Keilor

Keilor is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Keilor's estimated population is around 5,785 as of May 2026. This reflects a decrease of 121 people (2.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,906 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 5,783 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional six validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 543 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for Keilor was primarily driven by overseas migration, contributing approximately 87.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, making adjustments employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Examining future population trends, Keilor is expected to increase just below the median of Australian statistical areas, with an expansion of 536 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting a total increase of 9.2% over the 16 years.

The level of residential development activity in Keilor is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data shows Keilor experienced around 3 dwellings receiving development approval annually over the past five financial years ending June 2021, totalling an estimated 17 homes. As of FY-26, which began on July 1, 2021, and will end on June 30, 2022, no approvals have been recorded yet. The population has declined in recent years, suggesting new supply has kept up with demand, offering good choice to buyers. New dwellings are developed at an average expected construction cost value of $778,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

This financial year, $14.8 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development. New building activity shows 50.0% detached dwellings and 50.0% attached dwellings, suggesting a skew toward compact living that offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a considerable change from the current housing mix of 87.0% houses, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. The estimated count of 2899 people in the area per dwelling approval reflects its quiet, low activity development environment.

According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Keilor is expected to grow by 534 residents through to 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Keilor has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 18 projects likely affecting the area. Notable ones include Essendon Keilor College - East Keilor Campus, Rosemont Townhomes, Keilor East Railway Station, and 20 Packard Street Townhouses. The following list details those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

The labour market strength in Keilor positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Keilor has a skilled workforce with the construction sector being particularly prominent. Its unemployment rate is 1.4%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, Keilor had 3,127 residents in work and an unemployment rate of 3.4%, which is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation in Keilor was at 64.3%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. Census responses showed that 30.1% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Employment among residents is concentrated in construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Keilor has a notable employment specialization in construction, with an employment share of 1.5 times the regional level.

Meanwhile, health care & social assistance has limited presence with 11.2% employment compared to 14.2% regionally. There are 1.9 workers for every resident in Keilor, indicating that it functions as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 1.9% while employment declined by 1.3%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.7 percentage points in Keilor. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with a 0.3 percentage point rise in its unemployment rate. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Keilor's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes that does not take into account localised population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The suburb of Keilor has an extremely high income level nationally according to the latest Australian Taxation Office (ATO) data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Keilor is $63,824 and the average income stands at $84,305, which compares to figures for Greater Melbourne of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $69,964 (median) and $92,415 (average) as of March 2026. Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes in Keilor cluster around the 60th percentile nationally. Income analysis shows that the predominant cohort spans 27.0% of locals (1,561 people) in the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, reflecting patterns seen regionally where 32.8% similarly occupy this range. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 33.1% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. After housing costs, residents retain 88.7% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

Keilor is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Keilor's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 87.1% houses and 12.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Keilor stood at 51.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.3% and rented ones at 9.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,167, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent was recorded at $400, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Keilor's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Keilor features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 78.3% of all households, including 39.5% couples with children, 28.0% couples without children, and 10.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 21.7%, with lone person households at 20.6% and group households comprising 1.1%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

The educational profile of Keilor exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

Keilor's educational qualifications trail Greater Melbourne's benchmarks; 27.7% of Keilor residents aged 15+ hold university degrees compared to 37.0%. This gap indicates potential for educational development and skill enhancement. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 20.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.6%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 31.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (21.2%).

Educational participation is notably high; 26.5% of residents are currently enrolled in formal education. This includes secondary education (8.6%), primary education (8.0%), and tertiary education (5.1%).

Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Keilor has 32 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by one route in total, providing 384 weekly passenger trips combined. The accessibility of transport is rated as good, with residents on average located 224 meters from the nearest stop. Keilor is primarily residential, and most residents commute outward using cars, which remain the dominant mode at 93%. On average, there are 1.8 vehicles per dwelling in Keilor, higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, 30.1% of residents work from home, a figure that may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 54 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 12 weekly trips per individual stop.

Keilor's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Keilor. Based on AreaSearch's assessment, mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low for both young and old age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (3,475 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne. The most common medical conditions in the area were arthritis and asthma, impacting 9.0 and 7.1% of residents respectively, while 69.1% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents showed notably healthy outcomes with low chronic condition prevalence. As of the assessment date (2021), Keilor had 26.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,521 people), which was higher than the 15.0% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Keilor was found to be slightly above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Keilor's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 22.4% born overseas and 22.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Keilor, comprising 70.8%, compared to 43.0% across Greater Melbourne. The top three ancestry groups are English (19.2%), Australian (18.5%), and Italian (12.3%), the latter being significantly higher than the regional average of 5.2%.

Notably, Croatian representation is overrepresented at 3.4%, compared to 0.7% regionally, Maltese at 4.3% vs 1.1%, and Polish at 1.6% vs 0.8%.

Keilor hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Keilor is 46 years, which exceeds Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and is also above the Australian median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, the 75-84 age cohort is notably higher in Keilor at 10.2%, while the 25-34 age group is lower at 8.7%. Between the 2021 Census and the present day, the 75-84 age group has increased from 7.9% to 10.2%, and the 85+ cohort has grown from 3.8% to 4.9%. Conversely, the 65-74 age cohort has declined from 12.3% to 11.2%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic shifts in Keilor. The 85+ age group is projected to increase by 284 people (100%) from 283 to 568. This aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 65% of the projected growth. Conversely, the 35-44 and 25-34 age groups are expected to experience population declines.