Kew East

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

Kew East's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, was approximately 7,004 as of February 2026. This figure represents an increase of 522 people, equating to an 8.1% rise since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 6,482. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 6,780 in June 2024 and an additional 19 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,742 persons per square kilometer, exceeding the average for national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Kew East's growth rate of 8.1% since the 2021 census surpassed that of the SA3 area at 7.4%, indicating it as a region leader in population growth. Overseas migration contributed approximately 93.1% of overall population gains during recent periods, driving this growth.

AreaSearch employs 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 uses the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to reach SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends indicate a lower quartile growth in national statistical areas. By 2041, Kew East is expected to increase by 56 persons based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an overall decline of 2.4% 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 received approximately 26 dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 133 homes. In FY2025-26, 10 approvals have been recorded to date. The area has experienced population decline, yet housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with diverse buyer options. New homes are being constructed at an average expected cost of $978,000, indicating a focus on premium properties.

This financial year, Kew East has registered $9.6 million in commercial approvals, reflecting steady commercial investment activity. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Kew East has around three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks among the 62nd percentile nationally when assessed against other areas. Recent construction comprises 70% standalone homes and 30% medium and high-density housing, offering a mix of townhouses and apartments catering to various price points.

With approximately 245 people per dwelling approval, Kew East displays a developing market. Given the expected stable or declining population, Kew East may experience reduced housing pressure, potentially presenting buying opportunities.

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

Seven projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area's performance. These include the Kew Recreation Centre Redevelopment, Harp Village Precinct Redevelopment, Eastern Freeway Upgrades from Hoddle Street to Burke Road, and East Kew Maternal and Child Health Centre. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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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 strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate is 2.8%, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.7%. Over the past year, estimated employment growth was 3.0%.

As of September 2025, 3,936 residents are employed and the unemployment rate is 1.9% below Greater Melbourne's rate. Workforce participation in Kew East is similar to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%. According to Census responses, 43.9% of residents work from home. Key industries include health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training.

The area has a high specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. Conversely, manufacturing shows lower representation at 3.8%, compared to the regional average of 7.2%. Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 3.0% and labour force grew by 2.6%, reducing the unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded similar employment growth but saw a rise in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published May-25, project national employment expansion of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Kew East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 14.9% 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

The Kew East SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $62,591 and an average income of $102,883 in financial year 2023, according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This places it among the top percentile nationally, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 8.25% since financial year 2023, current estimates suggest approximately $67,755 (median) and $111,371 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Kew East all rank highly nationally, between the 82nd and 90th percentiles. Income distribution data shows that 32.1% of individuals (2,248 people) earn more than $4,000 annually, differing from broader area patterns where earnings between $1,500 and $2,999 dominate at 32.8%. Economic strength is evident with 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 place residents within 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

In Kew East, as per the latest Census, 65.9% of dwellings were houses while 34.1% consisted of semi-detached homes, apartments, or other types. This compares to Melbourne's metropolitan area which had 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kew East stood at 41.8%, with mortgaged properties at 34.1% and rented ones at 24.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,000, higher than Melbourne's metro average of $2,000. The median weekly rent in Kew East was $466 compared to Melbourne's metro figure of $390. Nationally, Kew East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,000 against 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 constitute 75.9% of all households, including 40.1% couples with children, 23.5% couples without children, and 11.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 24.1%, comprising 19.7% lone person households and 4.5% group households. The median household size is 2.7 people, 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 is notably high, with 53.4% of residents aged 15+ having university qualifications compared to the national average of 30.4% and the Victorian average of 33.4%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 33.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 14.9% and graduate diplomas at 5.3%. Vocational pathways account for 18.0% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.1% and certificates at 8.9%. Educational participation is 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

The analysis of public transportation in Kew East shows that there are currently 41 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops offer a mix of light rail and bus services. A total of 13 individual routes service these stops, collectively facilitating 3,350 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is rated as excellent, with residents typically residing just 182 meters away from their nearest transport stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward for work or other purposes. The car remains the primary mode of transportation, used by 83% of residents, while cycling accounts for only 2%.

On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling in the area. According to the 2021 Census, a high proportion of residents, specifically 43.9%, work from home, which may be partly attributed to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages at 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 shows excellent results across Kew East as assessed by AreaSearch using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 72% of the total population (5,063 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and 55.7% nationally.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 6.9% and 6.2% of residents respectively. A total of 74.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Kew East has 19.4% of residents aged 65 and over (1,361 people), higher than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are 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's population showed high cultural diversity, with 28.7% born overseas and 27.8% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 49.9%. Judaism was slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne (0.9% vs 1.0%).

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (20.2%), Australian (17.9%), and Chinese (9.8%). Notable differences existed in Greek (5.6% vs regional 2.7%), Hungarian (0.5% vs 0.3%), and Italian (8.2% vs 5.2%) representation.

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

Kew East's median age is 41 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and slightly above Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Kew East has an over-representation of the 55-64 cohort at 13.2% and an under-representation of the 25-34 cohort at 10.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15 to 24 increased from 13.8% to 15.3%, while the 75 to 84 cohort grew from 5.7% to 7.1%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group declined from 13.4% to 11.9%, and the 0 to 4 group decreased from 4.6% to 3.4%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Kew East's age profile. The 85+ cohort is expected to grow by 61%, adding 135 residents to reach 356. Residents aged 65 and older are projected to represent 76% of the population growth, while declines are anticipated for the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age cohorts.