Kew - South
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Kew - South's population was approximately 12,334 as of August 2025, according to AreaSearch's analysis. This figure reflects a growth of 733 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 11,601. The increase is inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 12,352 in June 2024 and the addition of 120 validated new addresses post-census. This results in a population density ratio of 2,855 persons per square kilometer, placing Kew - South in the upper quartile nationally. The area's 6.3% growth since the census is within 0.5 percentage points of its SA3 area (6.8%), indicating strong growth fundamentals. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population growth 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 by this data, AreaSearch employs 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. By 2041, Kew - South's population is projected to decline by 218 persons overall, but the 75 to 84 age group is expected to increase by 322 people.

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

Kew - South has experienced approximately 46 dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics provides development approval data on a financial year basis, with around 231 dwellings approved over the past five years from FY-21 to FY-25, and an additional two so far in FY-26. Despite recent population declines, the area has maintained adequate development activity relative to its size, benefiting buyers while targeting premium market segments with new dwellings averaging $2,421,000 in construction cost. This financial year, Kew - South has recorded around $3.3 million in commercial development approvals, reflecting its residential character.

Compared to Greater Melbourne, Kew - South exhibits approximately 69% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 53rd percentile nationally when assessed for new building activity. The area shows a mix of 73.0% detached houses and 27.0% townhouses or apartments, preserving its suburban identity with a concentration of family homes suited to buyers seeking space. Notably, developers are constructing more traditional houses than the current population mix suggests (53.0%), indicating strong demand for family homes.

With around 313 people per dwelling approval, Kew - South presents a developing market, potentially experiencing less housing pressure due to stable or declining population forecasts, creating favorable conditions for buyers.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 38 projects likely affecting the area. Major initiatives include 442-444 Barkers Road Development, Arteur, 1207-1209 Burke Road Townhomes, and Kew Library 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 - South well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Kew - South has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 2.5% as of June 2025, lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.6%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.8%. As of June 2025, 7,069 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 2.1%, similar to Greater Melbourne's workforce participation rate of 64.1%. Dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and education & training. The area has a strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

Construction has limited presence at 5.1% compared to the regional average of 9.7%. The worker-to-resident ratio was 0.6 at the Census, indicating above-average local employment opportunities. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.8%, labour force grew by 3.0%, leading to a slight rise in unemployment of 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.5% and an unemployment increase of 0.5 percentage points during the same period. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Victoria's employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, adding 39,880 jobs, with a state unemployment rate of 4.7%. National employment forecasts from May 2025 project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Kew - South's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.5% over five years and 15.2% 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 - South's income level is among the top percentile nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. Kew - South's median income among taxpayers is $65,866 and the average income stands at $130,274, which compares to figures for Greater Melbourne of $54,892 and $73,761 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $72,525 (median) and $143,445 (average) as of March 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Kew - South, between the 86th and 92nd percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate 33.8% of the population (4,168 individuals) fall within the $4000+ income range, diverging from the region where the $1,500 - 2,999 category predominates at 32.8%. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 44.9% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. After housing costs, residents retain 86.8% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Kew - South displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Kew-South's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 52.6% houses and 47.4% other dwellings. In comparison, Melbourne metro had 55.5% houses and 44.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kew-South was 44.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.2% and rented ones at 25.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,050, above Melbourne metro's $3,000. Median weekly rent stood at $501, compared to Melbourne metro's $451. Nationally, Kew-South's mortgage repayments were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Kew - South features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 70.0% of all households, including 32.8% couples with children, 25.9% couples without children, and 10.0% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 30.0%, with lone person households at 25.1% and group households comprising 4.8%. The median household size is 2.6 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.5.

Kew - South demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Kew - South is notably higher than broader benchmarks. 57.4% of residents aged 15+ hold university qualifications compared to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% in Victoria. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 35.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.0%) and graduate diplomas (5.2%). Vocational pathways account for 16.3% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.6% and certificates at 6.7%.

Educational participation is high, with 32.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes secondary education (10.6%), tertiary education (10.0%), and primary education (7.4%). There are approximately 9,746 students educated within a robust network of 10 schools in Kew - South. The area's educational performance is exceptional, with an ICSEA score of 1170, placing its schools among the most advantaged nationally. The educational mix includes 1 primary school and 9 K-12 schools. Kew - South functions as an education hub with 79.0 school places per 100 residents, significantly above the regional average of 19.2, attracting students from surrounding communities. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' in enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

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

Transport analysis in Kew - South shows 67 active public transport stops operating. These include a mix of light rail and bus services. There are 12 individual routes servicing these stops, collectively providing 5,911 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 184 meters from the nearest stop. Service frequency averages 844 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 88 weekly trips per stop.

Kew - South's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Kew - South. Both young and old age cohorts saw low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 81% of the total population (10,015 people), compared to 77.7% across Greater Melbourne, and 55.3% nationally.

The most common medical conditions were asthma and arthritis, impacting 6.9 and 6.7% of residents respectively. 72.7% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 73.8% across Greater Melbourne. Kew - South has 21.6% of residents aged 65 and over (2,661 people), higher than the 19.4% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors were particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

Kew - South 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-South has a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 31.2% of its population born overseas and 26.1% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Kew-South, accounting for 47.4% of the population. Judaism, however, is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, making up 0.8% of Kew-South's population against the regional average of 0.9%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (22.2%), Australian (17.8%), and Chinese (12.1%). Some other ethnic groups also show notable differences: Irish is overrepresented at 10.8% in Kew-South compared to 8.8% regionally, Greek stands at 3.1% versus the regional average of 3.4%, and Sri Lankan is reported at 0.6% against a regional figure of 0.7%.

Kew - South hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Kew - South is 42 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and Australia's median age of 38 years. The 15-24 age group comprises 17.9% of the population in Kew - South, compared to Greater Melbourne's percentage, while the 35-44 cohort makes up 10.5%. This is higher than the national average for the 15-24 age group, which stands at 12.5%. According to post-2021 Census data, the proportion of people aged 15-24 has increased from 15.8% to 17.9%, while the 45-54 cohort has decreased from 13.9% to 11.7%, and the 5-14 age group has dropped from 11.3% to 10.0%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Kew - South, with the 75-84 age group expected to grow by 29% (an increase of 272 people), reaching a total of 1,210 from 937. Notably, all population growth will be accounted for by the combined 65+ age groups, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. Conversely, the 45-54 and 0-4 age cohorts are expected to experience population declines.