Kew East VIC 3102
Located in Victoria, Kew East sits 10 km from Melbourne CBD, around 15 minutes by car. The suburb has 6,620 residents, a median age of 41, and a median household income of $129,480 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the top 20% nationally. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $471 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $3,000. The area shows high flood risk and no recorded bushfire exposure. All 3 schools within the suburb boundary rank above the state average, and walkability is high.
Is Kew East a good suburb?
Kew East scores a A+ (82/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on schools, transit, and community, weaker on safety.
Above the state average
3 schools · 3 above peer schools · Top 1% in VIC
Walkable and central
Walkability 85/100 · 9.7 km · 15 min drive to Melbourne
Median available
Median $2.23M
High flood risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 49/100 · Flood 88/100
Very advantaged
SEIFA decile 10/10 · median age 41 · 6,620 residents
Liveability Rating
82 / 100 · Ranked #42 in VICEach bar is Kew East's rank among VIC suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
How do you rate the liveability in Kew East?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
82 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataKew East's house market is moving lower: the median sale price reached $2.23 million, about 5% below where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$2,225,000
In line with its 6 neighbours (median $2,210,000)
Based on 88 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 26 days — median across 20 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 5 sales $2.2M
- 3 bed 32 sales $1.96M
- 4 bed 38 sales $2.42M
- 5 bed 10 sales $2.88M
Units
$825,000
13% above its 6 neighbours (median $731,000)
Based on 58 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 22 days — median across 18 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 33 sales $760K
- 3 bed 19 sales $1.31M
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Kew East are currently listed at around $2.1 million on average. Based on 29 houses listed in the past six months.
Houses
$2.1M
29 houses listed in the last 6 months.
Units
$755K
10 units listed in the last 6 months.
39 of the suburb's 2,357 dwellings (1.7%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Kew East rent for around $1,000 a week on average, based on 21 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$1,000/wk
7% below its 5 neighbours (median $1,070/wk)
21 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$717/wk
4 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
25 rentals advertised against an estimated 566 rented homes (4.4%) in the last 6 months.
Rental affordability
June quarter 202593 Unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 32% of its income on the median rent in postcode 3102.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$1,000/week ($52,000 a year) on a $2.1 million median
$717/week ($37,000 a year) on a $755,000 median
Based on a small sample (4 listings) — indicative only.
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Short-Stay Rentals
3 active Airbnb listings: 2 whole homes and 1 room. Whole homes are about 0.1% of the suburb's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Kew East safe? Crime statistics
2026Crime in Kew East sits in the moderate band, with 237 incidents recorded in 2026 — down roughly 19% on the prior year.
237 offences
19.4% since 2025Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202511 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
Three schools serve Kew East, and the cohort skews above peer-suburb performance. Kew East Primary School and Kew High School lead the pack.
- • 1,499 students across 3 schools (avg 500)
- • Sectors: 2 Government, 1 Catholic
- • ICSEA 1110-1183, median 1152 (well above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Kew High School (1,015 students)
Primary
Secondary
Universities nearby
- 4.2 kmHawthorn Campus John Street Hawthorn Swinburne UniversitySwinburne University of Technology · 402 courses
- 6.5 kmAustralian Catholic University-Melbourne CampusAustralian Catholic University · 137 courses
- 8.1 kmMelbourne C.Q.U CampusCentral Queensland University · 59 courses
4.7% of residents here are full-time university students aged 15–24.
Distance is measured to the suburb centre. A campus nearby does not by itself mean a student rental market — most suburbs within a few kilometres of one have a student share close to the national norm, and the figure above is what tells them apart.
Walkability
Kew East is very walkable on foot — at 85/100, most daily errands can be done on foot. Within the suburb there are 1 supermarket, 6 parks and 5 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Kew East.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 249.2 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 195.2 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 138.9 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 19.4 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Kew East.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 45%
- Premises covered
- 3,012
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Boroondara: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 18 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 2 different deciles — a narrow range, so the average describes the suburb closely.
Kew East is home to about 6,600 residents, with a median age of 41, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $129,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.1%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
6,620
Median Age
41
Median Household Income
$129,480/yr
Census Median Rent
$471/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$3,000/mo
Avg Household Size
2.7
Median Personal Income
$54,236/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.1%
Unoccupied Dwellings
9.4%
Total Dwellings
2,357
Owner-Occupier Rate
76.0%
Houses
66.3%
Rental Stress
18.9%
Mortgage Stress
27.8%
Work From Home
45.2%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
9 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 7 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 550 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 69.8%
- English Spoken at Home
- 70.3%
- Employment Rate
- 63.5%
- Completed Year 12
- 63.5%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
233 residents (3.5%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 6,317 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
23% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (799 of 3,449).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Local Jobs
People who work in this suburb against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 2,758 people work here; 3,449 employed residents live here.
Roughly as many jobs as working residents (0.8 per resident). At least 19% of employed residents must work outside the suburb.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $2,253 a year through Boroondara based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 47%
- Other and special use 24%
- Parks and recreation 14%
- Infrastructure and transport 12%
- Commercial 2%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Boroondara
In the year to August 2026, 711 new dwellings were approved across Boroondara. That mix is 433 houses and 278 units. Approvals are down 40.4% on the same period a year earlier.
