Kenmore Suburb Real Estate Profile

For the full profile report, click here 

Source: Brisbane Community Profiles: Workforce Profile for Strathpine - Brendale Statistical Area Level 2,

Queensland Government Statistician’s Office, Queensland Treasury.

Section 1: Kenmore: An Enduring Hub of Affluence and Opportunity

Executive Summary

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the commercial property market in Kenmore, a suburb that stands apart not merely as a residential enclave but as a blue-chip commercial investment precinct within Brisbane's prestigious western corridor. The analysis demonstrates that Kenmore's unique and powerful combination of deeply entrenched demographic affluence, profound economic resilience, and a stable, high-value property market establishes it as one of the most desirable and secure locations for commercial property investment, leasing, and management. The evidence presented herein affirms that the suburb's commercial vitality is not a transient phenomenon but the direct result of a robust, self-sustaining local economy, making it a strategic holding for discerning property owners.

A Profile in Advantage

Kenmore's status as an elite Brisbane suburb is not a matter of perception but a quantifiable fact, established by objective socio-economic metrics. The Australian Bureau of Statistics' Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage provides the most compelling evidence of this. An extraordinary 86.4% of Kenmore's population is classified within the least disadvantaged quintile for Queensland. This figure dramatically surpasses the Brisbane Local Government Area (LGA) average, where only 41.7% of the population falls into this top tier. Perhaps more telling is that a statistical 0.0% of Kenmore's residents are in the most disadvantaged quintile, compared to 5.4% for Brisbane as a whole.

This extreme concentration of socio-economic advantage is the foundational pillar supporting the entire Kenmore commercial property market. It signifies a local consumer and business base with substantial financial capacity, insulating the area's commercial assets from the economic volatility that can affect more diverse or fringe suburbs. During periods of economic uncertainty, consumer spending in lower-income areas is often the first to contract. In Kenmore, however, the resident base possesses significant financial buffers, and a greater proportion of household expenditure is directed towards non-discretionary services such as private education, healthcare, and professional consulting. This translates directly into a more resilient customer base for local businesses, which in turn leads to lower tenant default risk, more reliable rental income streams, and superior capital value preservation for commercial landlords. This positions Kenmore not just as an attractive suburb, but as a fundamentally defensive commercial investment location.

Our Investment View

This report will show why Kenmore is such a strong commercial property market. Our analysis is based on three key ideas:

1. Stable Community, Stable Demand: Kenmore is home to high-income families who create consistent demand for essential services like schools, childcare, and medical centres.

2. A Professional Hub: The suburb's highly educated residents support a strong local economy of professional and medical businesses. This creates a steady stream of high-quality tenants for office spaces.

3. A Proven Market: Recent sales show that Kenmore has a diverse and valuable property market. Major sales to national companies and large investors prove the suburb is a smart long-term investment.

Section 2: The Demographic & Economic Engine Driving Kenmore's Commercial Success

The exceptional performance of Kenmore's commercial property market is directly attributable to the composition of its resident population. The suburb's demographic and economic profile creates a powerful, self-reinforcing cycle of demand, consumption, and business formation that underpins property values and rental yields.

2.1: The Kenmore Resident: A Profile in Stability and Spending Power

Kenmore is a mature and established community, characterized by stability rather than speculative growth. As of June 2024, the estimated resident population was 10,067, growing at a steady and sustainable average annual rate of 1.1% over the past decade. This predictability is highly attractive to commercial investors and business owners who value stable, long-term market conditions.

The age structure of the population reveals a community firmly centered around family life. The proportion of children aged 0-14 is significantly higher than the Brisbane average (22.7% vs. 16.8%), while the cohort of established adults aged 45-64 is also more prominent (24.8% vs. 22.6%). This demographic composition is the primary engine driving demand for a specific suite of commercial services. It creates a non-negotiable, ongoing need for childcare facilities, educational services, medical and allied health practitioners, and family-oriented retail and hospitality offerings.

Furthermore, this is a community with deep roots and a significant financial commitment to the area. An overwhelming 81.5% of households either own their property outright (35.7%) or are in the process of purchasing it (45.8%). This high rate of homeownership signifies a deeply invested, long-term resident base, in stark contrast to more transient, rental-dominated suburbs. For commercial tenants, this stability is a critical factor, as it ensures a consistent and predictable local customer base, justifying long-term lease commitments and investment in business fit-outs.

