Kew (Vic.)

Kew 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 Nov 2025, the estimated population of Kew (Vic.) is around 26,400, reflecting an increase of 1,901 people since the 2021 Census's figure of 24,499. This growth represents a 7.8% rise and is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 25,876 following examination of ABS' latest ERP data release in June 2024, along with an additional 386 validated new addresses since the Census date. The suburb's population density stands at 2,519 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Kew's growth rate of 7.8% exceeded that of its SA3 area (6.9%), making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration was the primary driver for this population increase during recent periods. AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023 with adjustments made employing weighted aggregation methods for areas not covered by the former data.

For years 2032 to 2041, growth rates by age group are applied across all areas. According to these projections, Kew's population is expected to decline by 229 persons by 2041, while specific age cohorts like the 75-84 group are anticipated to increase, with an projected rise of 688 people in this age bracket.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Kew when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers allocated from statistical area data indicates Kew experienced around 134 dwellings receiving development approval annually. Approximately 671 homes were approved over the past five financial years, between FY2021 and FY2025, with 14 so far in FY2026. Despite population decline in recent years, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, maintaining a balanced market with good buyer choice.

New properties are constructed at an average value of $1,318,000, indicating developers focus on the premium market with high-end developments. This year has seen $5.2 million in commercial approvals, suggesting limited commercial development focus compared to residential. Kew maintains similar construction rates per person as Greater Melbourne, supporting market stability aligned with regional patterns. Recent construction comprises 31.0% detached dwellings and 69.0% townhouses or apartments, a shift from the current housing pattern of 50.0% houses, likely due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. Kew has approximately 178 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market.

With population expected to remain stable or decline, reduced pressure on housing is anticipated, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 86 projects likely impacting the area. Notable projects include Kew Library Upgrade, Eastern Freeway Upgrades: Hoddle Street to Burke Road, Kew Recreation Centre Redevelopment, and Arteur. 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 in Kew shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Kew has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.7% in the past year.

Employment growth was estimated at 3.5%. As of June 2025, 15,053 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.9%, below Greater Melbourne's 4.6%. Workforce participation is equal to Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training.

Notably, professional & technical employment is high, at 1.6 times the regional average. Conversely, construction is under-represented, with only 5.7% of Kew's workforce compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 3.5%, labour force by 3.0%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne had employment growth of 3.5% and labour force growth of 4.0%, with a 0.5 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 project overall employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Kew's employment mix suggests local employment could increase by 7.5% over five years and 15.2% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that income in Kew is exceptionally high nationally. The median income is $65,873 while the average income stands at $130,187. This contrasts with Greater Melbourne's figures of a median income of $54,892 and an average income of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.16% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $73,883 (median) and $146,018 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Kew, between the 86th and 90th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that the largest segment comprises 32.5% earning $4000+ weekly (8,580 residents), contrasting with the surrounding region where the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket leads at 32.8%. The substantial proportion of high earners, at 43.8% above $3,000/week, indicates strong economic capacity throughout the area. Housing accounts for 13.9% of income while strong earnings rank residents within the 90th percentile for disposable income and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

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

In Kew, as per the latest Census, 50.5% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 49.5% being semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This differs slightly from Melbourne's metropolitan area, which had 55.5% houses and 44.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kew stood at 40.7%, similar to the Melbourne metro average, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.8% and rented ones at 29.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Kew was $3,000, aligning with the Melbourne metro average, while the median weekly rent was $476, compared to Melbourne's $3,000 and $451 respectively. Nationally, Kew's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Kew features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 68.7% of all households, including 32.5% couples with children, 25.5% couples without children, and 9.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 31.3%, with lone person households at 26.0% and group households comprising 5.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which matches the Greater Melbourne average.

Kew demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Kew is notably high, with 56.9% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to national averages of 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in Victoria as of the latest data available. Bachelor degrees are most common at 35.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.9%) and graduate diplomas (4.9%). Vocational pathways account for 16.9% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.5% and certificates at 7.4%. Educational participation is high, with 31.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 9.6% in secondary, 9.4% in tertiary, and 7.8% pursuing primary education.

As of the 2020 census, 13 schools serve 10,275 students in Kew, with an Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) score of 1166, indicating high levels of advantage nationally. The educational mix includes 3 primary and 10 K-12 schools, providing a total of 38.9 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 19.2. This high number of school places attracts students from surrounding communities to Kew's education hub.

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

The analysis shows that there are 117 active public transport stops in Kew. These stops offer a mix of light rail and bus services, with 21 individual routes operating in total. Collectively, these routes provide 8,457 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility of transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 199 meters from the nearest stop. On average, there are 1,208 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 72 weekly trips per individual stop.

Kew'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 Kew. Both young and old age cohorts saw low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 78% of the total population (20,578 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area were asthma and mental health issues, impacting 7.1% and 7.1% of residents respectively. Seventy-two point five percent declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 73.8% across Greater Melbourne. Twenty point six percent of residents were aged 65 and over (5,438 people), which is higher than the 19.4% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors performed even better than the general population in health metrics.

Kew 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's population showed high cultural diversity, with 31.7% born overseas and 27.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Kew, accounting for 45.7%. Notably, Judaism was equally represented in Kew (0.9%) as in Greater Melbourne (0.9%).

The top three ancestry groups were English (21.5%), Australian (17.6%), and Chinese (12.0%). Some ethnic groups showed notable differences: Polish at 1.0% in Kew vs 0.8% regionally, Greek at 3.5% vs 3.4%, and Italian at 5.5% vs 4.8%.

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

Kew's median age is 41 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and slightly above Australia's median of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Kew has a notably higher proportion of 15-24 year-olds (16.2% vs. local average) and fewer 35-44 year-olds (11.4%). Post-2021 Census, the 15-24 age group grew from 14.1% to 16.2%, while the 5-14 cohort declined from 11.3% to 9.9% and the 45-54 group dropped from 14.0% to 12.6%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Kew's age profile. The 75-84 cohort is expected to grow by 27%, adding 510 residents to reach 2,385. This growth will be driven entirely by residents aged 65 and older. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 45-54 and 0-4 age groups.