New Homes Planned
New homes planned in this suburb: 14 homes
- Apartment and townhouse projects under construction 14 homes
From the Victorian Government's Urban Development Program: growth-area land and approved lots (metropolitan 2025, regional June 2024) and projects of 10 or more homes in Melbourne (2025), by stage. Lots and homes are counted as published; a lot usually becomes one home.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
The Registered Aboriginal Party for this area is Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation (appointed 2008).
Registered Aboriginal Parties are appointed by the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 as the primary guardians, keepers and knowledge holders of Aboriginal cultural heritage for their area. They are the body to contact about cultural heritage here.
Air Quality
MODERATEPM2.5 averaged 7.3 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³). 1 day exceeded the daily threshold of 25 µg/m³.
PM10 averaged 17.8 µg/m³ · NO₂ averaged 0.82 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 0 · NO₂ 0 · ozone 0.
From the Alphington monitoring station, 2.4 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Essendon Airport, 14.6 kmModerate rainfall — hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 26 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 10.7 km
- Annual rainfall
- 534 mm
- 85 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 26.7°C
- 13 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 6.5°C
- 2 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
6 facilities within 5 km- 3.8 kmHospitals (Except Psychiatric Hospitals)Top reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 4.0 kmHospitals (Except Psychiatric Hospitals)Top reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 4.5 km
- 4.8 kmLaundry and Dry-Cleaning ServicesTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 4.9 kmPulp, Paper and Paperboard ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
EV adoption
In postcode 3102, 138 of 4,942 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 4.3% (212 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 7.1%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 3102, 606 rooftop-solar systems totalling 4.1 MW have been installed since 2001, against 2,578 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 45 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $750,000.
The separate First Home Buyer Duty Reduction (stamp-duty concession) runs alongside this grant.
0 first-home grants were paid in postcode 3102 in 2025-26. The most was 25, in 2005-06.
Grants on new and established homes; established homes stopped qualifying in mid-2013.
Mortgage repayments
12 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb.
Land transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with State Revenue Office Victoria
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $750,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with State Revenue Office Victoria.
At $2,225,000 this is $1,475,000 above the $750,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with State Revenue Office Victoria.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-26 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Monique Ryan Independent
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Monique Ryan | 47.6% | 52.4% | +1.4 |
| 2022 | Monique Ryan | 45.8% | 54.2% | -2.2 |
| 2019 | Josh Frydenberg | 43.3% | 56.7% | -6.1 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Jess Wilson Liberal
Next state election: 28 November 2026.
| Year | Winner | Won with | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Jess Wilson LP | 54.0% | 46.0% | 54.0% |
| 2018 | Tim Smith LP | 50.4% | 45.2% | 54.8% |
| 2014 | Tim Smith LP | 57.2% | 39.4% | 60.6% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Victorian Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0.
Looking at a specific address in Kew East?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 6,620 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Checking the whole city?
Suburbs to avoid in Melbourne There is no list of bad suburbs, but there are hazards the state measures and publishes — recorded crime, bushfire exposure, flood overlays and aircraft noise. Melbourne suburbs ranked on them, with what the numbers do and don't mean.Nearby suburbs
Kew VIC 3101
Balwyn North VIC 3104
Balwyn VIC 3103
Ivanhoe VIC 3079
Alphington VIC 3078
Ivanhoe East VIC 3079
Compare Kew East to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other VIC suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Kew East
Is Kew East a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Kew East is moderate (49/100, ranked against other VIC suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Kew East?
Kew East has no recorded bushfire history. Flood overlays cover a high share of it (88/100). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Kew East a good place to live?
Kew East has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of A+ (82/100), ranked against other VIC suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Kew East?
Kew East, VIC had a population of 6,620 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Kew East, VIC?
The postcode for Kew East, VIC is 3102.
How far is Kew East from Melbourne?
Kew East is 10 km from Melbourne CBD by road, about 15 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Kew East?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Kew East was $129,480 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Kew East?
The median advertised rent in Kew East is $1,000 a week for houses (21 listings) and $717 a week for units (4 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Kew East?
The median age of residents in Kew East was 41 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Kew East?
There are 3 schools inside the Kew East boundary: 3 above similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Kew East walkable?
Kew East scores 85/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the air quality in Kew East?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Kew East (Alphington) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 7.3 µg/m³ and PM10 of 17.8 µg/m³. That puts Kew East below the Australian NEPM annual standard of 8 µg/m³ but above the stricter WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Kew East?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Kew East, Essendon Airport (14.6 km away), summer days average 26.7°C, winter nights 6.5°C, 534 mm of rain a year over 85 rainy days, and 13 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Kew East?
First-home buyers in VIC may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $750,000. The grant is administered by State Revenue Office Victoria; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Kew East belong to?
Kew East sits within the Boroondara local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Kew East?
The average residential rates bill through Boroondara is $2,253 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Kew East?
Across Boroondara, 711 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 40.4% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Kew East in?
Kew East sits within the federal Division of Kooyong, currently held by Monique Ryan (Independent).
Search another suburb or address
Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2026
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- State electorate · 2022
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.