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This analysis uses Suburbs and Localities (SAL) boundaries, which can materially differ from Statistical Areas (SA2) even when sharing the same name.
SAL boundaries are defined by Australia Post and the Australian Bureau of Statistics to represent commonly-known suburb names used in postal addresses.
Statistical Areas (SA2) are designed for census data collection and may combine multiple suburbs or use different geographic boundaries. For comprehensive analysis, consider reviewing both boundary types if available.
est. as @ -- *
2021 Census | -- people
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Calista has an estimated 2,107 residents, up from 1,975 at the 2021 Census — a change of 132 people, or 6.7%. Growth has averaged 0.7% a year over five years. Overseas migration accounts for 97.0% of that increase. That puts 912 residents on each square kilometre. Population is estimated from ABS Estimated Resident Population releases and GNAF address data, re-based from the 2021 Census and updated annually.
Detail
According to AreaSearch's evaluation of broader ABS population releases alongside validated new addresses post-Census, the suburb of Calista has a resident count projected at roughly 2,107 as of Aug 2026. This indicates an expansion of 132 people (6.7%) compared to the 1,975 individuals recorded in the 2021 Census. Such movement is calculated from an estimated baseline of 2,105 residents established through the ABS ERP update (June 2025) plus 13 newly confirmed addresses after the Census benchmark. Consequently, population density stands at 912 persons per square kilometer, tracking closely with benchmark averages across AreaSearch profiles.
With a 6.7% gain since census, the suburb of Calista trails the nationwide figure (9.5%) by 2.8 percentage points, highlighting solid local momentum. Net overseas arrivals served as the core driver, generating roughly 97.0% of all recent population additions. Projections for each SA2 region rely on 2024 ABS/Geoscience Australia models anchored to 2022. For uncovered areas and all post-2032 horizons, calculations incorporate age-bracket growth trajectories published in the 2023 ABS Greater Capital Region release (using 2022 baselines). Driven by shifting demographic profiles, the suburb of Calista is projected to record top-quartile national expansion, gaining 506 persons to 2041 across aggregated SA2 estimates, which represents a 23.9% total rise across the 16 years.
Frequently Asked Questions - Population
47 new dwellings have been approved in Calista over the past five years, an average of 9 a year. That is 3.0 approvals per 1,000 residents. Approvals are currently running at an annualised 5, well below that longer-run average. Figures come from ABS building approvals aggregated to this Suburb (SAL) boundary and are updated monthly as the ABS releases them.
Detail
Analysis of ABS building approvals by AreaSearch shows Calista averaging roughly 9 residential approvals annually, with 47 homes authorized over the 5 financial years from FY-21 and FY-25, alongside 5 approvals during FY-25 to date. An average intake of 2.4 people per year per newly constructed dwelling over the past 5 financial years between FY-21 and FY-25 demonstrates steady demand that bolsters local housing markets. Average construction values stand at $246,000—under regional figures—offering entry-level affordability for buyers. Meanwhile, commercial authorizations during this financial year reached $894,000, pointing to subdued commercial building activity.
Relative to Greater Perth, residential development in Calista is noticeably subdued (tracking 78.0% below regional levels on a per-capita basis). This constrained pipeline generally bolsters demand and values across established homes. Activity also trails nationwide figures, reflecting local maturity and potential town-planning barriers. Recent approvals have been limited exclusively to standalone dwellings, preserving the low-density neighborhood character favored by buyers seeking land. Interestingly, builders are supplying freestanding houses at rates exceeding the historic dwelling share (69.0% at Census), underscoring enduring appetite for traditional properties amid broader urban consolidation. A ratio of 464 people per dwelling approval highlights the subdued pace of local construction. Long-term forecasts anticipate Calista adding 504 residents by 2041 relative to the latest AreaSearch quarterly figures. If construction volumes fail to accelerate, housing availability may fall short of demographic growth, heightening market competition and supporting ongoing value appreciation.
