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

As of Feb 2026, Keilor's population is estimated at around 5,815, showing a decrease of 91 people since the 2021 Census. This decline represents a 1.5% reduction from the previous population count of 5,906. AreaSearch, following an examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), estimated this resident population along with the validation of six new addresses since the Census date. The resulting population density is 546 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration primarily drove recent population growth in Keilor, contributing approximately 87.0% of overall population gains.

AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusting them through a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Keilor is projected to increase its population by 555 persons, reflecting a total increase of 12.7% over the 17-year period.

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, indicates Keilor has experienced around 3 dwellings receiving development approval annually over the past 5 financial years, totalling an estimated 17 homes. As of FY-26, 0 approvals have been recorded to date. The population decline in recent years suggests new supply has likely 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 developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

This financial year has seen $14.8 million in commercial development approvals, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development. New building activity shows 50.0% detached dwellings and 50.0% attached dwellings, reflecting a skew toward compact living that offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This marks a considerable change from the current housing mix, which is currently 87.0% houses, likely due to reduced availability of development sites and shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. The estimated count of 2977 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 736 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 influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 20 projects likely impacting the region. Key initiatives include Melbourne Airport Rail, Essendon Keilor College - East Keilor Campus, Rosemont Townhomes, and Keilor East Railway Station. 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 was 1.7% in September 2025, which is lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Over the past year, there was an estimated employment growth of 1.7%.

As of September 2025, 3,312 residents were employed with a workforce participation rate of 67.9%, slightly below Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. Notably, 30.1% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. The leading employment industries are construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Keilor has a strong specialization in construction with an employment share of 1.5 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance has limited presence with 11.2% employment compared to the regional average of 14.2%. There are 1.9 workers for every resident, indicating that Keilor functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 1.7% while labour force grew by 1.5%, leading to a decrease in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment rise by 3.0%, labour force grow by 3.3%, and unemployment increase by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Keilor's employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.2% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to Keilor's current employment mix.

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

Keilor suburb has a high national income level based on latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Keilor's median taxpayer income is $63,824 and average income is $84,305. Greater Melbourne's figures are $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $69,089 (median) and $91,260 (average), accounting for an 8.25% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. Keilor's household, family, and personal incomes cluster around the 60th percentile nationally. Income analysis shows that 27.0% of locals (1,570 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly income category. Higher earners make up a substantial presence with 33.1% exceeding $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 88.7% of their income. Keilor's 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

In Keilor, as per the latest Census evaluation, 87.1% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 12.9% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This contrasts with Melbourne's metropolitan area where 67.9% were houses and 32.1% were other dwellings. Home ownership in Keilor stood at 51.7%, with mortgaged properties at 38.3% and rented ones at 9.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Keilor was $2,167, exceeding Melbourne's metro average of $2,000. Weekly rent in Keilor averaged $400, slightly higher than Melbourne's metro figure of $390. Nationally, Keilor's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were above 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, with 27.7% of residents aged 15+ holding university degrees compared to the regional average of 37.0%. This indicates potential for educational development and skills enhancement in Keilor. Bachelor degrees are the most common 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 at 10.2% and certificates at 21.2%.

Educational participation is high in Keilor, with 26.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.6% in secondary education, 8.0% in primary education, and 5.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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, offering 384 weekly passenger trips combined. The accessibility of transport in Keilor is rated as good, with residents typically residing 224 meters away from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 93% of residents. On average, there are 1.8 vehicles per dwelling, which is above the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 30.1% of Keilor's residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 54 trips per day across all routes, translating 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 shows Keilor performed well across health metrics, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts had low prevalence of common health conditions.

Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (3,493 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne. The most prevalent medical conditions were arthritis and asthma, affecting 9.0 and 7.1% of residents respectively. A total of 69.1% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. Keilor has 26.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,523 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors were 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 had a higher proportion born overseas, at 22.4%, compared to most local markets. Additionally, 22.9% spoke a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Keilor, with 70.8% of people identifying as such, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's 43.0%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (19.2%), Australian (18.5%), and Italian (12.3%), the latter being significantly higher than the regional average of 5.2%. Notably, Croatian (3.4% vs 0.7%) and Maltese (4.3% vs 1.1%) ethnic groups were overrepresented in Keilor compared to regional averages, while Polish was slightly higher 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 is notably higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and also exceeds Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Keilor has a notably higher proportion of the 75-84 age cohort (10.2% locally), while those aged 25-34 are under-represented (8.5%). Between the 2021 Census and present, the population share of the 75 to 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 proportion of those aged 65 to 74 has decreased from 12.3% to 11.1%. Population forecasts for Keilor in 2041 indicate significant demographic changes. The number of people aged 85 and above is projected to increase by 309 individuals (a rise of 108%) from 284 to 594. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 61% of the projected growth. Conversely, the number of children aged 0 to 4 is forecasted to decrease by 8 individuals.