Kew - West
Statistical Area - sa2

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

As of November 2025, Kew - West's population stands at approximately 14,212 people. This figure represents an increase of 1,173 individuals since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 13,039. The growth is inferred from ABS estimates showing a resident population of 13,675 in June 2024 and an additional 261 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a population density of 2,288 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Kew - West's growth rate of 9.0% since the 2021 Census exceeds that of its SA3 area (6.9%) and SA4 region, positioning it as a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration was the primary driver of this population increase.

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 the years 2032 to 2041. According to these projections, Kew - West's population is expected to decline by 11 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are projected to grow, notably the 75 to 84 age group, which is anticipated to increase by 372 people over this period.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Kew - West when compared nationally

Kew-West has averaged approximately 89 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling 445 homes. As of FY26 so far, there have been 5 recorded approvals. The area's population decline suggests that new supply is likely keeping pace with demand, providing good choice for buyers. New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $841,000, indicating that developers target the premium market segment with higher-end properties.

This financial year has seen $1.9 million in commercial development approvals, suggesting minimal commercial development activity compared to Greater Melbourne. Kew-West records elevated construction levels (20.0% above regional average per person over the five-year period), offering reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. New development consists of 17.0% standalone homes and 83.0% townhouses or apartments, providing affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This shift from the area's existing housing (currently 49.0% houses) reflects decreasing availability of developable sites and changing lifestyles requiring more diverse, affordable housing options. With around 134 people per dwelling approval, Kew-West exhibits characteristics of a growth area.

Population projections indicating stability or decline suggest reduced housing demand pressures in the future, benefiting potential buyers.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 66 projects that could impact this region. Major projects include Kew Recreation Centre Redevelopment, Kew Library Upgrade, YarraBend, and Montview. The following details those expected to have the most relevance.

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.

The labour market in Kew - West shows considerable strength compared to most other Australian regions

Kew - West has an educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 2.8% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 4.1%.

As of June 2025, 8,079 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8% below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.6%, and workforce participation at 64.1%. Dominant sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade. The area specializes in professional & technical services, with employment share 1.5 times the regional level. Construction is under-represented, at 6.2% compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%.

Employment opportunities locally may be limited, indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 4.1%, labour force grew by 3.0%, reducing the unemployment rate by 1.0 percentage points. In Greater Melbourne, employment grew by 3.5%, labour force expanded by 4.0%, but unemployment rose by 0.5 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (May 2025) project growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Kew - West's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 7.5% over five years and 15.1% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting 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 - West had a median taxpayer income of $65,787 and an average income of $129,974 in the financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This places it in the top percentile nationally, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $54,892 and average income of $73,761 in the same period. By September 2025, based on a 12.16% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2022, estimated incomes would be approximately $73,787 (median) and $145,779 (average). Census 2021 income data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Kew - West rank highly nationally, between the 88th and 90th percentiles. The earnings profile indicates that 31.4% of residents earn $4000+ weekly, differing from surrounding regions where $1,500 - 2,999 is dominant with 32.8%. A substantial 42.8% exceed $3,000 weekly, reflecting strong purchasing power in the community. Housing accounts for 14.4% of income, and residents rank within the 90th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

Kew - West displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

In Kew-West, as per the latest Census, 49.1% of dwellings were houses while 50.9% comprised semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This differs from Melbourne's metropolitan area which had 55.5% houses and 44.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kew-West stood at 37.8%, with mortgaged properties making up 29.3% and rented ones 32.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,000, aligning with Melbourne's metro average but significantly higher than the national average of $1,863. Weekly rent in Kew-West averaged $456, slightly above Melbourne's metro figure of $451 and notably higher than Australia's average of $375.

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

Family households constitute 67.7% of all households, including 32.3% couples with children, 25.0% couples without children, and 8.8% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 32.3%, with lone person households at 26.8% and group households making up 5.6%. The median household size is 2.5 people, which aligns with the Greater Melbourne average.

Educational achievement in Kew - West places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Educational attainment in Kew-West is notably high, with 56.2% of residents aged 15 and above holding university qualifications. This compares to 30.4% nationally and 33.4% statewide (VIC). Bachelor degrees are the most common at 34.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 16.6% and graduate diplomas at 4.7%. Vocational pathways account for 17.4% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas making up 9.4% and certificates 8.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.6% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.8% in tertiary education, 8.7% in secondary education, and 8.0% pursuing primary education. Kew-West has three schools with a combined enrollment of 529 students. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement, with an ICSEA score of 1148. The educational mix includes two primary schools and one K-12 school. School capacity is limited locally at 3.8 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 19.2, leading many families to travel to nearby areas for schooling. Note: where schools show 'n/a' for 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

The analysis of public transportation in Kew - West shows that there are currently 51 operational transport stops. These include a combination of lightrail and bus services. The area is served by 18 distinct routes, which together facilitate approximately 5,909 weekly passenger trips.

The accessibility to these transport options is considered good, with residents on average being located around 214 meters from their nearest stop. On a daily basis, there are about 844 trips across all routes, translating to roughly 115 weekly trips per individual stop.

Kew - West's residents are extremely healthy with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Analysis shows Kew-West had very low prevalence of common health conditions across all ages. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 81% of total population (11,540) compared to Greater Melbourne's 77.7%. Nationally, it is 55.3%.

Mental health issues and asthma were most common, affecting 7.5% and 7.2%, respectively. 72.3% reported no medical ailments, close to Greater Melbourne's 73.8%. The area had 19.6% seniors (aged 65 and over) totaling 2,781 people. Senior health outcomes were strong, performing better than the general population in metrics.

Kew - West 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-West was found to have a higher cultural diversity compared to most local areas, with 32.0% of its population born overseas and 28.2% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Kew-West, comprising 44.3% of its population. Notably, Judaism is overrepresented in Kew-West at 1.0%, compared to 0.9% across Greater Melbourne.

The top three ancestry groups are English (20.9%), Australian (17.5%), and Chinese (11.9%). Some ethnic groups have notable differences: Greek (4.0% vs regional 3.4%), Polish (1.1% vs 0.8%), and Italian (5.8% vs 4.8%) are overrepresented in Kew-West.

Kew - West's median age exceeds the national pattern

Kew - West'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 age of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Kew-West has a notably higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (10.2%) and a lower proportion of those aged 35-44 (12.3%). According to the 2021 Census, the population aged 15-24 increased from 12.6% to 14.8%, while the 5-14 age group decreased from 11.2% to 9.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Kew-West's age profile. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 28%, adding 258 residents to reach 1,192. This growth will be driven entirely by residents aged 65 and older, with population declines anticipated for the 45-54 and 0-4 age groups.