Frequently Asked Questions - Development
Development applications around Calista
Loading development applications…
| Lodged | Address | Description | Type | Distance | Status |
|---|
SOURCE: Planning portals and council registers, compiled by AreaSearch. Distance & bearing measured from the suburb midpoint.
AreaSearch tracks 32 current infrastructure and development projects close to Calista, worth an estimated $13.6 billion. 11 are already under construction and 13 are due for completion within three years. The pipeline spans residential development, communities, precincts & urban renewal and education & training. Records are compiled from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, council planning portals and public announcements, reviewed and updated daily, then ranked by proximity, construction stage, completion horizon and project scale.
Detail
Infrastructure upgrades, major works, and strategic planning decisions exert a powerful influence on community development. AreaSearch has identified 1 major project with direct relevance to the district. Notable initiatives under review include the Parmelia Primary School Modernisation Stage 2, Cassia Estate, Westport - Kwinana Container Port, and Kwinana Education Precinct, with key details summarized below.
Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.
INFRASTRUCTURE SEARCH
Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.
Frequently Asked Questions - Infrastructure
Parmelia Primary School Modernisation Stage 2
Stage 2 modernisation of Parmelia Primary School delivering new early childhood classrooms and a covered assembly area. Works are funded through the WA Government school building program and managed by Building Management and Works (BMW) on behalf of the Department of Education.
Cassia Estate
Cassia is a masterplanned residential community delivered by Satterley Property Group in partnership with DevelopmentWA, spanning two precincts - Cassia Glades in Kwinana Town Centre and Cassia Rise in Parmelia. The estate will deliver 910 homes upon completion across a range of lot sizes, supported by 9 planned parks and open spaces, and close to Kwinana Marketplace, Kwinana Train Station, and a range of schools and childcare. The North precinct is sold out with the Glades and Rise precincts actively selling.A further release is planned for mid-2026.
Wellard Green
Wellard Green is a 146-lot residential land estate by Wolfdene in partnership with Blueways Group. Located adjacent to the Wellard Bulrush Nature Reserve and close to Wellard Train Station, the estate is being delivered in staged releases with civil works underway and Stage 1 sold out.
Parmelia Community Centre Redevelopment
Planned refurbishment and modest expansion of the Parmelia Community Centre to improve accessibility, modernise the existing facility and provide additional flexible community spaces for local programs and events. The project remains listed within the City of Kwinana capital works program with planning activities underway.
Westport - Kwinana Container Port
Westport is the Western Australian Government program to plan and deliver a future container port and integrated freight supply chain in Kwinana, relocating container trade from Fremantle when required in the late 2030s. The preferred design includes a new port terminal in the Kwinana Industrial Area, marine infrastructure in Cockburn Sound, a new shipping channel, upgraded Anketell Road, Kwinana Freeway and Roe Highway connections, rail duplication and level crossing removals between Kwinana and Cockburn, and logistics links to Kenwick, Kewdale and Forrestfield.The program is in final planning and definition, with current works focused on design, approvals, site and marine investigations, land, risks, costs and delivery strategy. In March 2026 the State introduced the Westport Bill 2026 to establish a Westport Authority, but construction remains subject to environmental approvals and a final investment decision.
Wellard Village Centre Development Sites
Five mixed-use development sites totaling approx. 10,739 sqm adjacent to Wellard Train Station and Wellard Square. The lots are zoned Neighbourhood Centre R80 enabling retail, residential, office and community uses. DevelopmentWA has released Lots 813, 814, 815, 882 and 915 to market as part of a staged strategy for the Village Centre; current agent materials note the campaign has been under offer via EOI.
Oakebella Estate
Boutique residential estate by Satterley Property Group set against Bollard Bulrush Wetlands. Features environmentally sensitive design with natural amenities and quality homesites.
Parmelia Oval Sports Pavilion Upgrade
Replacement of ageing change rooms and construction of new community pavilion with universal access at Parmelia Oval.
