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

The population of Keilor was estimated at 5,815 as of Feb 2026, based on AreaSearch's analysis of ABS population updates and new addresses validated since the Census. This figure reflects a decrease from the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,906 people. The change is inferred from the resident population estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 6 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 546 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving primary growth for the area.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted employing 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. Future population trends indicate an increase just below the median of Australian statistical areas by 2041. The suburb of Keilor is expected to expand by 533 persons, reflecting a total increase of 9.2% over the 17 years from 2026 to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections.

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 indicates Keilor has received approximately 3 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 17 homes. As of FY26, there have been 0 recorded approvals. The population decline in recent years suggests new supply has likely kept pace with demand, offering buyers good choice. The average expected construction cost value for new dwellings is $778,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment.

In FY26, commercial development approvals have reached $14.8 million, demonstrating moderate levels of commercial development. New building activity shows an equal split between detached and attached dwellings, attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This shift from the current housing mix (87.0% houses) reflects reduced availability of development sites and changing lifestyle demands. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 2974 people, indicating a quiet development environment.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Keilor is projected to grow by 533 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep up 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 to impact the area. Key projects 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 1.4% as of December 2025, showing relative employment stability over the past year based on AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of this date, 3,283 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 3.4 percentage points lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%.

Workforce participation in Keilor was somewhat below standard at 66.4%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. According to Census responses, a high 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 particular 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 were 1.9 workers for every resident as at the Census, indicating that Keilor 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 0.8% while employment declined by 0.1%, 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 rise in its unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer further insight into potential future demand within Keilor. These projections suggest that national employment should 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, though it is noted that this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and 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

Keilor suburb has high national income levels according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. Median income among taxpayers is $63,824 and average income stands at $84,305. These figures compare to Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $69,089 (median) and $91,260 (average). Census data shows Keilor's household, family and personal incomes cluster around the 60th percentile nationally. Income analysis reveals that 27.0% of locals (1,570 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 weekly income category, similar to regional levels where 32.8% occupy this range. Higher earners make up a substantial presence with 33.1% exceeding $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 88.7% of their income. The area'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

Keilor's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 87.1% houses and 12.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This contrasts with Melbourne metro's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Keilor was at 51.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 38.3% and rented ones at 9.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Keilor was $2,167, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Weekly rent median figure in Keilor was $400, slightly above Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Keilor's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than 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% that are couples with children, 28.0% that are couples without children, and 10.3% that are single parent families. Non-family households make up 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, 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 regional benchmarks. As of [a certain date], 27.7% of Keilor residents aged 15+ held university degrees, compared to 37.0% in Greater Melbourne. This indicates potential for educational development and skills enhancement. Bachelor degrees were the most common at 20.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.6%) and graduate diplomas (3.1%).

Trade and technical skills were prominent, with 31.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (21.2%). Educational participation was notably high, with 26.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education as of [a certain date]. This included 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. There is one route serving these stops, providing a total of 384 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility in Keilor is rated as good, with residents typically located 224 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature, with car being the dominant mode at 93%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.8 per dwelling, higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, a high 30.1% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

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. AreaSearch's assessment found low prevalence of common health conditions across both young and old age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (3,493 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne. The most common medical conditions were arthritis and asthma, impacting 9.0 and 7.1% of residents respectively. A total of 69.1% of residents 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. The area has 26.7% of residents aged 65 and over (1,552 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are 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 shows higher cultural diversity compared to most local markets, with 22.4% born overseas and 22.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the primary religion in Keilor, accounting for 70.8%, which is higher than Greater Melbourne's 43.0%. The top three ancestry groups are English (19.2%), Australian (18.5%), and Italian (12.3%), with Italians being more prevalent compared to the regional average of 5.2%.

Notably, Croatian (3.4%) and Maltese (4.3%) populations in Keilor exceed their respective regional averages of 0.7% and 1.1%, while Polish representation stands at 1.6% versus the regional 0.8%.

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

The median age in Keilor is 46 years, notably higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and also above Australia's median of 38 years. Comparing with Greater Melbourne, the cohort aged 75-84 is significantly overrepresented in Keilor at 10.4%, while those aged 25-34 are underrepresented at 8.6%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the percentage of the population aged 75 to 84 has increased from 7.9% to 10.4%, and the 85+ cohort has grown from 3.8% to 5.0%. Conversely, the proportion of those aged 65 to 74 has decreased from 12.3% to 11.3%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate substantial demographic shifts in Keilor. The number of people aged 85 and above is projected to increase by 293 individuals (101%), from 290 to 584. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 68% of the projected growth. Conversely, the cohorts aged 35-44 and 25-34 are expected to experience population declines.