Kew East

Kew East has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Kew East's population is around 7,004 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 522 people (8.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,482 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,780 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 19 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,742 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Kew East's 8.1% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (7.4%), marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 93.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. As we examine future population trends, lower quartile growth of national statistical areas is anticipated, with the area expected to increase by 56 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a decline of 2.4% in total over the 17 years.

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

Kew East has experienced around 26 dwellings receiving development approval each year, totalling 133 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 12 approvals have been recorded. As the area has experienced population decline, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, creating a well-balanced market with good buyer choice, while new homes are being built at an average value of $978,000, demonstrating a developer focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties. Additionally, $9.6 million in commercial approvals have been registered this financial year, indicating steady commercial investment activity.

When measured against Greater Melbourne, Kew East has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks in the 62nd percentile of areas assessed nationally. Recent construction comprises 70.0% standalone homes and 30.0% medium and high-density housing, with a growing mix of townhouses and apartments providing options across different price points, from family homes to more affordable compact living. With around 245 people per dwelling approval, Kew East shows a developing market.

With the population expected to remain stable or decline, Kew East should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Kew East has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects and planning initiatives. In total 7 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Kew Recreation Centre Redevelopment, Harp Village Precinct Redevelopment, Eastern Freeway Upgrades: Hoddle Street to Burke Road, and East Kew Maternal and Child Health Centre, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

Employment conditions in Kew East demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Kew East has a highly educated workforce, with professional services showing strong representation, an unemployment rate of just 3.0%, and 2.2% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 3,945 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 1.8% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation is on par with Greater Melbourne's 71.3%. Based on Census responses, a high 43.9% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

The key industries of employment among residents are health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training. The area has a particular employment specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. Conversely, manufacturing shows lower representation at 3.8% versus the regional average of 7.2%. While local employment opportunities exist in the area, it appears many residents commute elsewhere for work, based on the count of Census working population to local population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, during the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 2.2% and the labour force increased by 2.4%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with unemployment rising 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Kew East. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Kew East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.9% over ten years (please note 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

The Kew East SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $62,591 and an average of $102,883 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. This is among the top percentile nationally, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $67,755 (median) and $111,371 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Kew East, between the 82nd and 90th percentiles nationally. Distribution data shows the $4000+ earnings band captures 32.1% of the community (2,248 individuals), differing from patterns across the broader area where $1,500 - 2,999 dominates with 32.8%. Economic strength emerges through 43.2% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 14.0% 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 East displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure within Kew East, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 65.9% houses and 34.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Kew East was well beyond that of Melbourne metro, at 41.8%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (34.1%) or rented (24.1%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was well above the Melbourne metro average at $3,000, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $466, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Kew East's mortgage repayments are significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are 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 dominate at 75.9% of all households, comprising 40.1% couples with children, 23.5% couples without children, and 11.1% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 24.1%, with lone person households at 19.7% and group households comprising 4.5% of the total. The median household size of 2.7 people is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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 significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 53.4% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in VIC. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 33.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (14.9%) and graduate diplomas (5.3%). Vocational pathways account for 18.0% of qualifications among those aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (9.1%) and certificates (8.9%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 32.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 9.5% in secondary education, 9.4% in primary education, and 8.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 41 active transport stops operating within Kew East, comprising a mix of light rail and buses. These stops are serviced by 13 individual routes, collectively providing 3,350 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 182 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 83%, with 2% cycling. Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. A high 43.9% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 478 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 81 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 demonstrates outstanding results across Kew East, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. There is a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 72% of the total population (5,063 people). This compares to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are asthma and mental health issues, impacting 6.9% and 6.2% of residents, respectively, while 74.5% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The area has 19.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,361 people), which is 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 Kew East was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Kew East is more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets, with 28.7% of its population born overseas and 27.8% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Kew East is Christianity, which makes up 49.9% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Judaism, which comprises 0.9% of the population, compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Kew East are English, comprising 20.2% of the population, Australian, comprising 17.9% of the population, and Chinese, comprising 9.8% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Greek is notably overrepresented at 5.6% of Kew East (vs 2.7% regionally), Hungarian at 0.5% (vs 0.3%) and Italian at 8.2% (vs 5.2%).

Kew East's population is slightly older than the national pattern

At 41 years, Kew East's median age is significantly above the Greater Melbourne average of 37 as well as somewhat older than the Australian median of 38. Compared to the Greater Melbourne average, the 55 - 64 cohort is notably over-represented (13.2% locally), while 25 - 34 year-olds are under-represented (10.5%). Following the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 13.8% to 15.3% of the population, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 5.7% to 7.1%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort has declined from 13.4% to 11.9% and the 0 to 4 group dropped from 4.6% to 3.4%. Demographic modeling suggests Kew East's age profile will evolve significantly by 2041. The 85+ cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 61%, adding 135 residents to reach 356. Demographic aging continues as residents 65 and older represent 76% of anticipated growth. On the other hand, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 cohorts.