794 residents of Calista are employed, from a labour force of 937. Unemployment sits at 15.3%, with participation at 51.4%. Weighted for its industry mix, the area's sectors are forecast to grow about 5.9% nationally over five years. That reflects industry composition only and makes no allowance for local population growth. The working-day population is estimated at 1,711, about 81% of the resident population, so more people leave the area for work than travel in. Unemployment and labour force come from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, updated quarterly; the industry and occupation profile is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
The local labor profile contains a blend of blue-collar and professional occupations, with notable strength across industrial and manufacturing trades, alongside an unemployment rate of 15.3% derived from aggregated statistical datasets. By March 2026794 residents were employed, while joblessness exceeded the Greater Perth benchmark (4.2%) by 11.1%, indicating significant capacity for workforce improvement. Labor force participation is also depressed at 51.4% versus 69.9% across Greater Perth. Furthermore, only 5.1% of working residents operated from home at the Census, though pandemic-related movement restrictions must be taken into account. The primary employment sectors among local workers are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.
Manufacturing demonstrates exceptional concentration, employing residents at 2.1 times the regional rate. In contrast, education & training is comparatively underrepresented, accounting for 3.6% of workers against 9.2% regionally. A comparison between resident workers and local jobs indicates a modest volume of employment opportunities within the immediate area. According to AreaSearch's evaluation of ABS and SALM figures across regional catchments, the labor force showed no change over the 12 months to March 2026, while total employment fell by 1.1%, lifting unemployment by 1.0 percentage points. Conversely, Greater Perth saw employment expand by 2.0%, workforce numbers rise by 2.5%, and unemployment climb by 0.4 percentage points. Forward-looking guidance from Jobs and Skills Australia as of Mar-26 provides broader context on future hiring demand. Over five and ten-year spans, national employment is projected to expand by 6.6% and 13.7% respectively, with significant variation across industries. Weighting these projections against Calista's existing sector distribution suggests local employment growth of 5.9% across five years and 12.7% across ten years (representing an illustrative sectoral weighting that excludes local population shifts).
Frequently Asked Questions - Employment
Median household income in Calista is $953 a week (about $50,000 a year), with median personal income at $498 a week. ATO records put median taxable income at $48,312 a year against an average of $55,805. Household income is from the 2021 Census; taxable income is from ATO Taxation Statistics for the latest financial year available, indexed forward using the ABS Wage Price Index.
Detail
ATO postcode statistics for financial year 2023 compiled by AreaSearch indicate that taxpayers in Calista earned a median income of $48,312 and an average of $55,805. These figures track below national standards and regional benchmarks for Greater Perth, where medians and averages reached $60,748 and $80,248 respectively. Factoring in a 10.93% rise in the Wage Price Index since financial year 2023, updated estimates reach roughly $53,593 (median) and $61,904 (average) as of March 2026. Across personal, family, and household measures in the 2021 Census, local earnings sit within the 2nd and 3rd percentiles nationally.
Income distribution shows 32.4% of taxpayers (682 people) positioned in the $400 - 799 bracket, in contrast to the regional concentration in the $1,500 - 2,999 range (32.0%). Budgetary pressures remain widespread, with 43.5% of households surviving on modest incomes under $800 weekly. Housing affordability challenges are acute, with 79.4% of earnings remaining after housing costs, placing the area in the 3rd percentile nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions - Income
Calista had 830 occupied dwellings at the 2021 Census, 69% detached houses and 4% apartments. 33% are owned with a mortgage, 39% rented and 28% owned outright. At that Census the median rent was $250 a week and the median mortgage repayment $1,300 a month. Rent absorbs 26.2% of household income here and mortgage repayments 31.5%. Dwelling stock, tenure and housing costs are 2021 Census measures — the only source that counts dwellings at this boundary size.
Detail
The local housing stock at the latest Census consisted of 69.3% standalone houses and 30.7% other dwellings including townhouses and apartments, compared to Perth metro's distribution of 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Outright homeownership was comparable to the metropolitan figure at 28.1%, with remaining properties held under a mortgage (32.6%) or tenanted (39.3%). Typical monthly mortgage costs stood at $1,300, well below the Perth metro benchmark of $1,907, while weekly rents sat at $250 against $350 regionally. Relative to national figures, local mortgage servicing is considerably below the Australian benchmark of $1,863, with rental costs also tracking well under the national standard of $375.
