Kew - South

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

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Kew - South's population is around 12,308 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 707 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,601 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,306 from the ABS as of June 2025 and an additional 118 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,849 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Kew - South's growth rate of 6.1% since census positions it within 0.5 percentage points of the SA3 area (6.6%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which was essentially the sole driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023 with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Considering the projected demographic shifts, projections indicate a decline in overall population, with the area's population expected to shrink by 234 persons by 2041 according to this methodology. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 75 to 84 age group, which is projected to expand by 258 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 received approximately 46 residential property approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 231 homes. As of FY-26, 29 approvals have been recorded. The population has decreased during this period, suggesting that new supply has kept pace with demand, providing good options for buyers. The average expected construction cost value of new homes is $1,099,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment.

This year, Kew South has seen $3.3 million in commercial development approvals, suggesting limited commercial development activity compared to residential. Relative to Greater Melbourne, Kew South shows around 69% of the construction activity per person and ranks among the 52nd percentile nationally when considering areas assessed for new building activity. The area maintains a suburban character with 73.0% detached houses and 27.0% townhouses or apartments being constructed.

This favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest, reflecting strong demand for family homes despite increasing density pressures. Kew South has around 313 people per dwelling approval, indicating low-density characteristics. With population expected to remain stable or decline, there may be reduced pressure on housing in the area, potentially presenting opportunities for buyers.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 40 projects likely to affect the region. Notable ones include Eastern Freeway Upgrades from Hoddle Street to Burke Road, development at 442-444 Barkers Road, Arteur project, and townhomes at 1207-1209 Burke Road. 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.

Employment conditions in Kew - South demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Kew - South has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 2.9% as of December 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.7%.

As of December 2025, 7,049 residents were employed with an unemployment rate of 1.8%, below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation was 67.8% compared to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 45.9% of residents worked from home. Dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, professional & technical, and education & training.

The area showed strong specialization in professional & technical services with an employment share of 1.6 times the regional level. Construction employed just 5.1% of local workers compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. There was a ratio of 0.6 workers per resident as at the Census, indicating above-normal local employment opportunities. In the 12-month period ending December 2025, employment increased by 1.7% while labour force grew by 2.4%, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 0.7 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Melbourne recorded employment growth of 2.4%, labour force growth of 2.8%, and an unemployment increase of 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that Kew - South's employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 15.2% over ten years, based on industry-specific projections applied to the local employment mix.

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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended June 2023, Kew - South SA2 had a median income among taxpayers of $66,789 and an average income of $129,930. Nationally, these figures place Kew - South in the top percentile. In Greater Melbourne, the median income was $57,688 and the average was $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% from financial year ended June 2023 to March 2026, estimated incomes for Kew - South would be approximately $73,214 (median) and $142,429 (average). Census 2021 income data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Kew - South rank highly nationally, between the 85th and 92nd percentiles. The dominant income bracket is $4000+ with 33.8% of residents (4,160 people), unlike broader trends where 32.8% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. A substantial proportion of high earners (44.9% above $3,000/week) indicates strong economic capacity in the district. After housing costs, residents retain 86.8% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power. 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

Dwelling structure in Kew-South, as per the latest Census, consisted of 52.6% houses and 47.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kew-South stood at 44.1%, with mortgaged properties at 30.2% and rented ones at 25.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,050, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Kew-South was $501, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. 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 fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 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, matching 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 significantly surpasses broader benchmarks, with 57.4% of residents aged 15+ holding university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in VIC. This substantial educational advantage positions the area strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees lead at 35.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (17.0%) and graduate diplomas (5.2%). Vocational pathways account for 16.3% of qualifications among those aged 15+ – advanced diplomas (9.6%) and certificates (6.7%).

Educational participation is notably 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, collectively facilitating 10,774 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents located an average of 184 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward daily. Car remains the dominant mode at 78%, while walking and cycling account for 6% and 2% respectively. The area has an average vehicle ownership of 1.3 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 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 of health outcomes data shows outstanding results for Kew-South. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were very low across all age groups. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 80% of the total population (9,895 people), compared to 56.7% in Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions were asthma (6.9%) and arthritis (6.7%). A total of 72.7% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents had low chronic condition prevalence. Kew-South had a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 21.2% (2,614 people), compared to 15.0% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors were strong, with national rankings broadly in line with 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 was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 31.2% of its population born overseas and 26.1% speaking a language other than English at home. The dominant religion in Kew-South is Christianity, comprising 47.4% of the population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented in Kew-South at 0.8%, compared to 1.0% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are English (22.2%), Australian (17.8%), and Chinese (12.1%), which is significantly higher than the regional average of 6.5%. There are also notable differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Irish is overrepresented at 10.8% compared to the regional average of 6.5%, Greek at 3.1% versus 2.7%, and Sri Lankan at 0.6% compared to 0.8%.

Kew - South's median age exceeds the national pattern

Kew - South'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, Kew - South has a notably higher percentage of residents aged 15-24 (18.0% locally vs. the Greater Melbourne average) and a lower percentage of those aged 35-44 (10.4%). The 15-24 age group in Kew - South is well above the national average of 12.7%. According to the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group increased from 15.8% to 18.0%, while the 25-34 cohort rose from 11.9% to 13.2%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group decreased from 13.9% to 11.7% and the 5-14 group fell from 11.3% to 9.5%. Demographic modeling indicates that Kew - South's age profile will change significantly by 2041, with the 85+ cohort projected to grow by 57%, adding 224 residents to reach 616. This growth is part of an overall demographic aging trend, as residents aged 65 and older represent all anticipated population growth. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 25-34 and 45-54 age cohorts.