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 August 2025, Kew - West's population is approximately 14,097, reflecting an increase of 1,058 people since the 2021 Census. This growth represents an 8.1% rise from the previous population count of 13,039. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 13,675 in June 2024 and an additional 215 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,270 persons per square kilometer, exceeding the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Kew - West's growth rate of 8.1% since the 2021 census exceeded that of the SA3 area at 6.8%, making it a growth leader in the region. Overseas migration was the primary driver of population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting 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 utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, with adjustments made using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA 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 overall population is expected to decline by 11 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are anticipated to grow, notably the 75 to 84 age group, which is projected 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. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25445 dwellings were approved, with 4 approvals recorded so far in FY26. Despite population decline in the area, new supply has likely been meeting demand, providing good choice for buyers.

New properties are constructed at an average expected construction cost value of $860,000, 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 somewhat elevated construction levels, at 20.0% above the regional average per person over the five-year period, while preserving reasonable buyer options and sustaining existing property demand. New development consists of 17.0% standalone homes and 83.0% townhouses or apartments, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing composition, currently at 49.0% houses, indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options.

With around 134 people per dwelling approval, Kew-West exhibits characteristics of a growth area. However, with population projections showing stability or decline, Kew-West is expected to experience reduced housing demand pressures, benefiting potential buyers.

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

Infrastructure changes significantly influence local performance. AreaSearch identified 62 projects potentially impacting the area. Notable projects are Kew Recreation Centre Redevelopment, Kew Library Redevelopment, YarraBend Development, and Michael Tuck Stand Redevelopment. Below is a list of projects likely most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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

Kew-West has an educated workforce with professional services well-represented, an unemployment rate of 2.8%, and estimated employment growth of 4.1% in the past year as of June 2025. In this period, 8,079 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.8% lower than Greater Melbourne's 4.6%.

Workforce participation matched Greater Melbourne's 64.1%. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, professional & technical services, and retail trade. The area specializes in professional & technical jobs, with an employment share 1.5 times the regional level. However, construction is under-represented at 6.2% compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%.

Employment opportunities seem limited locally, as indicated by Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 4.1% and labour force grew by 3.0%, reducing the unemployment rate by 1.0 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne saw employment grow by 3.5%, labour force expand by 4.0%, but unemployment rose by 0.5 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows Victorian employment grew by 1.08% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%. National forecasts project employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local projections suggest Kew-West's growth could be approximately 7.5% over five years and 15.1% over ten years based on industry-specific extrapolations.

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

Kew - West has a median taxpayer income of $65,787 and an average income of $129,974 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2022. This places it in the top percentile nationally, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $54,892 and average income of $73,761. As of March 2025, current estimates based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.11% would be approximately $72,438 (median) and $143,114 (average). Census 2021 income data shows household, family, and personal incomes all rank highly in Kew - West, between the 88th and 90th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile indicates that the largest segment comprises 31.4% earning $4,000 or more weekly (4,426 residents), differing from patterns across the surrounding region where $1,500 - $2,999 dominates with 32.8%. Higher earners represent a substantial presence with 42.8% exceeding $3,000 weekly, indicating strong purchasing power within the community. Housing accounts for 14.4% of income while strong earnings rank residents 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

Kew-West's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 49.1% houses and 50.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Melbourne metro's figures of 55.5% houses and 44.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kew-West was at 37.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.3% and rented ones at 32.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $3,000, aligning with Melbourne metro's average. However, the median weekly rent figure in Kew-West was $456, slightly higher than Melbourne metro's $451. Nationally, Kew-West's median monthly mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,000 compared to Australia's average of $1,863. Similarly, rents in Kew-West were substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 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 constitute the remaining 32.3%, with lone person households at 26.8% and group households comprising 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 significantly surpasses broader benchmarks. 56.2% of residents aged 15+ hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in Victoria. Bachelor degrees lead at 34.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.6%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Vocational pathways account for 17.4%.

Advanced diplomas make 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, 8.7% in secondary, and 8.0% in primary education. Kew-West's three schools have a combined enrollment of 529 students. The area demonstrates significant socio-educational advantages and academic achievement (ICSEA: 1148). The educational mix includes two primary and one K-12 school. Local school capacity is limited, with 3.8 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 19.2, meaning many families travel 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 transport in Kew - West shows that there are 51 active transport stops currently operating. These stops offer a mix of lightrail and bus services. In total, these stops are serviced by 18 individual routes, collectively providing 5,909 weekly passenger trips.

Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located approximately 214 meters from the nearest transport stop. The service frequency averages 844 trips per day across all routes, equating to around 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 of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Kew-West with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 81% of the total population (11,446 people), compared to 77.7% across Greater Melbourne and a national average of 55.3%. The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.5% and 7.2% of residents respectively, while 72.3% declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 73.8% across Greater Melbourne.

As of 19th June 2021, the area has 19.6% of residents aged 65 and over (2,758 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health 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 than most local markets, with 32.0% of its population born overseas and 28.2% speaking a language other than English at home. The dominant religion in Kew-West is Christianity, comprising 44.3% of the population. However, Judaism is notably overrepresented, making up 1.0% of the population compared to 0.9% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry, the top three represented groups are English (20.9%), Australian (17.5%), and Chinese (11.9%). Some ethnic groups have notable differences in representation: Greek is overrepresented at 4.0% (vs regional 3.4%), Polish at 1.1% (vs 0.8%), and Italian at 5.8% (vs 4.8%).

Kew - West's median age exceeds the national pattern

Kew-West's median age is 41 years, which is notably higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 years and slightly above Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Kew-West has a significantly higher proportion of residents aged 65-74 (10.2% locally) 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 projections indicate significant shifts in Kew-West's age profile. The 75-84 cohort is expected to grow by 29%, adding 265 residents and reaching a total of 1,192. This growth will be driven entirely by the aging of existing residents aged 65 and older. Conversely, population declines are projected for those aged 45-54 and 0-4 years.