Kew East
Statistical Area - sa2

Kew East is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Kew East's population is approximately 6,903 as of August 2025. This figure represents a growth of 421 people, a 6.5% increase from the 2021 Census which reported a population of 6,482. The change is estimated based on the ABS's June 2024 figure of 6,782 and an additional 10 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 1,717 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Kew East's growth rate of 6.5% since the census is close to that of the SA3 area (6.8%), indicating strong growth fundamentals. The primary driver for this population growth was overseas migration, contributing approximately 93.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for each SA2 area. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future trends suggest lower quartile growth in national statistical areas, with Kew East expected to increase by 56 persons by 2041 based on the latest population numbers, reflecting a decline of 1.0% over the 17-year period.

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 per year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics provides this data on a financial year basis, totalling 133 approvals from FY-21 to FY-25 and 6 so far in FY-26. Despite population decline, new supply appears to meet demand, offering varied options for buyers. Developments average $1,396,000, indicating a focus on premium properties.

Commercial development approvals this year amount to $9.6 million. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Kew East has about three-quarters the dwelling approval rate per person, placing it in the 62nd percentile nationally. Recent construction comprises 70% detached dwellings and 30% townhouses or apartments, with a growing mix of these offering diverse housing options.

Around 245 people are associated with each approval, reflecting market transition. With population stability or decline expected, Kew East may see reduced housing pressure, benefiting buyers.

Kew East has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects likely to affect the region. Major initiatives include YarraBend, Alphington Village (Time & Place), North East Link - Eastern Freeway Upgrade (Hoddle Street to Burke Road), and Kew Recreation Centre Redevelopment. The following list details those most relevant.

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

AreaSearch analysis places Kew East well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Kew East has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. The unemployment rate was 2.8% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 3.3%.

As of June 2025, 3957 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8%, below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%. Workforce participation was similar to Greater Melbourne at 66.1%. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training sectors. Professional & technical employment is particularly strong, at 1.5 times the regional level, while manufacturing shows lower representation at 3.8% versus the regional average of 7.2%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Over the year to June 2025, employment increased by 3.3%, labour force by 3.0%, reducing unemployment by 0.4 percentage points. Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.5% and unemployment rose by 0.5%. State-level data to Sep-25 shows VIC employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7% compared to the national rate of 4.5%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Kew East's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.4%% over five years and 14.9% over ten years, assuming constant population projections.

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

Kew East has an exceptionally high national income level according to AreaSearch aggregated ATO data for the financial year ending June 2022. The median income among Kew East taxpayers was $61,086 with an average of $112,026, compared to Greater Melbourne's median and average incomes of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. As of March 2025, estimated median income is approximately $67,262 and average income is around $123,352, based on a 10.11% Wage Price Index growth since June 2022. Census data shows Kew East's incomes rank highly nationally between the 82nd and 90th percentiles for households, families, and individuals. Income brackets indicate that 32.1% of residents earn $4,000 or more weekly (2,215 residents), unlike regional levels where the largest segment is $1,500 - $2,999 with 32.8%. Kew East demonstrates affluence with 43.2% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. Housing accounts for 14.0% of income, with residents ranking in 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 evaluation, dwelling structures consisted of 65.9% houses and 34.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 65.5% houses and 34.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kew East stood at 41.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.1% and rented ones at 24.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,000, aligning with Melbourne metro's average, while the median weekly rent was $466, compared to Melbourne metro's $3,000 and $451 respectively. Nationally, Kew East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than 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 account for 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 make up the remaining 24.1%, with lone person households at 19.7% and group households comprising 4.5%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.5.

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 higher than broader averages. Among residents aged 15 and above, 53.4% have university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% statewide (Victoria). 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. The three schools in Kew East have a combined enrollment of 1,481 students. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages with an ICSEA score of 1143. Education provision is balanced with two primary schools and one secondary school serving distinct age groups.

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

Analysis of public transport in Kew East shows 41 active transport stops operating, consisting of a mix of light rail and bus services. These stops are served by 13 individual routes, collectively providing 3,879 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 182 meters from the nearest transport stop.

Service frequency averages 554 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 94 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 in Kew East, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 76% of the total population (5,260 people) has private health cover, significantly higher than the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and mental health issues, affecting 6.9 and 6.2% of residents respectively. A majority, 74.5%, report being completely clear of medical ailments, slightly higher than the Greater Melbourne average of 73.8%. Kew East has 18.7% (1,290 people) of residents aged 65 and over, with seniors' health outcomes broadly aligning with those of the general population.

Kew East 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 East had a higher cultural diversity compared to most local areas, with 28.7% of its residents born overseas and 27.8% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Kew East, accounting for 49.9% of the population. However, Judaism showed significant overrepresentation, comprising 0.9% of Kew East's population compared to Melbourne's overall 0.9%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (20.2%), Australian (17.9%), and Chinese (9.8%). Notable differences existed in the representation of certain ethnicities: Greeks were overrepresented at 5.6% (versus regional 3.4%), Hungarians at 0.5% (versus 0.3%), and Italians at 8.2% (versus 4.8%).

Kew East's median age exceeds 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 older than Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne's average, Kew East has a notably over-represented cohort of 55-64 year-olds at 13.3%, while the 25-34 year-old group is under-represented at 10.9%. According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15 to 24 has increased from 13.8% to 15.3%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group has declined from 13.4% to 12.1%, and the 0 to 4 age group has dropped from 4.6% to 3.5%. Demographic modeling suggests that Kew East's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The cohort aged 85 and above is projected to grow by 67%, adding 143 residents to reach a total of 356. Residents aged 65 and older will represent 77% of the anticipated population growth, while declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 age cohorts.