Frequently Asked Questions - Housing
Calista counted 830 households at the 2021 Census, an estimated 885 today, averaging 2.1 people each. 17% are couples with children, fewer than in 93% of areas nationally, against 21% couples without children. 43% of households are people living alone, and families average 2.0 children. Household and family composition is measured only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
Families make up 52.8% of all households, broken down into couples without children (20.6%), couples with children (16.7%), and single parent families (13.9%). Non-family living arrangements constitute the remaining 47.2%, predominantly single-person households at 42.9% alongside group households at 3.9%. The typical household size of 2.1 people is smaller than the Greater Perth benchmark of 2.6.
Frequently Asked Questions - Households
10.6% of adults in Calista hold a university qualification, including 8.0% with a bachelor degree and 1.6% with postgraduate qualifications, lower than 96% of areas nationally. A further 29.9% hold a vocational qualification. 2 schools serve the area, with 438 enrolment places and an average ICSEA of 923 against a national benchmark of 1,000. Qualifications come from the 2021 Census; school enrolments, ICSEA and results come from ACARA's current release.
Detail
Educational attainment levels show substantial disparity, with university qualification rates sitting at 10.6% compared to the national standard of 30.4%, creating a clear target for educational enhancement programs. Bachelor degree holders account for 8.0%, postgraduate credentials represent 1.6%, and graduate diplomas comprise 1.0%. Conversely, vocational and practical qualifications are prominent, with 37.8% of individuals aged 15+ holding trade credentials—specifically certificates (29.9%) and advanced diplomas (7.9%). Formal study engages 22.6% of the local population. Within this cohort, primary schooling accounts for 8.7%, secondary education represents 5.1%, and higher education enrollment comprises 2.8%.
Frequently Asked Questions - Education
Schools Detail
Public transport in Calista reaches 17 stops on 4 routes, timetabled for about 730 services a week. The typical home sits about 180 m from its nearest stop. Buses carry the largest share of public transport commuters. Households keep an average of 1.0 vehicles. Stop and service counts are built from operators' published GTFS timetables and refresh with each timetable release; vehicle ownership is from the 2021 Census.
Detail
Public transit infrastructure in the suburb of Calista encompasses 17 operational stops served entirely by bus routes. These stops connect to 4 separate routes, delivering 734 weekly passenger trips across the network. Physical access is strong, with typical walking distances of 178 meters to the closest stop. Outbound commuting prevails in this residential enclave, with private vehicles accounting for 82% of journeys and rail transit taking 11%. Private vehicle ownership averages 1.0 per household, below regional figures, while 5.1% of workers worked from home in the 2021 Census under potential COVID-19 influences.
Transit schedules provide an average of 104 trips per day across all local routes, translating to roughly 43 weekly services for each individual stop.
Frequently Asked Questions - Transport
Transport Stops Detail
50.6% of residents in Calista report no long-term health condition, a less healthy profile than 95% of areas nationally. 15.7% need daily assistance with core activities, and 49.4% hold private health cover. The standardised death rate runs at 9.0 per 1,000 residents. Health conditions, assistance needs and insurance are 2021 Census measures; the death rate comes from current ABS releases.
Detail
Analysis of mortality statistics and chronic condition prevalence by AreaSearch highlights substantial health pressures across Calista, with illness noticeably affecting both older and younger demographics, while private health insurance coverage is limited to roughly 49% of residents (~1,040 people). This sits below both Greater Perth (59.0%) and national levels (55.7%). Mental health conditions (12.7%) and arthritis (12.0%) constitute the most prevalent diagnosed ailments, whereas 50.6% of the population reported no long-term medical conditions, trailing the 71.9% recorded across Greater Perth. Working-age residents experience elevated rates of chronic illness, while seniors aged 65 and over number 636 people (30.2% of the population), almost double the regional proportion of 15.9%.
Health outcomes for older residents present ongoing difficulties, with broad performance aligning with national averages.
