Kalbar
With 99.1% of dwellings being separate houses and a median house price of $378,000, Kalbar sits well below the national median, making it one of the Scenic Rim's more affordable rural towns. A population of 1,246 spread across 31.75 square kilometres gives a density of just 39.2 people per km2. Household income lands in the 29.1st percentile nationally, reflecting a working-class economy anchored in healthcare, agriculture and education. Median age is 41, virtually matching the national figure, but 45.5% of homes are owned outright, compared to the national average of around 31%, pointing to a stable, settled owner base rather than a transient population.
Population
1,246
Median Age
41.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,275/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$378K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The median house price of $378,000 is estimated from 2025 rent data, and at that level mortgage repayments average $1,363 per month. Mortgage-to-income sits at 24.7%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means typical buyers are not stretched relative to local incomes. The stock is almost entirely detached houses at 99.1%, with 41.6% having four or more bedrooms and 46.1% having three bedrooms, so buyers get more space than inner-suburban equivalents at lower cost. Only 18.3% of residents rent, compared to national averages above 30%, because 45.5% own outright and 36.2% carry a mortgage. Buyers seeking low mortgage pressure and large-footprint homes at below state median pricing will find Kalbar favourable.
For Buyers
The median house price of $378,000 is estimated from 2025 rent data, and at that level mortgage repayments average $1,363 per month. Mortgage-to-income sits at 24.7%, below the 30% stress threshold, which means typical buyers are not stretched relative to local incomes. The stock is almost entirely detached houses at 99.1%, with 41.6% having four or more bedrooms and 46.1% having three bedrooms, so buyers get more space than inner-suburban equivalents at lower cost. Only 18.3% of residents rent, compared to national averages above 30%, because 45.5% own outright and 36.2% carry a mortgage. Buyers seeking low mortgage pressure and large-footprint homes at below state median pricing will find Kalbar favourable.
For Investors
A vacancy rate of 6.4% is elevated, signalling that rental supply exceeds current demand in this small market of 1,246 residents. Weekly rent is $300, and rent-to-income at 23.5% is below the stress threshold, meaning tenants are not under pressure, but gross yields at that price point against a $378,000 median are modest. Only 18.3% of dwellings are rented, a low renter share compared to Queensland state averages, limiting the pool of tenants. Development activity recorded zero applications in the past 12 months, so no new supply is entering the market. Investment here suits holders seeking low entry cost rather than yield-maximisers, and the affordability buffer offers some downside protection.
Schools in Kalbar iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Kalbar State School
Prep-6 · 274 students
Demographics
Kalbar's median age of 41 is one year above the national figure, consistent with a settled regional community. Overseas-born residents account for only 9.8% of the population, which is 11.8 percentage points below the national average, reflecting the area's predominantly Australian-born character. Ancestry is Anglo-Celtic dominated: English (542 residents) leads by a large margin, followed by German (219), Irish (137) and Scottish (122), reflecting Queensland's colonial-era settler patterns. University qualifications reach just 16.6%, which is 13.5 percentage points below the national rate. Average household size of 2.6 is marginally above the national average of 2.5, aligned with the 41.6% share of four-plus bedroom homes and the couples-with-children profile that accounts for 401 of 980 total families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
99.1%
Houses
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Kalbar is owner-dominated. Outright owners at 45.5% are well above the national average, mortgage holders account for 36.2%, and renters make up just 18.3%, low by both state and national standards. The housing stock is overwhelmingly separate houses at 99.1%, with no recorded apartment or semi-detached dwellings. Bedroom distribution tilts large: 41.6% of homes have four or more bedrooms and 46.1% have three bedrooms, while only 9.4% are two-bedroom. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,363, and mortgage-to-income at 24.7% sits comfortably below the 30% threshold, reflecting the relative affordability of the market. The high outright-ownership rate suggests many homes have been held for years rather than recently purchased, reducing forced-sale risk.
Mortgage / mo
$1,363
Rent / wk
$300
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$631
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.4%
Unoccupied
30
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
24.7%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.0%
Couples, no children
980
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the local industry base at 18.3% of employed residents, followed by Agriculture at 12.7% and Education at 12.1%, together accounting for more than 43% of the workforce. Retail employs 9.0% and Public Administration 7.1%. By occupation, Labourers are the largest group at 99 workers, followed by Managers (74) and Community and Personal service workers (74). The full-time employment rate is 63.0% and the local unemployment rate is 4.8%, slightly above the national headline but consistent with the part-rural economy and 52.2% participation rate. SEIFA data is not available for Kalbar, though the household income at the 29.1st national percentile and university rate of 16.6% indicate a below-average skilled economy by national comparison.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
63.0%
Part-time
32.2%
Participation
52.2%
Employed
495
Occupations
Top Industries
University
16.6%
Postgraduate
1.4%
Born Overseas
9.8%
Dwellings
440
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high in Kalbar, with 84.2% of residents driving to work and just 1.0% using public transport, consistent with the rural setting 75 kilometres southwest of Brisbane. Walking and cycling accounts for 5.7%, above what purely car-dependent communities record, suggesting short travel distances within the town footprint. No schools are recorded inside the suburb boundary, so families with school-age children travel to neighbouring towns. Rent-to-income at 23.5% and mortgage-to-income at 24.7% are both below stress thresholds, making the cost of occupying housing manageable relative to local incomes. The need-assistance rate is 6.4% (74 residents), above the national average of around 5%, which is typical of smaller rural communities with older residents.
Drive
84.2%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
5.7%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kalbar compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kalbar a good suburb to live in?
Kalbar suits buyers seeking affordable, large-footprint housing with low mortgage pressure. The mortgage-to-income ratio is 24.7%, below the 30% stress threshold, and 45.5% of homes are owned outright. The trade-off is limited public transport, with 84.2% of residents driving to work, and no schools recorded inside the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Kalbar?
The median house price is estimated at $378,000 based on 2025 rental data. Weekly rent averages $300 and monthly mortgage repayments average $1,363. This places Kalbar significantly below the Queensland state median, offering an affordable entry point for buyers.
What schools are in Kalbar?
No schools are recorded inside the Kalbar suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in nearby towns. Despite this, the suburb has a stable population of 1,246, with 401 families being couples with children, suggesting school access is managed through nearby centres.
Is Kalbar safe?
Crime statistics are not available for Kalbar in this dataset. As an indirect measure, only 6.4% of residents need daily assistance and the community has a volunteering rate of 21.7%, above typical national averages, suggesting a cohesive and stable residential environment.
Is Kalbar good for property investment?
Kalbar offers a low entry point at a $378,000 median house price, but the 6.4% vacancy rate is elevated and the renter pool is small at only 18.3% of dwellings. Zero development applications in the past 12 months means no new supply pressure, but limited tenant demand makes this better suited to long-term capital holders than yield-focused investors.
How is Kalbar's population changing?
Forecast data is not available for this dataset, but stability indicators are strong. About 81.0% of residents lived at the same address in the prior year, indicating very low turnover compared to more mobile suburban markets. The population stands at 1,246 across 31.75 square kilometres, reflecting a settled, slow-changing rural community.
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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