Kalamunda

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

As of Nov 2025, Kalamunda's population is estimated at around 7,858, reflecting an increase of 695 people since the 2021 Census. The 2021 Census reported a population of 7,163. This growth was inferred from AreaSearch's resident population estimate of 7,802, based on examination of ABS ERP data released in June 2024 and an additional 60 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density is approximately 742 persons per square kilometer. Kalamunda's growth rate of 9.7% exceeded the national average of 8.9%. Overseas migration contributed approximately 73.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and post-2032 growth estimates, AreaSearch uses ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023, based on 2022 data. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to expand by 999 persons to 2041, reflecting an increase of 10.9% over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Kalamunda when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers in Kalamunda shows approximately 40 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling around 203 dwellings from FY-21 to FY-25. As of FY-26, ten approvals have been recorded. Each dwelling has accommodated an average of two new residents per year during this period, indicating steady demand that supports property values. The average construction cost value for new homes is $454,000.

This financial year has seen $11.8 million in commercial approvals, suggesting balanced commercial development activity in the area compared to Greater Perth. Kalamunda records 40.0% higher construction activity than the regional average per person over the five-year period, offering reasonable buyer options while sustaining existing property demand. However, development activity has moderated recently.

Detached houses make up 88.0% of new developments, with medium and high-density housing comprising the remaining 12.0%, maintaining Kalamunda's traditional low density character focused on family homes. There are approximately 243 people per dwelling approval in the area, indicating potential for growth. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Kalamunda is projected to add 855 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers and potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Kalamunda has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 48thth percentile nationally

Kalamunda's performance is significantly influenced by local infrastructure changes. AreaSearch has identified 17 projects potentially impacting the area. Notable projects include Kalamunda Central Masterplan & Town Square, Kalamunda Village Quarter - Kalamunda Activity Centre Redevelopment, High Wycombe South Residential Precinct, and Kalamunda Senior High School Upgrade. The following list details those most relevant.

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AreaSearch analysis indicates Kalamunda maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Kalamunda has a well-educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. Its unemployment rate is 3.1%, lower than the Greater Perth average of 3.9%.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 2.6%. As of June 2025, 3,950 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 0.8% below Greater Perth's. Workforce participation is lower, at 57.8% compared to Greater Perth's 65.2%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, education & training, and construction.

Education & training has a higher share of employment in Kalamunda than the regional level, while health care & social assistance is under-represented. Local employment opportunities appear limited based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 2.6%, labour force grew by 2.9%, leading to a slight rise in unemployment of 0.3 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Perth saw employment grow by 3.7%. National employment forecasts from Sep-22 suggest total employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Kalamunda's industry mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.3% in five years and 13.3% in ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Kalamunda's median income among taxpayers was $53,516 according to latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year ended June 2022. The average income stood at $71,874 in the same period, compared to Greater Perth's figures of $58,380 and $78,020 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 14.2% since financial year ended June 2022, current estimates would be approximately $61,115 (median) and $82,080 (average) as of September 2025. From the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census conducted in August 2021, household, family and personal incomes all ranked modestly in Kalamunda, between the 42nd and 43rd percentiles. Income analysis revealed that the predominant cohort spanned 25.6% of locals (2,011 people) with incomes in the $1,500 - 2,999 category, mirroring the metropolitan region where 32.0% occupied this bracket. After housing costs, 86.3% of income remained for other expenses and the area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 7th decile.

Kalamunda is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Kalamunda's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 89.4% houses and 10.6% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), whereas Perth metro had 93.9% houses and 6.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kalamunda stood at 50.2%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.4% and rented ones at 15.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,100, surpassing Perth metro's $1,907. Weekly rent median was $360, slightly lower than Perth metro's $370. Nationally, Kalamunda's mortgage repayments were higher at $2,100 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were lower at $360 against the national figure of $375.

Kalamunda has a typical household mix, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 73.9% of all households, including 28.9% couples with children, 35.7% couples without children, and 8.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for 26.1%, comprising 24.8% lone person households and 1.4% group households. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

Kalamunda performs slightly above the national average for education, showing competitive qualification levels and steady academic outcomes

The area's educational profile is notable regionally, with university qualification rates at 29.7% among residents aged 15+, surpassing the SA3 area average of 22.5%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 20.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.6%) and graduate diplomas (3.3%). Vocational credentials are also prominent, with 37.6% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas (14.0%) and certificates (23.6%).

Educational participation is high at 25.8%, including primary education (9.4%), secondary education (7.6%), and tertiary education (4.6%). Kalamunda's four schools have a combined enrollment of 1,626 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities. The area has two primary and two secondary institutions for educational provision.

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

The analysis of public transport in Kalamunda shows that there are 63 active transport stops currently operating. These stops serve a mix of bus routes, with a total of 15 individual routes providing service. The collective weekly passenger trips across these routes amount to 1,957.

The accessibility of transport is rated as good, with residents typically located an average of 327 meters from the nearest transport stop. The service frequency averages out to 279 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately 31 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Kalamunda is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Kalamunda faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 56%, covering around 4,380 people. The most common medical conditions are arthritis and mental health issues, impacting 10.2% and 7.5% of residents respectively. About 65.9% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 69.2% across Greater Perth. As of 2016, 29.7% of Kalamunda's residents are aged 65 and over (2,333 people), which is higher than the 20.2% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors in Kalamunda are particularly strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Kalamunda was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Kalamunda's cultural diversity was above average, with 6.7% speaking a language other than English at home and 33.2% born overseas. Christianity was the main religion, comprising 49.6%. Judaism was overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to 0.1% in Greater Perth.

The top three ancestry groups were English (36.0%), Australian (22.9%), and Scottish (8.8%). Welsh was notably overrepresented at 0.9%, Dutch at 1.9%, and South African at 0.7%.

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

Kalamunda has a median age of 49, which is higher than Greater Perth's figure of 37 and also above the national average of 38. The age profile shows that those aged 75-84 are particularly prominent, making up 12.1% of the population, compared to 6.0% nationally. This group has grown from 10.3% in the 2021 Census. Meanwhile, the 65-74 cohort has declined from 14.3% to 12.8%, and the 45-54 age group has dropped from 13.8% to 12.7%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Kalamunda's age structure. The 85+ group is expected to grow by 134%, reaching 882 people from 377. The combined 65+ age groups will account for 94% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, the 15-24 and 0-4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.