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. House prices reached a median of $985,300 in Apr-Jun 2024, up from $442,500 in 2013, a 122.7% rise over 14 years. Vacancy sits at an elevated 13.1%, which is worth understanding before buying or letting.
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
$985K
Apr-Jun 2024
The median house price of $985,300 (Apr-Jun 2024) sits well above the VIC state median for regional areas, though it is 3.6% below the suburb's 2022 peak of $1,022,500. 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
The median house price of $985,300 (Apr-Jun 2024) sits well above the VIC state median for regional areas, though it is 3.6% below the suburb's 2022 peak of $1,022,500. 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
Kalorama presents a challenging rental yield picture. Weekly rent averages $416 against a $985,300 median house price, implying a gross yield near 2.2%. 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. The suburb's 14-year CAGR of 5.9% from $442,500 to $985,300 demonstrates consistent long-term capital growth, so investors here are betting on capital appreciation rather than rental income.
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
N/A
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Kalorama is entirely detached houses, with 100% of the housing stock being separate dwellings, an unusual uniformity compared to most Victorian suburbs. The price history shows strong long-run growth: the median climbed from $442,500 in 2013 to $985,300 in Apr-Jun 2024, a 122.7% increase over 14 years at a CAGR of 5.9%. The 2022 peak reached $1,022,500 and current prices are 3.6% below that level. 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.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,950
Rent / wk
$416
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
27.1%
Couples, no children
1,040
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.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
58.9%
Part-time
37.3%
Participation
63.2%
Employed
627
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
93.0%
Public Transport
1.7%
Walk / Cycle
N/A
Work from Home
N/A
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 is the median house price in Kalorama?
The median house price was $985,300 in Apr-Jun 2024, down 3.6% from the 2022 peak of $1,022,500. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,950. The long-run growth from $442,500 in 2013 represents a 122.7% rise over 14 years.
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.
Is Kalorama good for property investment?
The 14-year CAGR of 5.9% and a total price gain of 122.7% from $442,500 to $985,300 show consistent capital growth. However, the 13.1% vacancy rate is elevated compared to most suburbs nationally, the rental yield is thin at around 2.2%, and only 5.9% of households rent, limiting the tenant pool significantly.
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), 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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