Keilor
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Keilor's population is 8,711 as of August 2025. From the 2021 Census, it was 8,548 people, showing an increase of 163 individuals (1.9%). This growth can be inferred from ABS estimated resident population data in June 2024, which was 8,701, and additional validated addresses since the Census date. The population density is 497 persons per square kilometer. Keilor's 1.9% population growth since the census is close to its SA3 area's growth of 4.0%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 87.4% of recent population gains.

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, AreaSearch employs VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods. Future demographic trends indicate Keilor will likely have a population increase close to the national median by 2041, with an expected growth of 733 persons (8.3% total increase over 17 years).

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

Keilor has averaged approximately 35 new dwelling approvals per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, Keilor recorded 175 home approvals and 7 so far in FY26. Despite recent population decline, new supply has likely kept pace with demand, offering good choice for buyers.

The average expected construction cost value of new properties is $778,000, indicating a focus on the premium market with high-end developments. In FY26, there have been $44.5 million in commercial approvals, reflecting high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Keilor records approximately 59% of building activity per person and ranks among the 52nd percentile of areas assessed nationally. Recent construction comprises 71.0% detached houses and 29.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

This represents a significant shift from existing housing patterns, which currently stand at 87.0% houses, suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With around 319 people per dwelling approval, Keilor exhibits characteristics of a low density area. Looking ahead, Keilor is projected to grow by 723 residents through to 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

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

The performance of a region is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 39 projects that could potentially impact the area. Notable projects include Melbourne Airport Rail (SRL Airport), Keilor East Railway Station, SRL Airport again, and Essendon Keilor College - East Keilor Campus. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Keilor demonstrate exceptional strength compared to most Australian markets

Keilor has a skilled workforce with a notable construction sector. The unemployment rate in Keilor is 2.3%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.6%.

In the past year, ending June 2025, employment grew by 4.2% while the labour force increased by 4.3%, leading to a slight rise in unemployment rate by 0.1 percentage points. The dominant employment sectors are construction, health care & social assistance, and retail trade. Keilor specializes in construction with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. However, health care & social assistance shows lower representation at 11.0% compared to the regional average of 14.2%.

As of the Census, there are 2.2 workers for every resident, indicating Keilor functions as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. State-level data up to Sep-25 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with a state unemployment rate of 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Keilor's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.4% over five years and 13.0% over ten years.

The area exhibits notably strong income performance, ranking higher than 70% of areas assessed nationally through AreaSearch analysis

Keilor has a median taxpayer income of $58,956 and an average of $77,846 according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. This is among the highest in Australia, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $54,892 and average income of $73,761. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% from financial year 2022 to March 2025, current estimates would be approximately $64,916 (median) and $85,716 (average). According to the 2021 Census figures, household incomes rank between the 40th and 54th percentiles in Keilor. The largest income segment comprises 28.1% earning $1,500 - $2,999 weekly, with 2,447 residents falling into this category. After housing costs, residents retain 87.9% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Keilor is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Keilor, evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 87.3% houses and 12.7% other dwellings. In Melbourne metro, this was 75.8% houses and 24.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Keilor stood at 51.0%, with mortgaged dwellings at 36.5% and rented ones at 12.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Keilor was $2,019, lower than Melbourne metro's $2,167. Median weekly rent in Keilor was $396, compared to Melbourne metro's $410. 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 fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 77.4% of all households, including 37.5% couples with children, 27.9% couples without children, and 11.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 22.6%, with lone person households at 21.4% and group households comprising 1.1% of the total. The median household size is 2.6 people, which matches the Greater Melbourne average.

The educational profile of Keilor exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The educational attainment rate in the area is significantly lower than the Greater Melbourne average at 24.6% compared to 37.0%. The most common qualifications are bachelor degrees (17.9%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (4.1%) and graduate diplomas (2.6%). Vocational credentials are held by 32.5% of residents aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 10.5% and certificates at 22.0%. The area has a high level of educational participation, with 26.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 8.7% in primary education, 8.1% in secondary education, and 4.3% pursuing tertiary education. Keilor has three schools with a combined enrollment of 2,794 students, serving as an educational center for the broader region due to its above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1082). The educational mix includes two primary schools and one K-12 school, with a school capacity exceeding typical residential needs at 32.1 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 24.1.

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

Keilor has 66 operational public transport stops, serving a variety of bus routes. These stops are serviced by nine different routes, facilitating 4,693 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is deemed good, with residents generally located approximately 207 meters from the nearest stop.

The average service frequency across all routes stands at 670 trips per day, translating to roughly 71 weekly trips per individual stop.

Keilor's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Keilor's health metrics closely match national benchmarks, with common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts at a fairly standard level.

Approximately 59% of Keilor's total population (5,122 people) have private health cover, which is exceptionally high. The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are arthritis and asthma, affecting 9.2% and 7.1% of residents respectively. Notably, 68.3% of Keilor residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 70.1% across Greater Melbourne. As of June 2021, 26.6% of Keilor's residents are aged 65 and over (2,317 people), which is higher than the 21.9% in Greater Melbourne. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors in Keilor are above average and perform better than the general population in health metrics.

Keilor 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

Keilor's population showed significant cultural diversity, with 25.2% born overseas and 26.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the dominant religion in Keilor, accounting for 71.3%, slightly higher than Greater Melbourne's 66.4%. The top three ancestry groups were English (18.1%), Australian (17.9%), and Italian (16.2%).

Notably, Croatian (2.7% vs regional 2.0%), Maltese (4.1% vs 2.8%), and Polish (1.3% vs 1.1%) groups were relatively overrepresented in Keilor.

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

The median age in Keilor is 45 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Keilor has a higher percentage of residents aged 75-84 (10.8%) but fewer residents aged 25-34 (9.1%). According to the 2021 Census, the age group 75 to 84 has grown from 8.8% to 10.8% of Keilor's population, while the age group 85+ has increased from 3.3% to 4.4%. Conversely, the age group 65 to 74 has declined from 12.5% to 11.4%. By 2041, demographic projections show significant shifts in Keilor's age structure. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 110%, reaching 802 people from the current 382. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 73% of total population growth, reflecting Keilor's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the age groups 25-34 and 5-14 are projected to see reduced numbers.