Frequently Asked Questions - Health
35.2% of Calista residents were born overseas and 9.0% speak a language other than English at home. The largest reported ancestries are English (37.2%) and Australian (25.7%). 3.3% of residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. Ancestry, language and country of birth are counted only by the Census, so these are 2021 figures.
Detail
The suburb of Calista exhibits higher cultural diversity than many surrounding markets, with 35.2% of residents born abroad and 9.0% using a non-English language at home. Christianity represents the leading faith, adhered to by 43.6% of residents. Meanwhile, Buddhism displays the clearest local concentration at 1.4%, compared to 2.7% throughout Greater Perth. Examining parental heritage, English ancestry leads the population at 37.2% (substantially exceeding the regional share of 28.0%), followed by Australian at 25.7% and Scottish at 7.7%. Specific ethnic representations also diverge from wider trends, with Welsh heritage accounting for 1.3% (against 0.7% across the region), Maori background comprising 1.0% (versus 0.9%), and South Australian ancestry sitting at 0.8% (compared to 1.0%).
Frequently Asked Questions - Diversity
The median resident of Calista is 48, older than 88% of areas nationally. 22.4% of residents are aged 15 to 34. Age cohorts are not raw Census counts: the Census split is re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections.
Detail
The suburb of Calista presents a distinct retirement-oriented age structure. Seniors aged 65+ make up 30.2% of the population as at August 2026, compared to 15.9% regionally, while working-age adults aged 25 - 44 represent 23.2% against 30.9% across Greater Perth. AreaSearch calculates a median age of 48 as at August 2026, matching the 2021 Census figure and tracking 11 years older than the Greater Perth median of 37 at that Census, as well as the national median of 38. The 65+ cohort has eased from 31.7% at the Census to 30.2% currently.
Looking ahead to 2041, senior demographics are projected to drive local expansion, adding 451 residents (71%) to reach 1,087, while younger cohorts are anticipated to diminish.
Frequently Asked Questions - Age
Data & MethodBoundaries, Sources & Method for Calista
9 of 14 data sections on this page were updated within the last 12 months — the newest current to Aug 2026.
Everything is aggregated to the Suburb (SAL) boundary shown above, on a 2021 Census baseline. Only 3 sections — housing, households and cultural diversity — still wait on the 2026 Census.
The ledger — source, cycle and currency by section
| Section | Source & update cycle | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Updated within the last 12 months 9 sections | ||
| Population | ABS, GNAF, Geoscience Australia Annual (ABS ERP) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release) and updated with new dwellings from GNAF address data. Current to Aug 2026, with the 2021 Census supplying the small-area baseline. | ||
| Age profile | ABS, Geoscience Australia, State governments Annual | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Age cohorts are re-based to the latest ABS population estimates and state projections, current to Aug 2026. Each cohort is held as a Census baseline and a current estimate. | ||
| Development & approvals | ABS, GNAF Monthly (ABS approvals) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · Jun 2026 baseline |
| Property sales & rents | Valuer General, Rental Board, ABS Weekly sales, quarterly rents | Aug 2026 last month all 21 measures |
| Sales from the state Valuer General register, refreshed weekly, and rents from quarterly rental bond lodgements. Both are read live each time this page loads, current to Aug 2026. | ||
| Infrastructure projects | Infrastructure Australia, Local governments Daily | May 2026 4 months ago all 2 projects tracked here |
| Project pipeline maintained continuously from Infrastructure Australia, state agencies, local government and public announcements. Records are added and revised daily; this area was last updated May 2026. | ||
| Employment | ABS, DEWR, JSA Quarterly (ABS SALM) | Mar 2026 6 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Unemployment and labour force from ABS Small Area Labour Markets, current to Mar 2026. The growth outlook applies Department of Employment (now Jobs and Skills Australia) forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to the local industry mix, so it measures sector composition rather than local expansion and makes no allowance for population growth. Job demand comes from the same agency via its Internet Vacancy Index; industry and occupation structure from the 2021 Census. | ||
| Education | ABS, ACARA Annual (ACARA) | Aug 2026 last month headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Transport | ABS, State Transport Departments Each timetable release | Jul 2026 2 months ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Services & amenities | Provider directories, ACECQA Continuous | Jul 2026 2 months ago all 14 measures |
| Annual and financial-year sources 2 sections | ||
| Income | ABS, ATO Annual (ATO) | FY 2023 3 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| ATO taxable income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index. Census household income provides the distribution detail. | ||
| Health | ABS, ATO Annual | 2024 2 years ago headline measures · 2021 Census baseline |
| Census-measured — next update: 2026 Census 3 sections No more current small-area source exists for these, so they are labelled as Census-measured rather than implied to be current. | ||
| Housing | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 30 measures |
| Households | ABS 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 18 measures |
| Cultural diversity | ABS, Geoscience Australia 5-yearly (Census) | 2021 Census next update 2026 all 44 measures |
"Currency" is the most recent release feeding that section. Where the Census supplies the structural baseline underneath a current headline figure, the row says so.
