Kewdale
A younger, migrant-connected residential and employment suburb, Kewdale has 7,397 residents, a median age of 36, and a density of 880.1 people per square kilometre. Its overseas-born share is 47.5%, or 25.9 percentage points above the national figure, while university attainment is 38.9%, 8.8 points above national. Housing remains detached-dominant, with 71.7% separate houses, and household income sits at the 52.4th percentile. Compared with nearby Welshpool's more industrial identity, Kewdale combines established housing with access to metropolitan jobs. That mix helps explain why 76.7% of workers drive, while only 8.4% use public transport.
Population
7,397
Median Age
36.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,597/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Homebuyers face a detached-led market, but a current median house price is not available for a reliable price comparison. Separate houses account for 71.7% of dwellings, compared with 4.4% apartments and 23.8% semi-detached homes. The dominant format is the 3-bedroom home at 51.9%, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 27.7%, making the suburb more family-house oriented than its apartment share suggests. A typical mortgage payment is $1,733 a month, with mortgage costs at 25.1% of household income compared with rent-to-income at 21.9%. Buyers should weigh repayment flexibility against the 37.3% renting share and 9.4% vacancy rate.
For Buyers
Homebuyers face a detached-led market, but a current median house price is not available for a reliable price comparison. Separate houses account for 71.7% of dwellings, compared with 4.4% apartments and 23.8% semi-detached homes. The dominant format is the 3-bedroom home at 51.9%, followed by 4-plus bedrooms at 27.7%, making the suburb more family-house oriented than its apartment share suggests. A typical mortgage payment is $1,733 a month, with mortgage costs at 25.1% of household income compared with rent-to-income at 21.9%. Buyers should weigh repayment flexibility against the 37.3% renting share and 9.4% vacancy rate.
For Investors
Investor conditions are supported by a sizeable tenant base: 37.3% of households rent, above the 29.8% owning outright, while weekly rent is $350. Vacancy is 9.4%, so available stock appears less constrained than in a lower-vacancy market and investors should allow for letting periods. Rent growth is forecast at 6.1%, and annual area growth is 1.49%, driven primarily by overseas migration. The gentrification score is 35 and classified as Early signs, while development activity was 0 applications in the past 12 months. This points to an established rental market with migration support, but less evidence of a near-term construction wave.
Schools in Kewdale
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
AUSTRALIAN ISLAMIC COLLEGE KEWDALE
CARLISLE PRIMARY SCHOOL
KEWDALE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Demographics
Kewdale's population is younger and more internationally connected than the national picture. Median age is 36, four years below the national figure, while 47.5% of residents were born overseas, 25.9 percentage points above national. University attainment is 38.9%, 8.8 points above national, and average household size is 2.5, equal to the national comparison. English ancestry counts 1,932 people and Chinese ancestry 626; Christianity is reported by 2,705 residents, compared with 2,383 reporting no religion and 1,210 Islam. Mandarin is spoken by 149 residents, followed by Urdu 124 and Arabic 111. With 79.4% staying at the same address and turnover at 20.6%, Kewdale is more settled than its overseas-born share alone might suggest. Compared with nearby Belmont, its eastern-metro setting has a notably international profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
71.7%
Houses
23.8%
Townhouse
4.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Kewdale's tenure mix sits between established ownership and a substantial rental market. Outright ownership is 29.8%, mortgage ownership 32.0%, and renting 37.3%, so renters form a larger share than outright owners and a slightly larger share than mortgaged households. Separate houses dominate at 71.7%, while semi-detached dwellings account for 23.8% and apartments 4.4%. Three-bedroom homes make up 51.9% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 27.7%, giving the stock a family-house emphasis compared with apartment-led inner areas. Because separate homes dominate, buyers can focus on conventional housing formats, while mortgage payments of $1,733 monthly should be compared with weekly rent of $350.
Mortgage / mo
$1,733
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$350
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$798
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
9.4%
Unoccupied
297
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
25.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
44.3%
Couples with children
37.5%
Couples, no children
16.3%
Single parent
1,895
Total families
Economy & Employment
Kewdale's employment base spans essential services and skilled trades. Healthcare is the largest industry at 14.2% or 352 workers, followed by Professional/Tech at 10.3% or 255, Education at 9.3% or 230, Construction at 9.2% or 227, and Transport at 7.6% or 188. Occupations are led by Professionals 733, Trades 608 and Clerical/Admin 500, with Community/Personal 388 and Labourers 382. Labour-force participation is 63.9%, unemployment is 5.0%, and full-time employment is 62.7%, supporting a mixed rather than single-industry economy. Household income sits at the 52.4th percentile, close to the national midpoint. SEIFA IEO is decile 6, above IER decile 4, while IRSAD and IRSD both sit at decile 5, indicating education and occupation are stronger than economic-resource measures.
