Kalkallo
A median age of 30, a full 10 years below the national figure, sets the tone here, and almost everything else follows from how young the resident base is. Some 73.2% of dwellings carry a mortgage against just 5.1% owned outright, the signature of a brand new estate filled with first home buyers rather than established owners. Detached houses make up 97.7% of stock and 77.8% of those have four or more bedrooms, built for the large families that push the average household to 3.2 people, 0.7 above national. Half the population (50.5%) was born overseas, 28.9 points above the national share, with Punjabi the leading non-English language at 808 speakers. The $641,800 median house price has grown at a modest 2.6% annually over 14 years.
Population
5,548
Median Age
30.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,047/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
4
Median House
$642K
Apr-Jun 2024
The $641,800 median house price (Apr-Jun 2024) makes Kalkallo one of Melbourne's more accessible growth-corridor entry points, and the stock is built for families: 97.7% are separate houses and 77.8% carry four or more bedrooms, with three-bedroom homes a distant 21.6%. That skew toward large detached dwellings is unusual and reflects greenfield estate construction rather than older infill. Pricing has been flat at the top, sitting 0.5% below the 2022 peak, but the long run shows 42.6% growth from $450,000 in 2013. The mortgage profile is telling: 73.2% of households are paying off a loan versus only 5.1% owning outright, so this is a market of recent buyers. Monthly repayments average $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold because household income sits in the 76.7th percentile nationally.
For Buyers
The $641,800 median house price (Apr-Jun 2024) makes Kalkallo one of Melbourne's more accessible growth-corridor entry points, and the stock is built for families: 97.7% are separate houses and 77.8% carry four or more bedrooms, with three-bedroom homes a distant 21.6%. That skew toward large detached dwellings is unusual and reflects greenfield estate construction rather than older infill. Pricing has been flat at the top, sitting 0.5% below the 2022 peak, but the long run shows 42.6% growth from $450,000 in 2013. The mortgage profile is telling: 73.2% of households are paying off a loan versus only 5.1% owning outright, so this is a market of recent buyers. Monthly repayments average $2,000, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 22.6%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold because household income sits in the 76.7th percentile nationally.
For Investors
Renters make up 21.7% of households, a smaller pool than owner-occupiers because the suburb is dominated by mortgage-holding families, and weekly rent averages $400. The 8.1% vacancy rate is elevated and points to ample rental supply across the new estates, which softens the landlord's pricing power. Against the $641,800 median, that rent implies a gross yield near 3.2%, healthier than inner Melbourne but tempered by the high vacancy. Demand support comes from a fast-turning population: the 46.4% turnover rate is high, consistent with a growth-corridor suburb absorbing new arrivals, and half of residents were born overseas, 28.9 points above national. Development is quiet at only 3 planning applications in 12 months, so near-term supply pressure is limited. The investment case rests on demographic momentum and yield rather than the flat 2.6% annual price growth.
Development Activity
Total DAs
30
Last 12 Months
4
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-20.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Kalkallo iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Gilgai Plains Primary School
Prep-6 · 953 students
Banum Warrik Primary School
Prep-6 · 309 students
Demographics
The median age of 30 runs 10 years below the national figure, a young profile driven by first-home families: the average household holds 3.2 people, 0.7 above national, and couples with children number 3,241 against just 805 couples without. Half the population (50.5%) was born overseas, 28.9 points above the national share, making this a strongly migrant suburb. Indian is the largest single ancestry at 1,113 residents, and Punjabi leads non-English languages with 808 speakers, ahead of Hindi (90) and Urdu (70). University qualifications reach 41.9%, which is 11.8 points above national, higher than the modest house prices might suggest. Hinduism is a significant faith at 566 residents behind Christianity's 1,654, reinforcing the South Asian character of the community.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
97.7%
Houses
2.3%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure is overwhelmingly mortgaged: 73.2% of households are repaying a loan, only 5.1% own outright and 21.7% rent, a structure that marks Kalkallo as a young estate of recent buyers rather than long-held wealth. Stock is 97.7% separate houses with apartments effectively absent, and four-plus bedroom homes dominate at 77.8%, well above what most suburbs offer, because the land is being built out for large families. The median house price reached $641,800 by Apr-Jun 2024, up 42.6% from $450,000 in 2013 but 0.5% below the 2022 peak of $645,000, a 14-year compound rate of 2.6%. Mortgage-to-income at 22.6% and rent-to-income at 19.5% both sit below the 30% stress line, helped by household income in the 76.7th percentile, so affordability holds despite the heavy borrowing.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wk
