Kew - West

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

Kew - West's population is approximately 14,061 as of May 2026. This figure represents an increase of 1,022 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 13,039. The change was inferred from ABS data showing an estimated resident population of 13,799 in June 2025 and an additional 268 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 2,264 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Kew - West's growth rate of 7.8% since the 2021 census surpassed the SA3 area's growth rate of 6.6%, making it a growth leader in the region. 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 utilises 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. According to these projections, Kew - West's population is expected to decline by 56 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts like the 75 to 84 group are projected to increase, with an anticipated growth of 286 people in this age range 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, 42 approvals have been recorded. The area's population decline suggests that new supply has likely kept pace with demand, providing good buying options while developers focus on premium market segments, with an average expected construction cost value of $841,000 for new homes. This financial year, $1.9 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating the area's residential nature.

Compared to Greater Melbourne, Kew-West has slightly more development activity, with 20.0% above the regional average per person over the past five years, maintaining reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. New building activity shows a trend towards denser development, with 17.0% detached dwellings and 83.0% medium to high-density housing, appealing to downsizers, investors, and entry-level buyers. This shift reflects reduced availability of development sites and addresses changing lifestyle demands and affordability requirements, differing from the current housing mix of 49.0% houses. With approximately 134 people per dwelling approval, Kew-West exhibits characteristics of a growth area. Given stable or declining population forecasts, the area may experience less housing pressure in the future, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Given stable or declining population forecasts, Kew - West may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 63 projects that could impact the region. Notable initiatives include Kew Recreation Centre Redevelopment, YarraBend, Kew Library Upgrade, and Montview. The following details projects expected to have the greatest 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.

AreaSearch analysis places Kew - West well above average for employment performance across multiple indicators

Kew-West has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 3.0% as of the past year. Employment growth was estimated at 2.6%.

By December 2025, there were 8,049 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.8%, below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Workforce participation was similar to Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. According to Census responses, 44.9% of residents worked from home. Key industries 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. Construction is under-represented at 6.2%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 9.7%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by Census data on working population vs resident population. In the 12 months prior, employment increased by 2.6% while labour force grew by 2.4%, reducing unemployment by 0.2 percentage points. Conversely, Greater Melbourne saw employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with a rise in unemployment of 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment expansion at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, varying significantly by industry sector. Applying these projections to Kew-West's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.5% over five years and 15.1% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Kew - West SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $66,719 and an average of $129,482. Nationally, these figures are exceptionally high. Greater Melbourne's median was $57,688 with an average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $73,137 (median) and $141,938 (average) as of March 2026. Census 2021 income data ranks Kew - West's household, family, and personal incomes highly nationally, between the 87th and 89th percentiles. Income distribution shows 31.4% of locals (4,415 people) earn over $4,000 annually, differing from Melbourne's predominant category of $1,500 - $2,999 at 32.8%. Economic strength is evident with 42.8% of households earning over $3,000 weekly, supporting high consumer spending. Housing accounts for 14.4% of income, and residents rank in the 89th 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 above-average rates of outright home ownership

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 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kew-West stood at 37.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 29.3% and rented ones at 32.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,000, higher than Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. Median weekly rent in Kew-West was $456, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, Kew-West's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $3,000 versus Australia's average of $1,863, and rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Kew - West features high concentrations of group households, with a lower-than-average 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 account for the remaining 32.3%, with lone person households at 26.8% and group households comprising 5.6% of the total. The median household size is 2.5 people, which is smaller than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

In Kew - West, residents aged 15 and above have a higher educational attainment than national and state averages. Specifically, 56.2% of residents hold university qualifications compared to 30.4% in Australia and 33.4% in Victoria. The area has a significant educational advantage with bachelor degrees being the most common at 34.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (16.6%) and graduate diplomas (4.7%). Vocational pathways account for 17.4% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.4% and certificates at 8.0%.

Educational participation is high in the area, 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.

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

Kew - West has 51 operational public transport stops offering lightrail and bus services. These are covered by 17 routes facilitating 5,801 weekly passenger trips. Residents' average proximity to the nearest stop is 214 meters, indicating good accessibility. Primarily residential, most residents commute outward using cars (78%), with walking (6%) and buses (5%) being less common. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 44.9% of residents work from home, potentially influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

Daily service frequency across all routes is 828 trips, translating to about 113 weekly trips per stop.

The level of general health in Kew - West is notably higher than the national average with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Kew-West demonstrates above-average health outcomes based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Both young and old age cohorts have a low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 80% of the total population (11,305 people), compared to 56.7% across Greater Melbourne and 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 7.5% and 7.2% of residents respectively. Seventy-two point three percent of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have notably healthy outcomes with low chronic condition prevalence. The area has 19.3% of residents aged 65 and over (2,708 people), higher than the 15.0% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, ranking even higher than the general population nationally.

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 has 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. Christianity is the predominant religion in Kew-West, accounting for 44.3% of people. However, Judaism is notably overrepresented, comprising 1.0% of the population compared to the regional average of 1.0%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (20.9%), Australian (17.5%), and Chinese (11.9%), which is significantly higher than the regional average of 6.5%. Some other ethnic groups also show notable differences: Polish at 1.1% in Kew-West compared to 0.8% regionally, Greek at 4.0% versus 2.7%, and Italian at 5.8% against 5.2%.

Kew - West's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Kew - West's median age is 41 years, significantly higher than Greater Melbourne's average of 37 and Australia's median of 38. The 55-64 cohort is notably over-represented at 12.6% locally compared to the Greater Melbourne average, while the 35-44 age group is under-represented at 12.5%. Post the 2021 Census, the 15-24 age group grew from 12.6% to 14.6%, and the 75-84 cohort increased from 5.6% to 6.8%. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort declined from 11.2% to 9.5%, and the 45-54 group dropped from 14.2% to 12.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Kew - West's age profile will change significantly. The 75-84 cohort is projected to grow by 22%, adding 207 residents to reach 1,164. Aging continues as residents aged 65 and older represent 96% of anticipated growth. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 35-44 age cohorts.