Kew - South

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

Kew - South's population is around 12,362 as of February 2026. This reflects an increase of 761 people since the Census in 2021, which reported a population of 11,601 people. The change was inferred from ABS estimates showing a resident population of 12,352 by June 2024 and validated new addresses totalling 125 since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 2,861 persons per square kilometer, placing Kew - South in the upper quartile nationally according to AreaSearch assessments. The area's growth rate of 6.6% since the Census is within 0.8 percentage points of its SA3 area (7.4%), indicating competitive growth trends. 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, the area's population is projected to decline by 218 persons overall, while specific age cohorts like the 75 to 84 group are expected to increase, with a projected growth of 322 people in this age bracket.

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

Kew - South has received approximately 46 dwelling approvals annually. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, a total of 231 homes were approved, with an additional 24 approved so far in FY26. The average value for new dwellings is $1,099,000, indicating developers target the premium market segment.

This financial year has seen $3.3 million in commercial development approvals. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Kew - South shows around 69% of construction activity per person and ranks at the 52nd percentile nationally. New building activity comprises approximately 73.0% detached houses and 27.0% townhouses or apartments, reflecting the area's suburban identity with a focus on family homes.

Despite current census data showing 53.0% traditional houses, developers are building more, suggesting strong demand for family homes. With around 313 people per dwelling approval, Kew - South exhibits low density characteristics. Given stable or declining population forecasts, the area may experience less housing pressure, benefiting buyers.

Kew - South has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 42 projects likely affecting the region. Notable ones include Eastern Freeway Upgrades: Hoddle Street to Burke Road, 442-444 Barkers Road Development, Arteur, and 1207-1209 Burke Road Townhomes. Below is a list of 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 - South well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Kew - South has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation, a low unemployment rate of 2.6%, and estimated employment growth of 2.5% in the past year as of September 2025. The area's unemployment rate is 2.1% lower than Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.7%. Workforce participation is somewhat below standard at 67.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.0%.

According to Census responses, 45.9% of residents work from home. Dominant employment sectors are health care & social assistance, professional & technical, 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 ratio of 0.6 workers per resident indicates above-average local employment opportunities. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 2.5% and labour force increased by 2.7%, resulting in a slight unemployment rise of 0.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 3.0%, labour force growth of 3.3%, with unemployment rising by 0.3 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, released in May-25, project national employment expansion by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Kew - South's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 15.2% over ten years.

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

Kew-South SA2 has one of the highest income levels nationally, according to AreaSearch aggregating ATO data for FY2023. Its median taxpayer income is $66,789 and average income is $129,930, compared to Greater Melbourne's $57,688 and $75,164 respectively. By September 2025, estimated incomes are approximately $72,299 (median) and $140,649 (average), based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25%. Census 2021 data shows Kew-South's income rankings: households at 92nd percentile, families at 89th, personal incomes at 87th nationally. Income brackets indicate 33.8% earn $4000+, differing from the regional norm of 32.8% earning $1500-$2999 weekly. High earners are prominent, with 44.9% exceeding $3000 weekly. Post-housing costs, residents retain 86.8% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. SEIFA income ranking places Kew-South in the 10th decile.

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

As of the latest Census evaluation in Kew - South, dwelling structures consisted of 52.6% houses and 47.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This differs from Melbourne metro's structure of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kew - South stood at 44.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 30.2% and rented dwellings at 25.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,050, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure for Kew - South was $501, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Kew - South's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,050 against the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Kew - South features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 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 account for 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, which aligns with the Greater Melbourne average.

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 high, with 57.4% of residents aged 15 years and above holding university qualifications. This figure surpasses the national average of 30.4% and the Victorian state average of 33.4%. The area's educational advantage is reflected in its strong focus on knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are the most prevalent, held by 35.2% of residents aged 15 years and above, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.0%) and graduate diplomas (5.2%).

Vocational pathways account for 16.3% of qualifications among those in this age group - advanced diplomas are held by 9.6%, while certificates make up 6.7%. Educational participation is high, with 32.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.6% in secondary education, 10.0% in tertiary education, and 7.4% pursuing primary education.

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

Kew - South has 67 active public transport stops offering a mix of lightrail and buses. These stops are served by 11 routes, providing 10,774 weekly passenger trips in total. Transport accessibility is excellent, with residents typically located 184 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode at 78%, with 6% walking and 2% cycling. On average, there are 1.3 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 45.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 1,539 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 160 weekly trips per individual stop.

Kew - South's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

AreaSearch's assessment shows Kew - South has excellent health outcomes based on mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The area has a very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. Approximately 80% of the total population (9,939 people) have private health cover, compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and 55.7% nationally.

The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma at 6.9%, followed by arthritis at 6.7%. Around 72.7% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents in Kew - South have low chronic condition prevalence. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 22.3% (2,757 people), compared to 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Kew - South was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number 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, making up 47.4% of the population. Judaism, however, is overrepresented compared to Greater Melbourne, comprising 0.8% versus 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (22.2%), Australian (17.8%), and Chinese (12.1%), which is significantly higher than the regional average of 6.5%. Notably, Irish (10.8%) and Greek (3.1%) groups are overrepresented compared to their regional averages of 6.5% and 2.7%, respectively, while Sri Lankan representation is slightly lower at 0.6% versus 0.8%.

Kew - South's median age exceeds the national pattern

The median age in Kew - South is 42 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years, and considerably older than Australia's median age of 38 years. The 15-24 age group comprises 18.3% of the population in Kew - South, compared to Greater Melbourne, while the 35-44 cohort makes up 10.2%. This concentration of the 15-24 age group is well above the national average of 12.5%. According to data from the post-2021 Census, the 15 to 24 age group has increased from 15.8% to 18.3%, while the 75 to 84 cohort has risen from 6.7% to 8.0%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has decreased from 13.9% to 11.4%, and the 5 to 14 group has dropped from 11.3% to 9.6%. Population forecasts for the year 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Kew - South. The 85+ age group is projected to grow by 57%, reaching 654 people from 416, leading the demographic shift. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for all of the total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 45 to 54 and 25 to 34 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.