Kew East
A $2,955,000 median house price sitting on a base of 66.5% detached houses sets Kew East apart from most inner Melbourne, where premium tends to mean apartment density. Household income reaches the 92.2nd percentile nationally, and the suburb scores decile 10 on three of four SEIFA indexes (IRSAD, IEO and IRSD). University qualifications hit 63.3%, which is 33.2 points above the national figure. The profile is established and aging, with a median age of 41, one year above national, and renters making up just 24.0% of a 4.06 km2 footprint at 1,628 residents per km2.
Population
6,620
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,490/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
83
Median House
$3.0M
Apr-Jun 2024
The $2,955,000 median places Kew East firmly in the premium tier, and the long-run climb is steep: prices rose 144.2% from $1,210,000 in 2013 to today, a compound rate of 6.6% a year. Buyers get genuine land here because 66.5% of dwellings are separate houses, far above the apartment-heavy inner-city norm, with apartments only 11.6%. Three-bedroom homes lead at 39.5% and four-plus bedroom homes follow at 36.6%, so the stock suits families rather than downsizers. Despite the headline price, monthly mortgage repayments average $3,000 and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 27.8%, below the 30% stress threshold, because incomes in the 92.2nd percentile absorb the cost. Outright owners at 41.9% outnumber mortgage holders at 34.0%, a sign of long-held, debt-free ownership.
For Buyers
The $2,955,000 median places Kew East firmly in the premium tier, and the long-run climb is steep: prices rose 144.2% from $1,210,000 in 2013 to today, a compound rate of 6.6% a year. Buyers get genuine land here because 66.5% of dwellings are separate houses, far above the apartment-heavy inner-city norm, with apartments only 11.6%. Three-bedroom homes lead at 39.5% and four-plus bedroom homes follow at 36.6%, so the stock suits families rather than downsizers. Despite the headline price, monthly mortgage repayments average $3,000 and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 27.8%, below the 30% stress threshold, because incomes in the 92.2nd percentile absorb the cost. Outright owners at 41.9% outnumber mortgage holders at 34.0%, a sign of long-held, debt-free ownership.
For Investors
Renters make up 24.0% of households and weekly rent averages $471, a modest pool against the $2,955,000 median that produces a gross yield near 0.8%, very low even by inner Melbourne standards. The 8.6% vacancy rate points to soft rental demand in a market dominated by owner-occupiers. Demand support is thin: net overseas migration adds 113 residents a year while internal migration removes 76, and annual population growth is just 0.21%. Development is steady at 76 applications over 12 months, mostly alterations and single-dwelling permits rather than new supply. Rent grew 23.3% over the period, so the investment case here rests on capital growth and rent escalation rather than yield or volume.
Development Activity
Total DAs
88
Last 12 Months
83
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+1975.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Kew East iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Kew East Primary School
Prep-6 · 404 students
St Anne's School
Prep-6 · 80 students
Kew High School
7-12 · 1015 students
Demographics
The median age of 41 is 1.0 year above the national figure, and the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 3.5 points while the young share fell 2.9 points over the decade. Overseas-born residents reach 28.5%, which is 6.9 points above national. Ancestry leans Anglo-Celtic, led by English (1,823) and Irish (805), with a substantial Chinese community (883) and Italian (734). The top non-English languages are Mandarin (190), Greek (144) and Italian (84). University qualifications at 63.3% run 33.2 points above national, among the highest anywhere. Average household size is 2.7, which is 0.2 above national, consistent with the family profile where couples with children (2,374 families) outnumber couples without children (1,146).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
66.5%
Houses
21.9%
Townhouse
11.6%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure tilts toward ownership: 41.9% own outright, 34.0% carry a mortgage and only 24.0% rent. Outright owners outnumbering mortgage holders points to long-held, debt-free wealth rather than a churn of new buyers. The stock is 66.5% separate houses, with semi-detached at 21.9% and apartments just 11.6%, so detached land underpins values. Three-bedroom dwellings account for 39.5% and four-plus bedroom homes 36.6%, while two-bedroom stock is 22.8%, reflecting a family-sized housing base. The median rose from $1,210,000 in 2013 to $2,955,000, a 144.2% gain at 6.6% compound annually. Mortgage-to-income at 27.8% and rent-to-income at 18.9% both stay below stress thresholds, a divergence that shows how much the 92.2nd-percentile incomes cushion premium prices.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,000
Rent / wk
$471
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,043
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.6%
Unoccupied
222
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.8%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
20.7%
Couples, no children
5,548
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in knowledge and care sectors: Healthcare leads at 20.0% (522 workers), Professional/Tech follows at 16.0% (419) and Education at 13.0% (340), with Finance at 7.8% and Construction at 7.0%. By occupation, Professionals (1,325) and Managers (653) dominate, which aligns with the decile 10 IEO score for education and occupation. Unemployment is low at 4.3% and the full-time rate is 62.3%. Participation reads 62.7%, held down by 1,686 residents not in the labour force, consistent with the older profile. SEIFA reads decile 10 on IRSAD, IEO and IRSD but decile 9 on IER (economic resources), a small step lower because the renter and asset-rich-but-cash-modest retiree mix tempers aggregate household resource measures relative to the top decile elsewhere.
