Kaleen
Nearly half of Kaleen's workforce (29.6%) draws a public administration salary, yet the suburb is losing domestic residents at 104 per year while gaining 116 overseas migrants annually. This population swap explains why a suburb with household income in the 89th percentile nationally and 49.9% university qualifications (19.8 points above national) has flat population growth at 0.0% per year. The housing stock is 91.2% detached houses with a median price of $625,000, well below Canberra's inner-suburb premiums, because Kaleen trades proximity for space: 50.5% of dwellings have 4+ bedrooms.
Population
7,672
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,336/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
14
Median House
$625K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated $625,000 median house price is moderate by ACT standards, with monthly mortgage repayments of $2,167 producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 21.4%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Detached houses dominate at 91.2%, with 50.5% having 4+ bedrooms and 41.8% having 3 bedrooms. Outright ownership at 40.3% is above average, reflecting the suburb's established base. Car dependency at 82.2% is typical for Belconnen district, though public transport use at 4.9% and walking/cycling at 5.5% provide alternatives. Four schools serve the suburb, with ICSEA scores ranging from 1,056 to 1,100, all above the national 1,000 benchmark.
For Buyers
The estimated $625,000 median house price is moderate by ACT standards, with monthly mortgage repayments of $2,167 producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 21.4%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Detached houses dominate at 91.2%, with 50.5% having 4+ bedrooms and 41.8% having 3 bedrooms. Outright ownership at 40.3% is above average, reflecting the suburb's established base. Car dependency at 82.2% is typical for Belconnen district, though public transport use at 4.9% and walking/cycling at 5.5% provide alternatives. Four schools serve the suburb, with ICSEA scores ranging from 1,056 to 1,100, all above the national 1,000 benchmark.
For Investors
Renters at 25.1% form a moderate tenant pool. Weekly rent of $460 against the $625,000 median delivers gross yield of approximately 3.8%, higher than many Canberra suburbs. The 5.2% vacancy rate sits slightly above equilibrium. Net overseas migration of 116 per year sustains rental demand, offsetting the 104 per year internal outflow. Only 14 development applications were lodged in 12 months, indicating minimal new supply pressure. The aging trajectory (senior share up 10.0 points over the decade) suggests future demand will shift toward downsizer-friendly formats, potentially creating subdivision opportunities on the large 4+ bedroom lots.
Development Activity
Total DAs
77
Last 12 Months
14
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+7.7%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Kaleen iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Maribyrnong Primary School
K-6 · 483 students
St Michael's Primary School
K-6 · 171 students
Kaleen Primary School
K-6 · 400 students
University of Canberra High School Kaleen
7-10 · 571 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 is 1 year below the national median. University qualifications at 49.9% are 19.8 percentage points above national, driven by the public service workforce. Overseas-born at 30.1% is 8.5 points above national, with English (2,365), Chinese (548) and Irish (900) ancestries leading. Mandarin (189), Greek (48) and Croatian (40) are the top non-English languages spoken. Average household size of 2.7 is close to national. The senior share increased 10.0 percentage points over the decade, the largest aging shift in this dataset, while the working-age share dropped 6.7 points. Couples with children (2,618) outnumber childless couples (1,630).
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
91.2%
Houses
5.8%
Townhouse
3.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Outright owners at 40.3% and mortgage holders at 34.6% combine for 74.9% owner-occupied tenure, above the national average. Renters at 25.1% are the minority. The stock is overwhelmingly detached (91.2%), with semi-detached at 5.8% and apartments at 3.0%. Large homes dominate: 50.5% have 4+ bedrooms. Mortgage-to-income at 21.4% and rent-to-income at 19.7% are both comfortably below stress thresholds, reflecting the high public service incomes. The IRSD decile 8 confirms low deprivation, and all 4 SEIFA indices sit at decile 8, indicating consistent socioeconomic advantage without extreme wealth concentration.
Mortgage / mo
$2,167
Rent / wk
$460
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,050
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
5.2%
Unoccupied
146
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.7%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.4%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
26.7%
Couples, no children
6,114
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public Administration dominates at 29.6% (840 workers), nearly triple the next sector, Professional/Tech at 13.8% (391). Education at 13.0% (369), Healthcare at 10.3% (292) and Construction at 7.6% (217) complete the top 5. This public service concentration is typical of Belconnen but creates dependency on government employment policy. Full-time employment at 65.2% is above average, unemployment at 4.2% is close to national, and participation at 59.2% is moderate. Professionals (1,076) and Managers (638) lead occupations. Real income grew just 5.9% over the decade, lower than most comparable suburbs, suggesting wage stagnation in the public sector relative to cost of living.
