Koo Wee Rup

Population growth drivers in Koo Wee Rup are above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Based on ABS population updates and AreaSearch validation, the suburb of Koo Wee Rup's estimated population is around 4,264 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 217 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,047. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of 4,184 residents following examination of ABS ERP data release in June 2024 and additional 69 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population results in a density ratio of 72 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Koo Wee Rup has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 2.3%, outpacing Greater Melbourne. Interstate migration contributed approximately 76.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024, using the base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Projections indicate an overall population decline over this period, with the suburb's population expected to shrink by 1,705 persons by 2041. However, growth is anticipated in specific age cohorts, led by the 85 and over age group projected to increase by 190 people.

AreaSearch assessment of residential approval activity sees Koo Wee Rup among the top 30% of areas assessed nationwide

Between FY21 and FY25, Koo Wee Rup had approximately 20 new homes approved annually, totalling around 101 dwellings. As of FY26, there have been 10 approvals recorded. On average, about 13.1 people moved to the area each year for every dwelling built over these five financial years. This high demand coupled with limited supply typically leads to price growth and increased competition among buyers.

The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings in Koo Wee Rup is approximately $369,000. In FY26, there have been $4,000 in commercial development approvals recorded, indicating a predominantly residential focus. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Koo Wee Rup has significantly less development activity, with 52.0% fewer approvals per person. This scarcity of new dwellings often strengthens demand and prices for existing properties.

All recent developments have been detached dwellings, preserving the area's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. There are approximately 232 people per dwelling approval in Koo Wee Rup, indicating a low-density market. Given stable or declining population forecasts, the area may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Koo Wee Rup has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 43rdth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project expected to affect this region: Costco Pakenham Warehouse. Other notable projects include Clyde Rail Extension, City of Casey Capital Works Program 2025/26, and South East Melbourne Recycled Water Supply Infrastructure Upgrades.

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

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Employment performance in Koo Wee Rup exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Koo Wee Rup has a balanced workforce with representation across white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector is prominent. As of December 2025, the unemployment rate was 3.4%, with an estimated employment growth of 4.5% over the past year.

This rate is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation in Koo Wee Rup is high at 95.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. A low 13.4% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts may have influenced this figure. Key industries include construction, health care & social assistance, and manufacturing.

Construction employs 1.9 times the regional average. Professional & technical services employ only 3.4% of local workers, compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data comparison between working population and resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment levels increased by 4.5%, labour force grew by 5.0%, resulting in a rise of unemployment by 0.5 percentage points. In Greater Melbourne, employment grew by 2.4%, labour force expanded by 2.8%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Koo Wee Rup's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.4% over ten years, though these are illustrative extrapolations and do not account for localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows that in Koo Wee Rup, median income is $51,407 and average income is $59,640. This is below Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. By September 2025, adjusted for Wage Price Index growth of 8.25%, estimated median income would be approximately $55,648 and average income $64,560. Census 2021 data indicates that incomes in Koo Wee Rup are at the 51st percentile nationally. The majority, 40.7% or 1,735 residents, earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, similar to Melbourne's 32.8%. Housing costs consume 16.0% of income, but disposable income remains at the 53rd percentile due to strong earnings.

Koo Wee Rup is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The latest Census evaluated dwelling structures in Koo Wee Rup with 90.1% houses and 9.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Koo Wee Rup was at 27.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 53.9% and rented ones at 18.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,811, lower than Melbourne metro's $2,000. The median weekly rent figure was $320, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Koo Wee Rup's mortgage repayments were below the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially lower at $375.

Koo Wee Rup has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 76.0% of all households, including 36.6% couples with children, 25.8% couples without children, and 12.5% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 24.0%, with lone person households at 22.2% and group households comprising 1.9%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Educational outcomes in Koo Wee Rup fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 9.9%, significantly lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 37.0%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 7.1%, followed by graduate diplomas (1.7%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 43.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (9.6%) and certificates (34.1%). Educational participation is high, with 29.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 12.6% in primary education, 7.8% in secondary education, and 2.1% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Koo Wee Rup has two operational public transport stops. Four different routes service these stops, offering a total of 289 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is considered limited, with residents typically residing 640 meters away from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outwards from this residential area, with cars being the primary mode of transportation at 96%. On average, there are 1.8 vehicles per dwelling, which is higher than the regional average. According to the 2021 Census, only 13.4% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Across all routes, service frequency averages 41 trips per day, equating to around 144 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Koo Wee Rup is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Koo Wee Rup faces significant health challenges, as indicated by AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Notably, both younger and older age cohorts exhibit high prevalence of common health conditions. Approximately 50% (~2,151 people) have private health cover, lower than Greater Melbourne's 56.7%.

Nationally, the average is 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (10.3%) and mental health issues (8.9%). Conversely, 65.4% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents show above-average chronic health condition prevalence. As of 2021, the area has 11.4% (486 people) aged 65 and over, lower than Greater Melbourne's 15.1%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, generally aligning with national rankings for the overall population.

Koo Wee Rup is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Koo Wee Rup, as per data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census of Population and Housing conducted on 9 August 2016, exhibited lower cultural diversity compared to regional averages. The population was predominantly born in Australia (87.9%) and were citizens (91.0%), with English being the only language spoken at home for 94.6% of residents. Christianity was the predominant religion, practiced by 42.6%.

Notably, the 'Other' religious category comprised just 0.7%, lower than Greater Melbourne's average of 2.3%. Ancestry-wise, Australians were most represented (33.0%), followed by English (31.7%) and Irish (7.4%). These figures surpassed regional averages for Australian (18.4%) and English (20.1%) ancestry but not Irish (5.9%). Significant disparities existed in the representation of Dutch (Koo Wee Rup: 2.7%, region: 1.2%), Italian (Koo Wee Rup: 4.5%, region: 5.2%), and Sri Lankan (Koo Wee Rup: 0.4%, region: 0.8%) ancestry groups.

Koo Wee Rup hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Koo Wee Rup's median age is 32 years, which is younger than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and lower than Australia's national average of 38. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Koo Wee Rup has a higher percentage of residents aged 5-14 (21.6%) but fewer residents aged 35-44 (0%). This concentration of 5-14 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 12.1%. Post-2021 Census data indicates that younger residents have lowered Koo Wee Rup's median age by 1.5 years to 32. Key changes include an increase in the 5-14 age group from 15.2% to 21.6%, and a rise in the 25-34 cohort from 15.5% to 19.8%. Conversely, the 35-44 age group has declined from 12.5% to 0%, and the 65-74 group has dropped from 7.9% to 0%. Demographic modeling projects significant changes in Koo Wee Rup's age profile by 2041, with the strongest projected growth in the 35-44 cohort, adding 207 residents to reach a total of 207. Conversely, the 75-84 and 45-54 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.