2.2: An Educated, High-Income Populace: The Foundation of Commercial Viability

The spending power of the Kenmore community is exceptional and provides the financial fuel for its commercial sector. The median total personal income is $53,664 per year, notably higher than the Brisbane median of $49,244. This gap widens significantly at the family level, where Kenmore's median family income is an impressive $151,424 per year, far exceeding the Brisbane median of $128,648. Critically, 45.1% of all families in Kenmore have an annual income exceeding $156,000. This superior level of disposable income directly translates into robust and resilient consumer spending, supporting higher retail rents and ensuring the viability of local service-based businesses.

This financial strength is built on a foundation of high educational attainment. Kenmore is an intellectual hub, with 75.1% of residents aged 15 and over holding a non-school qualification. A remarkable 49.6% possess a Bachelor's degree or higher, a figure that is nearly 12 percentage points above the Brisbane average of 38.1%.

This high level of education naturally leads to a workforce dominated by high-paying occupations. The suburb's employment profile is heavily weighted towards Professionals, who account for 40.3% of the workforce, and Managers, who make up another 16.7%. Both figures significantly outpace the Brisbane-wide averages. This concentration of white-collar professionals, coupled with a very low unemployment rate of just 2.7% as of March 2025 , ensures that the suburb's high-income profile is both stable and secure.

2.3: The Local Business Ecosystem: A Reflection of the Community

The commercial landscape of Kenmore is a direct reflection of its resident profile, creating a symbiotic relationship that enhances market stability. There are 882 registered businesses operating within the suburb, the majority of which are small, locally-focused enterprises. 59.8% are non-employing sole proprietorships, and a further 30.6% employ between 1 and 4 people. This indicates a vibrant entrepreneurial culture, with many residents choosing to establish their businesses within their own community.

An analysis of the industry breakdown reveals a clear alignment with the professional and demographic needs of the populace. The dominant industries by business count are Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (26.1%), Health Care and Social Assistance (13.5%), and Construction (12.1%). This concentration of knowledge-based and essential-service businesses is a direct consequence of the local talent pool and consumer demand.

This alignment creates a powerful closed-loop economy. The high concentration of residents who are professionals—such as doctors, lawyers, accountants, and engineers—provides a ready-made talent pool and customer base for the local businesses in those same sectors. It is a logical conclusion that many of the individuals who live in Kenmore are the same ones who own, operate, and patronize the professional firms and medical practices that occupy the suburb's commercial office suites. For a landlord of a commercial office property, this represents the ideal tenant profile: a business owner with high personal income, a stable business model serving an affluent local community, and a personal connection to the area that reduces the incentive to relocate. This transforms the leasing of an office suite from a simple real estate transaction into an opportunity to integrate into a self-sustaining and prosperous professional ecosystem.

Section 3: Analysis of the Kenmore Commercial Property Market: A Review of Recent Transactions (2021-2025)

An examination of recent commercial property transactions in Kenmore provides concrete evidence of a market that is not only active but also highly sophisticated, attracting significant capital across a diverse range of asset classes. The data from January 2021 to the present reveals strong investor confidence, clear value benchmarks, and a nuanced market where asset value is intrinsically linked to the underlying business use and its alignment with the suburb's demographic drivers.

The following table summarizes a selection of significant commercial transactions since the beginning of 2022, illustrating the breadth and depth of market activity.

Table 1: Significant Commercial Property Transactions in Kenmore (Jan 2022 – Present)

Subsection 3.1: Sector-Specific Analysis & Key Transactions

Retail & High-Exposure Assets

Properties situated along the Moggill Road corridor consistently command premium values due to their high visibility and access to a constant flow of traffic. The sale of a retail building at 2051 Moggill Road for $3,750,000 in late 2021 and a service station at 2005 Moggill Road for $2,425,000 in 2025 underscore the strong and sustained demand for assets with main road exposure. These values are underpinned by the high household incomes of the surrounding population, which directly supports robust and resilient retail spending.

Central Commercial Hubs

The heart of Kenmore's local village precinct is centered around Marshall Lane. The $2,950,000 sale of the shopping group at 14-16 Marshall Lane in May 2024 is indicative of the value placed on properties within this central hub. This area is the prime location for businesses that rely on local foot traffic and convenience, such as cafes, boutique retailers, and essential community services, making it a highly sought-after precinct for both tenants and investors.

