Calista

An assessment of population growth drivers in Calista reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

As of November 2025, Calista's population is estimated at around 2,099, reflecting an increase of 124 people since the 2021 Census. The ABS ERP estimate for surrounding areas applied to Calista by AreaSearch in June 2024 was 2,073. This includes 8 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is approximately 908 persons per square kilometer. Since the Census, Calista's growth of 6.3% positions it within 2.6 percentage points of the national average (8.9%). Overseas migration contributed around 97.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024, based on 2022 data for each SA2 area. For areas not covered by this data and post-2032 estimates, AreaSearch utilises growth rates by age cohort from the ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023, based on 2022 data. By 2041, Calista's population is forecast to increase by 668 persons, reflecting a total increase of 31.8% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Calista according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Calista has received approximately six dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis. Between FY-21 and FY-25, 31 homes were approved, with three more in FY-26 as of the current date. The average population increase per new home constructed over these years was 2.5 people.

New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost value of $353,000, which is below regional levels. This indicates more affordable housing options for buyers in Calista. In FY-26, $3.6 million worth of commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting the area's predominantly residential nature. Compared to Greater Perth, Calista has significantly lower construction rates, with 79.0% fewer approvals per person. This constrained new construction typically supports demand and pricing for existing properties.

The recent development in Calista has consisted solely of detached houses, maintaining its traditional low-density character and appealing to families seeking space. Interestingly, developers are constructing more traditional houses than the current mix suggests, indicating strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. As of now, there are an estimated 592 people per dwelling approval in the area, suggesting a quiet development environment. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Calista is forecasted to gain 668 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth in the future.

Calista has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely impacting the region: Parmelia Primary School Modernisation Stage 2, Westport - Kwinana Container Port, Kwinana Education Precinct, and Mandurah Line are key projects, with the following details focusing on those most relevant.

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Employment conditions in Calista face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Calista has a diverse workforce comprising white and blue-collar jobs, with manufacturing and industrial sectors prominently featured. The unemployment rate was 14.4% in the past year.

Employment growth over this period was estimated at 1.4%. As of June 2025795 residents are employed, while the unemployment rate is 6.7 percentage points higher than Greater Perth's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation in Calista lags behind Greater Perth, at 45.3% compared to 65.2%. The dominant employment sectors among residents include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Manufacturing is particularly strong, with an employment share 2.1 times the regional level. Conversely, education & training is under-represented, with only 3.6% of Calista's workforce compared to 9.2% in Greater Perth. The area shows limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Over a 12-month period ending Sep-22, employment increased by 1.4%, while the labour force grew by 5.4%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate of 3.4 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth saw employment rise by 3.7% and unemployment increase by only 0.1 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Calista's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.7% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income levels rank in the lower 15% nationally based on AreaSearch comparative data

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Calista's median income among taxpayers is $48,312, with an average of $55,805. This is lower than the national average, with Greater Perth having a median of $58,380 and an average of $78,020. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Calista would be approximately $55,172 (median) and $63,729 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household incomes in Calista fall between the 2nd and 3rd percentiles nationally. The $400 - 799 income bracket dominates with 32.4% of residents, unlike regional trends where 32.0% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. Lower income households are prevalent, with 43.5% earning below $800 weekly. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Calista, with only 79.4% of income remaining, ranking at the 3rd percentile nationally.

Calista displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Calista's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 69.3% houses and 30.7% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Perth metro's 93.0% houses and 7.0% other dwellings. Home ownership in Calista stood at 28.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 32.6% and rented ones at 39.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,300, lower than Perth metro's average of $1,724, and the median weekly rent was $250, compared to Perth metro's $315. Nationally, Calista's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Calista features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 52.8% of all households, including 16.7% couples with children, 20.6% couples without children, and 13.9% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 47.2%, with lone person households at 42.9% and group households comprising 3.9%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.7.

Calista faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area has lower university qualification rates at 10.6% compared to the Australian average of 30.4%. This discrepancy presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 8.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 37.8% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (7.9%) and certificates (29.9%).

A significant portion, 22.6%, is actively pursuing formal education, including primary (8.7%), secondary (5.1%), and tertiary (2.8%) levels. Educational facilities include Calista Primary School and Peter Carnley Anglican Community School - Calista Campus, serving a total of 438 students with an ICSEA value of 923. Both schools cater to primary education only, with secondary options available nearby. The area functions as an educational hub with 20.9 school places per 100 residents, higher than the regional average of 13.7, attracting students from surrounding communities.

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Calista has 17 active public transport stops currently operating. These are served by buses along four different routes, offering a total of 734 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility to these services is rated as excellent, with residents typically residing just 178 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there are 104 daily trips across all routes, which translates to approximately 43 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Calista is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Calista faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups. Private health cover stands at approximately 49% of the total population (~1,036 people), compared to Greater Perth's 52.7% and the national average of 55.3%. Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions in Calista, affecting 12.7% and 12.0% of residents respectively.

Conversely, 50.6% of residents report having no medical ailments, compared to 71.4% in Greater Perth. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 31.7% (665 people), compared to Greater Perth's 10.4%. Health outcomes among seniors present similar challenges to those seen in the general population.

Calista was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Calista's population, with 9.0% speaking a language other than English at home and 35.2% born overseas, is more culturally diverse than most local markets. Christianity is the predominant religion in Calista, making up 43.6%. Buddhism, however, is slightly overrepresented compared to Greater Perth, comprising 1.4% of Calista's population.

The top three ancestry groups are English (37.2%), Australian (25.7%), and Scottish (7.7%). Notably, Welsh (1.3%) and South African (0.8%) groups are overrepresented in Calista compared to regional averages, while Maori representation is lower at 1.0%.

Calista hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

Calista's median age is 48 years, which is significantly higher than Greater Perth's average of 37 years and Australia's national average of 38 years. The age profile shows that those aged 75-84 years are particularly prominent, making up 13.2% of the population, compared to the national average of 6.0%. This is a higher concentration than in Greater Perth. Meanwhile, the 35-44 year-old group makes up only 9.7% of Calista's population, which is smaller than the proportion in Greater Perth. From 2021 onwards, the percentage of residents aged 5 to 14 years has declined from 10.1% to 7.5%. By 2041, significant demographic changes are forecast for Calista. The 85+ cohort is projected to grow by 160%, adding 268 residents to reach a total of 436. Residents aged 65 and over will drive 87% of population growth, indicating a trend towards an aging population. Conversely, population declines are forecast for the 0-4 and 35-44 age cohorts.