Unemployment
5.0%
Labour Force
3,837
Unemployed
190
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
62.7%
Part-time
32.1%
Participation
63.9%
Employed
3,647
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
38.9%
Postgraduate
11.1%
Born Overseas
47.5%
Dwellings
2,858
Transport to Work
Day-to-day life is car-oriented: 76.7% travel as car drivers, compared with 8.4% using public transport, 2.3% walking or cycling and 6.5% working from home. That pattern makes parking and direct road access more important than a transit-first routine. Three local schools cover 2 government primary schools and 1 non-government college; check the exact enrolment zone before committing because school boundaries can differ from suburb boundaries. Kewdale has 7,397 residents across 8.4 square kilometres, or 880.1 people per square kilometre, giving it an established suburban scale rather than a high-rise setting. IRSAD is at the 5th decile, close to the middle of the decile scale. A suburb-level crime rate is not quantified, so compare current incident information and street conditions before choosing an address.
Drive
76.7%
Public Transport
8.4%
Walk / Cycle
2.3%
Work from Home
6.5%
Population Forecast
+1.49%/yr
(+126 people/yr)
EstablishedKewdale's outlook is established and measured rather than redevelopment-led. Annual growth is forecast at 1.49%, with overseas migration the primary driver, while the wider area's 10-year population change is 19.5%. The trajectory is Stable, and rent growth is 6.1%, suggesting demand can rise without a rapid shift in suburb character. Gentrification is at Early signs with a score of 35, above the shift score of 21, while affordability is classified as Improving, moving from 53.5 in 2011 to 43.9 in 2021. Because migration is the main demand engine and development activity was 0 over the last 12 months, change is more likely to come through household turnover and gradual reinvestment than a major construction cycle. Compared with a high-growth fringe market, Kewdale's Stable label implies a slower, more established trajectory.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+228
Net Internal / yr
-88
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +29% since 2011, Strong overseas inflow +228/yr, Accelerating: 10% → 17%
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kewdale compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kewdale a good suburb to live in?
Kewdale suits households wanting conventional housing close to eastern-metro employment, with 71.7% separate houses and a median age of 36. Car dependence is high at 76.7%, while public transport use is 8.4%, so it is better suited to drivers than a transit-first lifestyle. Compared with apartment-heavy areas, the setting is more house-oriented.
What is the median house price in Kewdale?
A median house price cannot be stated because no current figure is available. Buyers should compare recent sales for 3-bedroom and 4-plus-bedroom homes, which represent 51.9% and 27.7% of local stock, then compare repayments with the $1,733 monthly mortgage figure and $350 weekly rent.
What schools are in Kewdale?
Kewdale has 3 local schools: 2 government primary schools and 1 non-government college. They are Kewdale Primary School, Carlisle Primary School and Australian Islamic College Kewdale. Confirm the address-specific enrolment zone and compare sector options, as school boundaries can differ from suburb boundaries.
Is Kewdale safe?
A suburb-level crime rate is not quantified, so safety should be checked using current incident information, lighting, traffic and street conditions at different times. Kewdale has 7,397 residents and 76.7% car-driver travel, so compare streets for traffic exposure as well as convenience. The 5th IRSAD decile should not be treated as a safety rating.
Is Kewdale good for property investment?
Kewdale can suit investors seeking an established tenant base rather than a construction-led bet. Renting is 37.3%, weekly rent is $350 and vacancy is 9.4%, while forecast rent growth is 6.1%. Annual growth is 1.49% and overseas migration is the primary driver. Compare achievable rent and vacancy risk carefully because development activity was 0 applications in the past 12 months.
How is Kewdale's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is 19.5% over 10 years, with annual growth forecast at 1.49%. The trajectory is Stable and overseas migration is the primary driver. Kewdale itself has 7,397 residents today, while the gentrification score is 35 at the Early signs stage. Compared with a rapid redevelopment market, this points to gradual change through migration and household turnover.
What languages are spoken in Kewdale?
Kewdale has a strong multilingual presence, with 47.5% of residents born overseas, 25.9 percentage points above the national figure. Mandarin is spoken by 149 residents, Urdu by 124 and Arabic by 111, followed by Bengali at 98 and Italian at 61. Compared with the national picture, overseas migration is a particularly visible part of local life.
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 education open registers (school locations), 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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