Office & Professional Suites

The transaction data reveals a consistently active market for strata-titled office spaces, particularly within the established professional enclaves on Brookfield Road and Princeton Street. The multi-sale of two separate units,

• 16/18 Brookfield Road and 17/18 Brookfield Road, for $820,000 each in November 2023,
• along with the $275,000 sale of 15/18 Brookfield Road in December 2024,

illustrates a healthy demand for small-to-medium-sized office suites. This market segment directly caters to the local professional economy of accountants, medical practitioners, and consultants who both live and work in the suburb.

Specialized "Non-Discretionary" Assets

A critical feature of the Kenmore market is the significant premium paid for specialized assets that serve the non-discretionary needs of the community. The landmark $9,450,000 sale of the childcare centre at 35 Brookfield Road in August 2022 is a prime example. This transaction, involving an institutional-grade buyer ("THE TRUST COMPANY (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED"), should not be viewed as a simple property sale. It represents a major strategic capital investment into an asset class whose viability is guaranteed by Kenmore's unshakeable family-centric demographics. Such high-value transactions validate the thesis that Kenmore is a defensive investment location, attracting sophisticated capital seeking security and long-term, stable returns.

Land and Development Opportunities

In a mature and largely developed suburb like Kenmore, vacant land parcels are a scarce and valuable commodity. Recent sales, including 15 Eugenia Close for $825,000 and 35A Gem Road for $851,000, highlight the strong underlying land value. These prices reflect the intrinsic potential of undeveloped sites for future bespoke commercial or mixed-use projects designed to serve the affluent local community, representing a significant opportunity for strategic development.

The transaction data reveals a market of considerable depth and sophistication. A simple analysis of average prices would be misleading, as the value of a commercial asset in Kenmore is determined by far more than its physical dimensions. The extreme disparity in the price-per-square-metre rates achieved by different asset types is telling. For instance, an office suite at 17/18 Brookfield Road sold for $4,080 per square metre, while the childcare centre at 35 Brookfield Road achieved a remarkable $82,895 per square metre, and the service station at 2005 Moggill Road transacted at $30,313 per square metre.

This vast price differential cannot be explained by the physical structures alone. The value is clearly and inextricably tied to the security of the underlying business use, the strength of the tenant covenant, the length of the lease term, and the non-discretionary nature of the service provided. Investors are willing to pay a substantial premium for assets with long leases to tenants in recession-resistant industries—such as childcare, fuel, and medical services—that directly cater to the core needs of Kenmore's demographic. This demonstrates that Kenmore is a mature investment market where sophisticated capital is actively chasing yield and security. For a commercial property owner, the implication is clear: the path to maximizing an asset's value lies not just in the building itself, but in strategically securing the right type of demographically-aligned tenant. This elevates the roles of leasing and property management from transactional services to essential components of a long-term value-enhancement strategy.

Section 4: A Closer Look at Kenmore's Commercial Hotspots

To fully understand the Kenmore market, it is essential to map the transactional and demographic data onto the physical landscape of the suburb. Commercial activity is not uniformly distributed; rather, it is concentrated within distinct precincts, each with its own unique character, tenant mix, and value drivers. Understanding where a property is situated within this ecosystem is critical to assessing its potential and formulating an effective asset strategy.

The Moggill Road Corridor

Moggill Road serves as the suburb's high-volume, high-exposure commercial spine. It is the primary arterial route connecting Kenmore to the CBD and the wider western suburbs, guaranteeing a constant flow of vehicular traffic. This precinct is the natural domain of national brands, large-format retail, fast-food outlets, service stations, and other businesses for which maximum visibility is paramount. The significant, multi-million-dollar transactions recorded at addresses such as 888, 935, 2005, 2051, and 2095 Moggill Road confirm this corridor's identity as the location for high-value, high-traffic commercial assets. Properties in this precinct are typically sought by national tenants on long-term leases and are viewed by investors as prime, defensive holdings.

