Kalorama
With 100% of its dwellings being separate houses and only 1.7% of residents using public transport, Kalorama is one of the Yarra Ranges communities where car ownership is not optional but structural. The suburb's 1,277 residents hold a median household income in the 79th percentile nationally, and the university qualification rate of 44.6% is 14.5 points above the national average. Vacancy sits at an elevated 13.1%, which is worth understanding before buying or letting.
Local council: Yarra Ranges
Population
1,277
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,087/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
1
Median House
$857K
October to December 2025
Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.6%, below the 30% stress threshold because household incomes rank in the 79th percentile nationally. Every dwelling in Kalorama is a separate house, so buyers face no apartment trade-off. The bedroom mix skews large: 40.2% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 48.5% have 3, making this primarily a family-scale market. With 57.1% of households carrying a mortgage and 37.0% owning outright, ownership is deeply embedded here.
For Buyers
Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 21.6%, below the 30% stress threshold because household incomes rank in the 79th percentile nationally. Every dwelling in Kalorama is a separate house, so buyers face no apartment trade-off. The bedroom mix skews large: 40.2% of homes have 4 or more bedrooms and 48.5% have 3, making this primarily a family-scale market. With 57.1% of households carrying a mortgage and 37.0% owning outright, ownership is deeply embedded here.
For Investors
The 13.1% vacancy rate is elevated compared to most suburban markets nationally, signalling thinner rental demand relative to total stock. Only 5.9% of households rent, which means the tenant pool is small. Development activity is minimal, with just 1 planning permit lodged in the past 12 months, limiting new supply pressure but also confirming limited growth catalysts.
Development Activity
Total DAs
1
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
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, pointing to a settled, established adult population rather than a suburb in demographic flux. University qualifications reach 44.6%, which is 14.5 percentage points above the national average, reflecting a professional and managerial occupational base. Overseas-born residents account for 18.4%, which is 3.2 points below the national figure, consistent with the predominantly Anglo-Celtic ancestry profile: English (546), Scottish (187) and Irish (151) are the top three. Household size averages 2.6, marginally above the national level, and 47.1% of families are couples with children, indicating that larger family units are common despite the older median age.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
100.0%
Houses
0.0%
Townhouse
0.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Kalorama is entirely detached houses, with 100% of the housing stock being separate dwellings, an unusual uniformity compared to most Victorian suburbs. Ownership tenure is high: 37.0% own outright and 57.1% carry a mortgage, while renters represent just 5.9% of households. The vacancy rate of 13.1% is notably above typical suburban averages, suggesting some dwellings are held as holiday or weekender properties given the area's tree-change appeal.
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$416
Census 2021
HH Size
2.6
Personal Income / wk
$958
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
13.1%
Unoccupied
70
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
51.1%
Couples with children
39.0%
Couples, no children
9.6%
Single parent
354
Total families
Economy & Employment
Education (16.8%, 85 workers) and Healthcare (16.6%, 84 workers) are the two largest industries by employment share, together accounting for a third of the local workforce. Construction (13.3%) and Professional/Tech (11.9%) follow closely, suggesting a mix of hands-on tradespeople and knowledge workers. By occupation, Professionals lead with 198 workers, ahead of Managers (101) and Clerical/Admin (83). The unemployment rate is 3.8%, slightly below broad national norms, and the full-time employment rate of 58.9% reflects a workforce with significant part-time participation. Household income sits in the 79th percentile nationally, indicating above-average earnings driven by the professional and managerial occupational mix.
Unemployment
3.6%
Labour Force
695
Unemployed
25
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
55.1%
Part-time
38.5%
Participation
67.4%
Employed
670
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
44.6%
Postgraduate
12.8%
Born Overseas
18.4%
Dwellings
464
Transport to Work
Car dependency is near-total in Kalorama: 93.0% of residents drive to work and only 1.7% use public transport, well below the national average for suburban areas. This reflects the suburb's location in the Dandenong Ranges, where road access to employment centres is the practical reality for the 1,277 residents. The crime rate of 28.2 per 1,000 residents is low by Victorian standards, with only 36 recorded incidents, the largest category being property and deception offences (15). Rent stress is absent, with rent-to-income at 19.9% and mortgage-to-income at 21.6%, both comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. No schools are recorded within the suburb boundary, so families rely on schools in neighbouring Yarra Ranges towns.
Drive
58.0%
Public Transport
1.1%
Walk / Cycle
N/A
Work from Home
37.6%
Growth Outlook
Population at 1,277 is modest and growth prospects are constrained by the 8.47 km2 footprint and low-density character. Resident stability is high, with 85.9% staying in place and a turnover rate of only 14.1%, which is considerably below typical suburban churn. The 22.9% volunteering rate and strong ownership tenure suggest an established community with low displacement pressure.
Population trend: Yarra Ranges council area
Kalorama sits in the Yarra Ranges council area. These are the council area's residents, not Kalorama's.
Residents 2025
160,906
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.2%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.7%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
Safety & Crime
Total Offences
36
Year ending June 2024
Rate per 1,000 People
28.2
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 Kalorama compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kalorama a good suburb to live in?
Kalorama suits owner-occupier families seeking a low-density, bush setting with strong income levels. Household income is in the 79th percentile nationally and the crime rate is low at 28.2 incidents per 1,000 residents. The main trade-offs are total car dependency, with 93% driving to work, and no schools within the suburb boundary.
What schools are in Kalorama?
No schools are recorded within the Kalorama suburb boundary in this dataset. Families rely on schools in neighbouring Yarra Ranges towns. Despite this, the local education level is high, with 44.6% of residents holding university qualifications, which is 14.5 points above the national average.
Is Kalorama safe?
Kalorama recorded 36 total offences, giving a crime rate of 28.2 per 1,000 residents, which is low by Victorian benchmarks. The largest category was property and deception offences (15 incidents), followed by justice procedures offences (14). Crimes against the person totalled just 6 incidents.
How is Kalorama's population changing?
Kalorama's population of 1,277 is stable, with a resident retention rate of 85.9% and a turnover rate of just 14.1%, well below typical suburban levels. The median age of 43 is 3 years above the national figure, indicating an aging but settled population rather than rapid demographic change.
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), Valuer-General Victoria (house prices), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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