How the numbers are built
Population
The Census provides the small-area baseline, aggregated from mesh blocks to this boundary. It is then re-based to the ABS Estimated Resident Population (June 2025 release), and new dwellings built since Census night are counted from address data — 13 validated new addresses here. The headline figure is therefore a current estimate for Aug 2026, not a 2021 count (1,975 at the 2021 Census → 2,107 now). Annual growth rates are compound (CAGR), not simple averages.
Age profile
Cohort shares are not raw Census counts. Every cohort is held as a pair — the Census baseline and a current estimate — and the split is re-based using ERP and state population projections, current to Aug 2026. Median age is the Census median plus modelled change since. Charts that show both are labelled "2021 Census vs Current Estimate".
Property sales
Sourced from the state valuation authority's sales register — current, not Census, and refreshed weekly. Medians are calculated from settled transactions in the period shown; periods with very low transaction counts are flagged or suppressed, because a handful of sales can move a median substantially.
Rents
Derived from state rental bond lodgement data, by dwelling type and bedroom count. Bonds are lodged at the start of a new tenancy, so this reflects new lettings, not the whole rented stock.
Development & infrastructure
Building approvals come from current ABS releases; development applications are collected from council and state planning portals; the infrastructure pipeline is compiled from Infrastructure Australia and local government sources. Applications are matched to this boundary by address or coordinates, so very recent lodgements may not yet appear.
Employment & income
Industry and occupation structure comes from the Census, but the headline labour-market indicators do not. Unemployment and labour force are derived from ABS Small Area Labour Markets (quarterly). The employment outlook applies Department of Employment forecasts for all 19 industry divisions to this area's own industry mix (the agency is now Jobs and Skills Australia), as does the Internet Vacancy Index used for job demand. Because it is weighted on industry composition alone, that outlook carries no allowance for local population growth — in fast-growing areas the real rise in local jobs will typically be higher. Income combines Census household income with ATO taxable-income statistics for FY 2023, indexed forward using the Wage Price Index.
Education, transport & amenities
School enrolments, ICSEA and performance come from ACARA's current release, not the Census. Public transport stops and service frequency are derived from GTFS timetable feeds published by state transport departments. Services and amenities are proximity and count scores built from provider directories, refreshed on their own cycle. The Census contributes only the travel-to-work and qualification measures.
Rankings and benchmarks. Where we rank this area, the comparison set is every area of the same boundary type — suburbs against suburbs, SA2s against SA2s. Benchmarks compare this area against its greater capital city region and the national figure for the same measure and period.
Limits worth knowing. Small areas carry larger error margins, and the ABS introduces small random adjustments to Census counts to protect confidentiality — so totals may not sum exactly. Estimates re-based from regional data describe the area's expected trajectory, not a direct count of it. Figures are indicative for research and are not financial, planning or valuation advice.
Cross-check us. The Census baseline for this boundary is at ABS 2021 Census QuickStats (SAL50235). QuickStats reports 2021 only — the figures on this page are more current wherever the ledger shows a later date.