Unemployment
5.2%
Labour Force
4,101
Unemployed
213
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
65.2%
Part-time
30.6%
Participation
59.2%
Employed
3,570
Occupations
Top Industries
University
49.9%
Postgraduate
17.0%
Born Overseas
30.1%
Dwellings
2,677
Transport to Work
Four schools serve Kaleen: Maribyrnong Primary (government, ICSEA 1,100, 483 students), St Michael's Primary (Catholic, ICSEA 1,094, 171), Kaleen Primary (government, ICSEA 1,075, 400) and University of Canberra High School Kaleen (government secondary, ICSEA 1,056, 571). All score above the 1,000 national benchmark. Public transport at 4.9% and walking/cycling at 5.5% provide moderate alternatives to driving (82.2%). The IRSAD decile 8 places Kaleen in the top 20% nationally. No crime data is available. Volunteering at 19.1% is above average, and need for assistance at 5.7% (425 people) is moderate, consistent with the aging population.
Drive
82.2%
Public Transport
4.9%
Walk / Cycle
5.5%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
0.0%/yr
EstablishedPopulation growth is flat at 0.0% per year (0 persons), making Kaleen one of the slowest-growing Canberra suburbs. The 10-year population change was just 4.9%. Medium forecasts project static population at 7,652 through 2031. The suburb is losing 104 residents per year to internal migration while gaining 116 overseas migrants, producing a near-zero net effect. The gentrification score is 0 (not gentrifying). Affordability improved from 49.6% in 2011 to 43.8% in 2021, driven by rent growth of only 15.0% over the decade, well below the national rate. The aging trajectory is pronounced: senior share up 10.0 points, working-age share down 6.7 points.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+116
Net Internal / yr
-104
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -104/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Kaleen compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kaleen a good suburb to live in?
Kaleen ranks in IRSAD decile 8, placing it in the top 20% nationally. Household income sits in the 89th percentile, and 49.9% of residents hold university qualifications, 19.8 points above the national average. All 4 local schools score above the national ICSEA benchmark. The trade-off is flat population growth and an aging demographic profile.
What is the median house price in Kaleen?
The estimated median house price is $625,000 (2025 rent-derived estimate). Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,167, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.4%, well below the 30% stress threshold. Weekly rent is $460, with a rent-to-income ratio of 19.7%.
What schools are in Kaleen?
Four schools operate in Kaleen: Maribyrnong Primary (government, ICSEA 1,100, 483 students), St Michael's Primary (Catholic, ICSEA 1,094, 171 students), Kaleen Primary (government, ICSEA 1,075, 400 students) and University of Canberra High School Kaleen (government secondary, ICSEA 1,056, 571 students). All exceed the 1,000 national benchmark.
Is Kaleen safe?
No crime rate data is currently available for Kaleen. The IRSD decile 8 indicates low socioeconomic disadvantage, which nationally correlates with lower crime rates. The population of 7,672 lives at a density of 1,273 per km2, moderate by Canberra standards.
Is Kaleen good for property investment?
Gross yield of approximately 3.8% ($460/week on $625,000) is reasonable by ACT standards. Renters at 25.1% form a moderate pool, and the 5.2% vacancy rate is close to equilibrium. Only 14 DAs in 12 months means minimal new supply competition. The risk is flat population growth at 0.0% per year and an aging resident base that may reduce long-term demand.
How is Kaleen's population changing?
Population growth is effectively zero at 0.0% per year, with medium forecasts projecting a static 7,652 through 2031. The suburb loses 104 residents to internal migration annually while gaining 116 overseas migrants. The senior share grew 10.0 percentage points over the decade, the largest aging shift, while the working-age share fell 6.7 points.
What languages are spoken in Kaleen?
With 30.1% born overseas, Kaleen has notable linguistic diversity. Mandarin (189 speakers) leads non-English languages, followed by Greek (48), Croatian (40), Arabic (35) and Cantonese (34). English ancestry (2,365) and Chinese ancestry (548) are the largest groups after Irish (900).
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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