Kew East

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 6,759 as of May 2026, reflecting a growth of 277 people since the 2021 Census. The 2021 Census reported a population of 6,482. This increase was inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 6,759 in June 2025 and 21 new addresses validated since the Census date. Kew East's population density is 1,681 persons per square kilometer. The area experienced a 4.3% growth rate between the 2021 Census and May 2026, compared to the SA3 area's 6.6%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 90.5% of Kew East's population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered, AreaSearch employs the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections from 2023, adjusted using weighted aggregation methods to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Future population trends indicate lower quartile growth, with Kew East expected to increase by 38 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers. This reflects a total increase of 0.6% over the 16-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 over the past five financial years, totalling 133 homes. As of FY-26, 17 approvals have been recorded. The area's population decline has maintained adequate housing supply relative to demand, resulting in a balanced market with varied buyer choices. New homes are constructed at an average cost of $978,000, indicating a focus on premium properties.

In the current financial year, $9.6 million worth of commercial approvals have been registered. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Kew East has about three-quarters the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks in the 62nd percentile nationally. Recent construction consists of 70% detached dwellings and 30% townhouses or apartments, offering options across different price points.

With around 245 people per approval, Kew East reflects low-density development. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Kew East is projected to grow by 38 residents by 2041. At current development rates, new housing supply should meet demand comfortably, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting population growth beyond projections.

Kew East has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

AreaSearch has identified six projects that could impact the area's performance. Key projects include 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 relevant:.

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.

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

Kew East has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 3.0% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 2.2%. As of December 2025, 3,945 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation similar to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%.

According to Census responses, 43.9% of residents worked from home, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. Notably, 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. Over the year ending December 2025, employment increased by 2.2%, labour force by 2.4%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne had employment growth of 2.4% and an unemployment rate increase of 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project overall 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 employment should grow by 7.4% over five years and 14.9% over ten years, though this is a simplified 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

Kew East SA2 has a notably high national income level, according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. The median income among taxpayers in Kew East is $62,591, with an average income of $102,883. These figures compare to Greater Melbourne's median and average incomes of $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimated current incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $68,612 (median) and $112,780 (average). Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Kew East rank highly nationally, between the 82nd and 90th percentiles. The largest income bracket comprises 32.1% of residents earning $4,000 or more weekly (2,169 residents), differing from regional patterns where the dominant bracket is $1,500 - $2,999 with 32.8%. Kew East's affluence is evident with 43.2% of residents earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. 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

Kew East's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 65.9% houses and 34.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% 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, higher than Melbourne metro's $2,000. Median weekly rent in Kew East was $466, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Kew East's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,000 versus Australia's average of $1,863. Rents in Kew East 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% of the total. 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 years and over holding university qualifications. This compares to national figures of 30.4% for Australia and 33.4% for Victoria. The area's educational advantage is evident across various qualification levels: Bachelor degrees are held by 33.2%, postgraduate qualifications by 14.9%, and graduate diplomas by 5.3%. Vocational pathways make up 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 secondary education (9.5%), primary education (9.4%), and tertiary education (8.5%).

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

Public transport analysis shows 41 active transport stops operating within Kew East. These consist of a mix of light rail and bus services. There are 13 individual routes serving these stops 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 of transport at 83%, with 2% cycling.

Vehicle ownership averages 1.4 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, a high 43.9% of residents work from home, which 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 shows exceptional results for Kew East, as assessed by AreaSearch using mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 72% of the total population (4,886 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

Asthma and mental health issues are the most common medical conditions, affecting 6.9 and 6.2% of residents respectively. A total of 74.5% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Kew East has 19.1% of residents aged 65 and over (1,294 people), higher than the 15.0% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, aligning with national rankings for 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, surveyed in June 2016, had a higher cultural diversity than most local areas with 28.7% of its population born overseas and 27.8% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 49.9%. Judaism showed an overrepresentation at 0.9%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 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 representation at 5.6% (regional: 2.7%), Hungarian at 0.5% (regional: 0.3%), and Italian at 8.2% (regional: 5.2%).

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

Kew East's median age is 41 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and slightly above Australia's median of 38. Comparing with Greater Melbourne, those aged 55-64 are notably over-represented in Kew East at 12.8%, while those aged 25-34 are under-represented at 11.1%. Post the 2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group grew from 13.8% to 15.5%, and the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 5.7% to 6.9%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 age group declined from 13.4% to 11.8%. By 2041, Kew East's age profile is projected to change significantly. The 85+ cohort is expected to grow by 66%, adding 141 residents to reach 354. Residents aged 65 and older are anticipated to represent 72% of the population growth, while those aged 0-4 and 35-44 are projected to decline in population.