19% | 24% |
| Owned outrightAustralia 31% | 25% | 23% |
| Types of home | ||
| Separate housesAustralia 72% | 21% | 14% |
| Townhouses, terraces and semi-detachedAustralia 13% | 7% | 16% |
| Flats and apartmentsAustralia 14% | 71% | 68% |
| Homes with two bedrooms or fewer | 63% | 65% |
| Homes with four bedrooms or more | 16% | 13% |
| Dwellings unoccupied on Census night | 18% | 11% |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0). Tenure shares exclude households that did not state their tenure. Dwelling shares are of occupied private dwellings.
Home loan considerations in Kensington and Randwick
Lenders treat houses on land, townhouses and apartments differently, and some apply extra conditions to small apartments, high-density buildings or particular postcodes. These are the points each guide raises.
Kensington
- Investors
- First home buyers
- Upgraders
- Student accommodation is specialised security many lenders refuse outright.
- Lenders may scrutinise a rental history of short academic-year tenancies.
- One-bedroom dwellings and studios can fall below minimum internal floor areas.
- The 18 per cent Census vacancy predates the L3 light rail and the return of travel.
- Anzac Parade carries heavy traffic and the light rail line.
Randwick
- Investors
- First home buyers
- Downsizers
- Upgraders
- There is no cooling-off period at auction, the usual sale method in this market.
- One-bedroom dwellings and studios can fall below lenders' minimum internal floor areas.
- Student accommodation near the university is specialised security many lenders refuse.
- Median monthly repayments of $3,000 mean serviceability binds well before deposit.
- Heritage listing in parts of the suburb can constrain demolition and alterations.
Housing stock in Kensington and Randwick compared
Kensington
- Apartments along Anzac Parade
- The 3,110 flats counted at the 2021 Census, 71.4 per cent of occupied homes.
- Two bedroom dwellings
- At 1,947 dwellings, the most common size recorded at the 2021 Census.
- Surviving detached houses
- Separate houses numbered 915 at the 2021 Census, 21.0 per cent of occupied homes.
Randwick
- Apartments
- The 8,047 flats counted at the 2021 Census, 68.3 per cent of occupied homes.
- Semi-detached and townhouse dwellings
- At 1,885 dwellings, or 16.0 per cent of occupied homes at the 2021 Census.
- Few freestanding houses
- Separate houses numbered only 1,626 at the 2021 Census, 13.8 per cent of occupied homes.
Official sale price and rent figures for Kensington and Randwick
Only figures published free of charge by a government agency are shown. Where none is published the space is left empty rather than filled with an estimate. Each guide charts the full series.
Kensington
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Kensington, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
Randwick
No government agency publishes a free median sale price or rent series for Randwick, so none is shown. A broker can supply recent comparable sales for a specific property as part of a free assessment.
Transport, schools and amenities in Kensington and Randwick
Kensington
Transport
- UNSW Anzac Parade light rail (light rail)
- Kensington light rail (light rail)
- Sydney buses (bus)
- Anzac Parade (road)
Amenities
- University of New South Wales
- Centennial Park
- Royal Randwick Racecourse
Randwick
Transport
- Randwick light rail (light rail)
- UNSW High Street light rail (light rail)
- Sydney buses (bus)
- Anzac Parade (road)
Amenities
- Randwick hospital campus
- University of New South Wales
- Centennial Park
- Royal Randwick Racecourse
School listings show name, level and sector only. Enrolment areas change, so confirm eligibility for a specific address with the school or the New South Wales education department.
Compare Kensington or Randwick with another suburb
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Request a free assessment: Kensington or Randwick
An accredited mortgage broker can check your borrowing power against prices in Kensington and Randwick, and explain how lenders treat the homes you are considering. The assessment is free of charge and carries no obligation.