The Kenmore Village Hub (Marshall Lane & Wongabel Street)

Nestled away from the high-speed traffic of Moggill Road, the area encompassing Marshall Lane and the surrounding streets functions as the community's traditional town centre. This precinct is characterized by a more intimate, pedestrian-friendly environment. It is the prime location for businesses that thrive on local foot traffic and community engagement, including cafes, restaurants, boutique retailers, bakeries, and essential services like banks and post offices. The $2,950,000 sale of the shopping group at 14-16 Marshall Lane reinforces the value of this central, walkable location. Assets in this hub are ideal for local business owners and tenants who wish to be at the heart of the Kenmore community.

The Professional Services Enclave (Brookfield Road & Princeton Street)

This distinct precinct, located near the intersection of Moggill Road and Brookfield Road, has firmly established itself as the white-collar heart of Kenmore. It is characterized by a collection of low-rise commercial buildings and office parks that house a high concentration of medical centres, allied health practitioners, financial planners, law firms, accountants, and other professional service providers. The cluster of recent sales for office buildings and strata-titled suites along Brookfield Road and Princeton Street provides clear evidence of this area's role as the preferred hub for Kenmore's local professional class. The value proposition for properties in this enclave is its synergistic environment, where proximity to other professional firms creates a convenient, one-stop destination for residents seeking specialized services.

Section 5: The Outlook for Kenmore Commercial Property: Stability, Growth, and Strategic Investment

Synthesis of Strengths

The analysis presented in this report confirms that the Kenmore commercial property market is built upon an unshakeable and synergistic foundation. It is a market where a stable, highly affluent, and exceptionally educated population creates consistent, non-discretionary demand for a wide range of goods and services. This demand, in turn, fuels a resilient and sophisticated local business economy, providing a high-quality and reliable tenant base. The inherent stability and predictable nature of this ecosystem have not gone unnoticed, attracting significant investment from sophisticated, large-scale capital seeking secure, long-term returns, as evidenced by numerous high-value transactions. This powerful confluence of factors positions Kenmore as a premier, defensive commercial property market.

Future Growth Drivers

The outlook for the Kenmore market remains exceptionally positive, underpinned by several key drivers that are set to ensure its continued stability and growth.

• Demographic Inertia: The suburb's established, family-centric demographic profile is not a temporary trend but a long-standing characteristic. This demographic inertia will continue to generate unwavering demand for medical, educational, and childcare services, ensuring the long-term viability and investment appeal of assets catering to these essential, non-discretionary sectors.

• Scarcity and Land Value: As a mature, land-constrained suburb, Kenmore has very few remaining parcels of undeveloped land. This inherent scarcity means that the value of existing commercial buildings and the few remaining development sites will inevitably appreciate over time. The principle of supply and demand will act as a powerful long-term driver of capital growth for all commercial property owners in the area.

• The "Flight to Quality": In periods of broader economic uncertainty, both tenants and investors instinctively seek stability and security. Kenmore's well-documented "defensive" characteristics—its affluent customer base, low unemployment, and stable, non-discretionary tenant mix—make it a prime beneficiary of this "flight to quality." The suburb is well-positioned to attract businesses and capital from less secure or more volatile locations, further strengthening its market fundamentals.

The Strategic Imperative for Expert Guidance

The Kenmore commercial property market is demonstrably strong, but it is also nuanced and sophisticated. As the transaction data reveals, value is not uniform; it is highly dependent on asset type, location, tenant profile, and strategic alignment with the suburb's unique demographic drivers. Maximizing returns—whether through achieving a premium sale price, securing a high-quality long-term tenant, or optimizing the performance of a managed asset—requires a deep, data-driven, and intimate understanding of these complex local dynamics.

Navigating this premier market to unlock the full potential of a commercial property asset demands more than a superficial understanding. It requires a strategic partner with proven expertise, a granular knowledge of the local precincts, and the ability to leverage data-driven insights to inform every decision. For owners of commercial property in Kenmore, engaging such expert guidance is not a cost but a strategic investment in the future value and performance of their asset.

McGees Property is a professional real estate commercial agent. Our team has an in-depth understanding of the Kenmore suburb, its market dynamics, and community needs. Our expertise ensures that your sales and leasing enquiries are handled precisely and professionally. 

If you are a landlord looking to maximise your property’s potential in Kenmore, then contact Gavin Moore to list their commercial properties for leasing and sale. With expert knowledge of the local market, Gavin can help you attract the right tenants and achieve optimal returns on your investment.

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