Kew East

Kew East 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 Kew East was estimated at around 7,067 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 447 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,620. The ABS ERP estimate for the suburb, examined by AreaSearch in June 2024, was 6,935, along with 11 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,740 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Kew East's growth rate of 6.8% since the census is comparable to its SA3 area at 6.9%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 94.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, it utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted to SA2 levels using weighted aggregation methods. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. According to these trends, Kew East is expected to grow by 56 persons by 2041, reflecting a reduction of 1.2% in total over the 17-year period.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Kew East according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers for Kew East shows approximately 27 new homes approved annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 138 homes were approved, with a further nine approved so far in FY-26. The declining population suggests that new supply has likely been meeting demand, providing good options for buyers.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $1,353,000, indicating a focus on the premium market by developers. This financial year, Kew East has registered approximately $139,000 in commercial approvals, reflecting a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Kew East has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 64th percentile nationally.

New building activity consists of approximately 69.0% detached dwellings and 31.0% townhouses or apartments, with a growing mix offering options across various price points. The location has around 225 people per dwelling approval, suggesting potential for growth. Population projections indicating stability or decline in Kew East should reduce housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers.

Kew East has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Seven projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance: Kew Recreation Centre Redevelopment, Harp Village Precinct Redevelopment, North East Link - Eastern Freeway Upgrade (Hoddle Street to Burke Road), and Kew Recreation Centre Redevelopment.

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

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The labour market in Kew East shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Kew East has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 2.8% as of June 2025, below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.4%. As of June 2025, 4,052 residents were in work with an unemployment rate of 1.9% and workforce participation at 66.1%. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. The area has a particular specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, manufacturing shows lower representation at 3.9% compared to the regional average of 7.2%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 3.4% and labour force by 3.0%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest that Kew East's employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.9% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to its current employment mix.

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

AreaSearch released postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022. Kew East's median income among taxpayers was $61,125 with an average of $112,377. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high compared to Greater Melbourne's median of $54,892 and average of $73,761. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $68,558 (median) and $126,042 (average), based on a 12.16% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022. Census 2021 data shows Kew East's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 82nd and 90th percentiles. Income analysis reveals that 32.3% of residents earn $4,000+ weekly, contrasting with Melbourne's leading bracket of $1,500 - $2,999 at 32.8%. A substantial proportion, 43.4%, earn above $3,000 weekly, indicating strong economic capacity in the suburb. Housing accounts for 14.0% of income, with residents ranking in the 90th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Kew East displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Kew East's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census evaluation, consisted of 66.5% houses and 33.5% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 55.5% houses and 44.5% other dwellings. The home ownership level in Kew East was higher than Melbourne metro at 42.0%, with the remaining dwellings either mortgaged (34.2%) or rented (23.9%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,000, aligning with Melbourne metro's average, while the median weekly rent figure was $471, compared to Melbourne metro's $3,000 and $451 respectively. Nationally, Kew East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Kew East features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 75.7% of all households, including 40.4% couples with children, 23.0% couples without children, and 11.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 24.3%, with lone person households at 19.9% and group households comprising 4.4%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.5.

Educational achievement in Kew East places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Kew East is notably higher than broader benchmarks. Among residents aged 15+, 53.1% have university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and Victoria's 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 33.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (15.0%) and graduate diplomas (5.1%). Vocational pathways account for 17.9% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.0% and certificates at 8.9%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.4% currently enrolled in formal education. This includes secondary education (9.6%), primary education (9.5%), and tertiary education (8.6%). The area's three schools have a combined enrollment of 1,481 students. Kew East demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1143. Education provision is balanced, with two primary schools and one secondary school serving distinct age groups.

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

Transport analysis shows 42 active stops operating in Kew East. These include lightrail and bus services. There are 13 routes serving these stops, providing a total of 4,319 weekly passenger trips.

Residents have excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 183 meters to the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 617 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 102 weekly trips per individual stop.

Kew East's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results in Kew East, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 71% of the total population (5018 people), compared to 77.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 6.8 and 6.2% of residents respectively.

A total of 74.4% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 73.8% across Greater Melbourne. As of 2021, 18.6% of Kew East's population is aged 65 and over (1314 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Kew East was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Kew East has a higher cultural diversity than most local areas, with 28.5% of its residents born overseas and 27.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Kew East, accounting for 49.9% of the population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 0.8% versus 0.9%.

The top three ancestry groups in Kew East are English (20.3%), Australian (17.9%), and Chinese (9.8%). Significant differences exist for certain ethnic groups: Greeks are overrepresented at 5.7% compared to the regional average of 3.4%, Italians at 8.2% versus 4.8%, and Hungarians at 0.4% versus 0.3%.

Kew East hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Kew East's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and slightly older than Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Kew East has a notably higher proportion of residents aged 55-64 (13.3% locally) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (10.8%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15-24 grew from 13.9% to 15.3%, while the proportion of residents aged 5-14 declined from 13.4% to 12.1%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Kew East's age profile. The 85+ cohort is expected to grow by 64%, adding 140 residents to reach 360. Residents aged 65 and older are projected to represent 78% of the population growth, while declines are anticipated for the 0-4 and 35-44 age groups.