$400
HH Size
3.2
Personal Income / wk
$920
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.1%
Unoccupied
143
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.5%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
22.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
16.6%
Couples, no children
4,862
Total families
Economy & Employment
The workforce concentrates in essential and logistics roles rather than corporate sectors: Healthcare leads at 19.5% (385 workers), Transport follows at 13.1% (258) and Construction at 8.9% (176), with Manufacturing at 8.0% and Professional/Tech at 7.5%. By occupation, Professionals (505) edge out Community and Personal Service workers (398) and Machinery Operators and Drivers (378), a mix that fits the suburb's proximity to the northern industrial and freight belt. Full-time employment runs at 70.7% and the participation rate is 66.0%, while unemployment sits at 5.1%, slightly above the typical metropolitan figure. The transport sector's prominence at 13.1% is higher than most residential suburbs and reflects the warehousing and distribution hubs along the nearby Hume corridor that draw local labour.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.7%
Part-time
24.2%
Participation
66.0%
Employed
2,473
Occupations
Top Industries
University
41.9%
Postgraduate
13.6%
Born Overseas
50.5%
Dwellings
1,624
Transport to Work
Daily life is built around the car: 92.8% of commuters drive, just 2.4% take public transport and only 0.2% walk or cycle, far above the national car reliance and a function of the suburb's outer-corridor location and thin transit links. The recorded crime rate is 75.3 per 1,000 residents across 418 offences, with property and deception offences the largest category at 267, a profile shaped more by a low-density estate setting than by violent crime, which numbers 60. No schools are recorded inside the 7.02 km2 boundary in this dataset, so families with children, who make up 3,241 households, rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. Only 3.2% of residents need daily assistance, consistent with the young median age of 30, and volunteering runs at a modest 6.5%.
Drive
92.8%
Public Transport
2.4%
Walk / Cycle
0.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
418
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
75.3
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 Kalkallo compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kalkallo a good suburb to live in?
Kalkallo suits young families seeking new, large homes: 97.7% of dwellings are separate houses and the median age is 30, a full 10 years below national. The $641,800 median house price is accessible for Melbourne, and household income sits in the 76.7th percentile. Trade-offs include 92.8% car dependence and limited public transport.
What is the median house price in Kalkallo?
The median house price is $641,800 as of Apr-Jun 2024. That is up 42.6% from $450,000 in 2013, a 2.6% annual compound rate, but sits 0.5% below the 2022 peak of $645,000. Weekly rent averages $400 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $2,000.
What schools are in Kalkallo?
No schools are recorded inside the 7.02 km2 Kalkallo boundary in this dataset, so the 3,241 families with children rely on schools in neighbouring suburbs. The resident base is well educated, with university qualifications at 41.9%, which is 11.8 points above the national figure.
Is Kalkallo safe?
The recorded crime rate is 75.3 per 1,000 residents across 418 offences. The largest category is property and deception offences at 267, while crimes against the person are lower at 60, a pattern typical of a low-density outer estate rather than a high-violence area.
Is Kalkallo good for property investment?
Weekly rent of $400 against a $641,800 median gives a gross yield near 3.2%, above inner Melbourne levels, but the 8.1% vacancy rate signals rental oversupply. Renters are only 21.7% of households, so the case leans on demographic momentum and a high 46.4% turnover rate more than capital growth, which has been flat near the 2022 peak.
How is Kalkallo's population changing?
Kalkallo is a fast-churning growth suburb: the turnover rate is 46.4%, with just 53.6% of residents staying put, and half the population (50.5%) was born overseas, 28.9 points above national. The young median age of 30 and average household of 3.2 people point to continued family-driven growth.
What languages are spoken in Kalkallo?
About 50.5% of residents were born overseas, 28.9 points above national. English aside, Punjabi is the leading language with 808 speakers, ahead of Hindi (90), Urdu (70) and Arabic (67). Indian is the largest single ancestry at 1,113 residents, reflecting a strong South Asian 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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