Kallista
With just 1,418 residents spread across 12 square kilometres in the Dandenong Ranges, Kallista is a low-density, owner-occupier suburb where 41.5% of households own their home outright and only 9% rent. The median age of 47 sits 7 years above the national figure, reflecting an established, settled population: 88.6% of residents lived at the same address five years prior, one of the lowest turnover rates you will find anywhere in Victoria. University qualifications reach 43.3%, which is 13.2 percentage points above the national average, and household income sits in the 75th percentile nationally.
Population
1,418
Median Age
47.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,003/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$830K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price reached $830,000 in the April to June 2024 quarter, up from $425,000 in 2013, a 95.3% gain at a compound annual growth rate of 4.9% over 14 years. The market peaked at $1,000,000 in 2022 and has since corrected 17% to current levels, offering buyers a lower entry point than the 2022 peak. Stock is almost entirely separate houses at 98.4%, so supply is constrained and there is little competition from units or apartments. Mortgage repayments average $2,028 per month, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.4%, well below the 30% stress threshold, which points to manageable carrying costs relative to local incomes in the 75th percentile nationally.
For Buyers
The median house price reached $830,000 in the April to June 2024 quarter, up from $425,000 in 2013, a 95.3% gain at a compound annual growth rate of 4.9% over 14 years. The market peaked at $1,000,000 in 2022 and has since corrected 17% to current levels, offering buyers a lower entry point than the 2022 peak. Stock is almost entirely separate houses at 98.4%, so supply is constrained and there is little competition from units or apartments. Mortgage repayments average $2,028 per month, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 23.4%, well below the 30% stress threshold, which points to manageable carrying costs relative to local incomes in the 75th percentile nationally.
For Investors
The investor case is limited by fundamentals. Only 9% of dwellings are rented, the lowest tier for rental supply, and the vacancy rate stands at 6%, above the 3% threshold that typically signals balanced conditions. Weekly rent of $347 against an $830,000 median implies a gross yield below 2.2%, thin by most benchmarks. Just 1 development application was lodged in the past 12 months, confirming this is a low-development, stable residential area rather than a growth corridor. The appeal is capital preservation: a 4.9% annualised price growth over 14 years and an owner-dominant market where 41.5% hold their homes debt-free tend to anchor values above trend.
Development Activity
Total DAs
2
Last 12 Months
1
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
—
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Kallista iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Kallista Primary School
Prep-6 · 91 students
Demographics
The median age of 47 is 7 years higher than the national average, and 33.8% of families are couples without children, consistent with post-family or pre-retirement households. English, Irish and Scottish ancestry accounts for the largest ancestral groups, with 689 English, 218 Irish and 203 Scottish residents. Overseas-born residents make up 18.7%, which is 2.9 percentage points below the national figure, reflecting an Anglo-leaning demographic compared to broader metropolitan Melbourne. Volunteering reaches 20.9% of residents, above national norms, which fits a community with a high proportion of semi-retired or established households with time and capacity to contribute locally.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
98.4%
Houses
1.6%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Separate houses dominate at 98.4% of dwellings, making Kallista one of Victoria's most detached-dominant suburbs and leaving virtually no apartment stock. Bedroom distribution skews large: 39.5% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 44.9% have 3, so small dwellings under 2 bedrooms make up just 2.5%. Outright owners at 41.5% and mortgage holders at 49.5% together account for 91% of households, compared with only 9% renting, well below state and national averages. Price history shows the median rose from $780,000 in late 2023 to $830,000 by mid-2024, recovering partially from the 2022 peak of $1,000,000. The current price sits 17% below that peak, a meaningful discount relative to the suburb's own recent history.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$2,028
Rent / wk
$347
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$821
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
6.0%
Unoccupied
35
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.4%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
33.8%
Couples, no children
1,191
Total families
Economy & Employment
Education and healthcare together employ 35.5% of local workers (17.9% and 17.6% respectively), well above the composition you would find in a typical metropolitan suburb. Professional and technical services add a further 12.5%, so knowledge-sector work accounts for roughly half the local workforce. By occupation, Professionals number 237 and Managers 125, the two largest groups, consistent with a well-qualified workforce where 43.3% hold university degrees. The unemployment rate is 4.3% and the participation rate is 60.9%, with 392 residents not in the labour force, a figure explained partly by the older median age of 47 and the high proportion of households past peak earning years.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.8%
Part-time
38.9%
Participation
60.9%
Employed
704
Occupations
Top Industries
University
43.3%
Postgraduate
12.6%
Born Overseas
18.7%
Dwellings
553
Transport to Work
Transport almost entirely depends on the car: 92.6% of residents drive to work and only 0.8% use public transport, lower than any metropolitan suburb and consistent with the rural-fringe location. Crime is very low at 18 recorded incidents in the most recent period, a rate of 12.7 per 1,000 residents, with property offences making up 10 of those 18 cases. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families travel to neighbouring areas, a practical trade-off for the hillside setting and low density. Rent-to-income sits at 17.3% and mortgage-to-income at 23.4%, both below stress thresholds, meaning housing costs are proportionate to local incomes. Residents needing daily assistance number 54, representing 3.9% of the population.
Drive
92.6%
Public Transport
0.8%
Walk / Cycle
2.9%
Work from Home
N/A
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
18
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
12.7
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 Kallista compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kallista a good suburb to live in?
Kallista suits buyers who prioritise space, stability and low crime over urban convenience. The crime rate is 12.7 per 1,000 residents, very low, and 88.6% of residents stay long-term. The trade-off is that 92.6% must drive to work because public transport serves only 0.8% of commuters, and there are no schools within the suburb boundary.
What is the median house price in Kallista?
The median house price was $830,000 in the April to June 2024 quarter, down 17% from the 2022 peak of $1,000,000. Since 2013 the median has risen 95.3%, from $425,000, at a compound annual growth rate of 4.9%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,028.
What schools are in Kallista?
No schools are recorded within the Kallista suburb boundary in this dataset. Families commute to schools in neighbouring Dandenong Ranges suburbs. The local adult population is highly qualified, with 43.3% holding university degrees, which is 13.2 percentage points above the national average.
Is Kallista safe?
Kallista recorded only 18 crimes in the most recent period, a rate of 12.7 per 1,000 residents. Property and deception offences accounted for 10 of those cases and crimes against the person for 5. The low total reflects the suburb's small population of 1,418 and low-density character.
Is Kallista good for property investment?
The rental market is thin: only 9% of dwellings are rented and the vacancy rate is 6%, above typical balanced-market levels. Weekly rent of $347 against an $830,000 median gives a gross yield below 2.2%. The long-run capital growth rate of 4.9% per year over 14 years is the stronger case, though the market sits 17% below its 2022 peak.
How is Kallista's population changing?
Kallista has a population of 1,418 with a very stable base: 88.6% of residents remained at the same address over the past 5 years, giving an annual turnover rate of just 11.4%. The median age of 47 is 7 years above the national figure, pointing to an aging but settled community rather than a growing one.
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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