Unemployment
3.0%
Labour Force
4,067
Unemployed
122
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.3%
Part-time
33.4%
Participation
62.7%
Employed
3,260
Occupations
Top Industries
University
63.3%
Postgraduate
19.8%
Born Overseas
28.5%
Dwellings
2,352
Transport to Work
Car reliance is high for an inner suburb: 85.6% drive while only 3.1% take public transport and 6.0% walk or cycle, above the car-dependent profile you would expect given the family housing and 1,628 per km2 density. The suburb earns decile 10 on IRSAD, the top advantage tier nationally, and decile 10 on IRSD, meaning very few residents face relative disadvantage. The crime rate is 39.7 per 1,000 residents, with 263 total offences in the year, of which 209 (about 79%) are property and deception offences rather than crimes against the person, which number just 19. Volunteering runs at 19.9% and only 4.4% (280 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with an established, low-disadvantage area.
Drive
85.6%
Public Transport
3.1%
Walk / Cycle
6.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+0.21%/yr
(+14 people/yr)
EstablishedKew East is effectively flat: annual population growth registers 0.21% (about 14 people a year) and the 10-year change is just 2.9%, classifying it as an established, slow-growth suburb. The current 6,759 residents have recovered past the pre-COVID 6,784 level after a 3.4% dip, sitting 2.9% above the COVID low of 6,555. Overseas migration of 113 a year is the primary driver, offset by net internal outflow of 76. Medium forecasts lift the population only to about 6,835 by 2031, so little expansion is expected. The gentrification stage reads not gentrifying, which fits a suburb already at decile 10 advantage with no room to climb, though affordability improved from 49.8% in 2011 to 44.7% in 2021.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+113
Net Internal / yr
-76
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
COVID recovered (-3% dip → full recovery)
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
263
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
39.7
Offence Categories
Source: Crime Statistics Agency Victoria / SA Police
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kew East compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kew East a good suburb to live in?
Kew East ranks in decile 10 on IRSAD, IEO and IRSD, the top advantage tier nationally, with household income in the 92.2nd percentile. University qualifications reach 63.3%, 33.2 points above national. The main trade-off is a high $2,955,000 median house price and heavy car reliance, with only 3.1% using public transport.
What is the median house price in Kew East?
The median house price is $2,955,000 as of the Apr-Jun 2024 quarter. Prices rose 144.2% from $1,210,000 in 2013, a compound rate of 6.6% a year. Weekly rent averages $471 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $3,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 27.8%.
What schools are in Kew East?
No schools are recorded inside the 4.06 km2 Kew East boundary in this dataset, so families rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The local population is highly educated, with university qualifications at 63.3%, which is 33.2 points above the national figure.
Is Kew East safe?
The crime rate is 39.7 per 1,000 residents, with 263 total offences in the year. Of these, 209 (about 79%) are property and deception offences, while crimes against the person number just 19. The suburb also scores decile 10 on the IRSD index, the top tier for low relative disadvantage.
Is Kew East good for property investment?
Rent of $471 a week against a $2,955,000 median gives a gross yield near 0.8%, very low, and the 8.6% vacancy rate signals soft rental demand. Net overseas migration of 113 a year supports demand, but 0.21% population growth means returns depend on capital growth rather than yield.
How is Kew East's population changing?
Population growth is 0.21% annually, about 14 people a year, with a 2.9% rise over 10 years. The current 6,759 residents have recovered past the pre-COVID 6,784 level after a 3.4% dip. The profile is aging, with the senior share up 3.5 points and the young share down 2.9 points over the decade.
What languages are spoken in Kew East?
About 28.5% of residents were born overseas, 6.9 points above the national figure. English is dominant, with Mandarin (190 speakers), Greek (144), Italian (84) and Cantonese (83) the most common non-English languages, reflecting a settled and partly international resident mix.
How much development is happening in Kew East?
There were 76 development applications lodged in the past 12 months. Most are alterations, vegetation removal or single-dwelling permits rather than new supply, consistent with an established, slow-growth area at 0.21% annual population growth and 66.5% detached housing stock.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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