Kalinga

Kalinga has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis of ABS population updates and address validation, as of November 2025, Kalinga's estimated population is around 2,252. This reflects a growth of 108 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 2,144. AreaSearch inferred this change from the resident population of 2,226, estimated following examination of the latest ERP data release by ABS (June 2024) and address validation since the Census date. The population density ratio is 2,370 persons per square kilometer, placing Kalinga in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade ending in 2021, Kalinga demonstrated a compound annual growth rate of 2.0%, outpacing the state's average. Overseas migration contributed approximately 63.0% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers including interstate migration and natural growth were positive factors.

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 years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, released in 2023 based on 2021 data. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits, so AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections for each age cohort. Projecting forward with demographic trends, an above median population growth is expected for the Kalinga statistical area (Lv2). By 2041, based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the area is projected to expand by 482 persons, reflecting a total increase of 25.1% over the 17 years.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, indicates Kalinga has seen approximately 1 new home approved each year. Around 9 homes have been approved over the past five financial years, between FY2021 and FY2025, with another 7 approved so far in FY2026.

This results in an average of around 21.1 new residents per year for every home built during this period, suggesting supply is substantially lagging demand, which typically leads to heightened buyer competition and pricing pressures. New homes are being constructed at an average value of $536,000, indicating developers are targeting the premium market segment with higher-end properties. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Kalinga records markedly lower building activity, 89.0% below the regional average per person, which usually strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Recent construction activity has intensified, but this level is also lower than nationally, reflecting market maturity and possible development constraints. Furthermore, recent building activity consists entirely of attached dwellings, offering affordable entry pathways and attracting downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This represents a significant change from the current housing mix, which is currently 90.0% houses, likely due to reduced availability of development sites and shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. With around 658 people per dwelling approval, Kalinga reflects a highly mature market.

Population forecasts indicate Kalinga will gain approximately 565 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Kalinga has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified nine projects that could impact this region. Notable ones are Greville, Clayfield Development Aggregate, Clayfield Villagio Shopping Centre Revitalisation, and 12-14 Figgis Street Townhouses. Below is a list of those most likely to be relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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.

AreaSearch assessment positions Kalinga ahead of most Australian regions for employment performance

Kalinga has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 3.5% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 0.8%.

As of September 2025, 1,313 residents are employed, and the unemployment rate is 0.5% lower than Greater Brisbane's rate of 4.0%. Workforce participation is at 67.4%, slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's 64.5%. Key industries for employment among residents include professional & technical, health care & social assistance, and education & training. The area shows a strong specialization in professional & technical services, with an employment share of 2.1 times the regional level.

However, retail trade is under-represented, with only 6.1% of Kalinga's workforce compared to Greater Brisbane's 9.4%. Employment opportunities appear limited locally, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population counts. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 0.8%, while labour force grew by 1.0%, causing unemployment to rise by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Brisbane saw employment rise by 3.8% and unemployment fall by 0.5 percentage points during the same period. State-level data from QLD as of 25-Nov-25 shows employment contracted by 0.01%, with an unemployment rate of 4.2%. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Kalinga's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.6% over five years and 15.3% over ten years, though these are simple extrapolations for illustrative purposes and do not account for localized population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

The suburb of Kalinga's median income among taxpayers was $68,515 and average income stood at $96,413 in the financial year 2023. These figures were compiled by AreaSearch using the latest ATO data. In comparison, Greater Brisbane's median income was $58,236 and average income was $72,799. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for Kalinga as of September 2025 would be approximately $75,305 (median) and $105,968 (average). Census data shows that household, family, and personal incomes in Kalinga rank highly nationally, between the 90th and 99th percentiles. Income brackets indicate that 46.9% of the community earns over $4,000 weekly, with 56.0% exceeding $3,000 weekly. After housing costs, residents retain 89.2% of their income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile nationally.

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

The latest Census evaluated Kalinga's dwelling structure as 89.7% houses and 10.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Brisbane metro's 36.5% houses and 63.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Kalinga was at 34.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 45.0% and rented ones at 20.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $3,033, higher than Brisbane metro's $2,167. The median weekly rent in Kalinga was $400, compared to Brisbane metro's $410. Nationally, Kalinga's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Kalinga features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 80.2% of all households, including 49.6% couples with children, 22.0% couples without children, and 7.1% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 19.8%, with lone person households at 18.2% and group households comprising 2.2%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Brisbane average of 2.2.

Kalinga demonstrates exceptional educational outcomes, ranking among the top 5% of areas nationally based on AreaSearch's comprehensive analysis of qualification and performance metrics

Educational attainment in Kalinga is notable with 53.3% of residents aged 15+ having university qualifications, compared to 25.7% in Queensland (QLD) and 30.4% nationally. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 35.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 12.2% and graduate diplomas at 5.5%. Vocational pathways account for 18.7%, with advanced diplomas at 8.3% and certificates at 10.4%. Educational participation is high, with 36.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 12.3% in primary education, 12.0% in secondary education, and 7.6% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Kalinga has 19 operational public transport stops. These are served by buses along three different routes, offering a total of 477 weekly passenger trips. The average distance from residents to the nearest stop is 118 meters, indicating excellent accessibility.

On average, there are 68 daily trips across all routes, which translates to about 25 weekly trips per individual stop.

Kalinga's residents are extremely healthy with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics indicates strong performance across Kalinga. Younger cohorts in particular exhibit very low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 65% of the total population (1,472 people), compared to 70.5% across Greater Brisbane and a national average of 55.7%.

The most prevalent medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, affecting 7.8 and 6.2% of residents respectively. A significant majority, 74.6%, report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 73.7% across Greater Brisbane. Kalinga has 12.3% of its population aged 65 and over (276 people). Health outcomes among seniors require more attention than the broader population.

Kalinga ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Kalinga had a lower cultural diversity, with 79.5% born in Australia, 90.8% being citizens, and 92.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, at 59.3%, compared to 45.9% across Greater Brisbane. The top three ancestry groups were English (28.2%), Australian (24.2%), and Irish (11.3%).

Notably, Scottish (9.8%) and German (4.7%) were overrepresented compared to regional averages of 8.7% and 4.0%, respectively. New Zealanders also had a slightly higher representation at 0.9%.

Kalinga's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Kalinga is 39 years, slightly higher than Greater Brisbane's average of 36 years and close to Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to Greater Brisbane, Kalinga has a higher proportion of residents aged 5-14 years (17.3%), but fewer residents aged 25-34 years (8.3%). This concentration of 5-14 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 12.2%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the proportion of residents aged 5 to 14 has decreased from 18.3% to 17.3%. By 2041, Kalinga's age composition is expected to change notably. The 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 30%, increasing from 378 people to 492. Meanwhile, both the 25-34 and 0-4 age groups are expected to decrease in number.