Calista

Calista is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Calista's population was 7,434 as of the 2021 Census. By Feb 2026, it had increased to around 7,816, a rise of 382 people (5.1%). This growth is inferred from ABS data: an estimated resident population of 7,790 in June 2024 and 56 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was 516 persons per square kilometer as of Feb 2026. Overseas migration contributed approximately 96.7% of recent population gains.

AreaSearch uses 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 estimates, AreaSearch utilises growth rates by age cohort from the ABS's Greater Capital Region projections (released in 2023, based on 2022 data). By 2041, Calista is projected to increase by 1,204 persons, reflecting a total increase of 15.1% over the 17 years, based on latest annual ERP population numbers.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Calista, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Calista has recorded approximately 12 residential properties granted approval each year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, a total of 64 homes were approved. As of FY-26, 8 dwellings have been approved so far.

This indicates a balanced supply and demand market, with an average of 1.4 people moving to the area per dwelling built over these five years. New homes are constructed at an average cost of $195,000, reflecting more affordable housing options compared to regional norms. In FY-26, there have been $3.6 million in commercial approvals, suggesting the area's residential character. Compared to Greater Perth, Calista has significantly less development activity, with 89.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established homes.

Nationally, development activity is also lower than the national average, indicating market maturity and potential development constraints. Recent development in Calista has been entirely comprised of detached houses, maintaining its traditional low-density character with a focus on family homes. As of now, there are an estimated 794 people per dwelling approval in the area, reflecting its quiet, low-activity development environment. Looking ahead, Calista is expected to grow by 1,178 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. If current construction levels persist, housing supply may lag population growth, potentially intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Calista has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 36thth percentile nationally

Eleven infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting the area. Key projects include Westport-Kwinana Container Port, Parmelia Primary School Modernisation Stage 2, Mandurah Line, and Anketell Road Upgrade (Leath Road to Kwinana Freeway). The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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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 with both white and blue collar jobs, with manufacturing and industrial sectors prominent. The unemployment rate was 14.4% in September 2025. Employment grew by an estimated 1.4% over the past year.

There were 3,446 residents employed as of September 2025, with an unemployment rate of 10.4%, higher than Greater Perth's rate of 4%. Workforce participation in Calista was 62.2%, significantly lower than Greater Perth's 71.6%. Census data shows that only 4.9% of residents worked from home. The dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade.

Manufacturing had a particularly high share of employment at 1.9 times the regional level. Professional & technical services employed just 4.2% of local workers, below Greater Perth's 8.2%. Over the year to September 2025, employment increased by 1.4%, while labour force grew by 4.0%, leading to an unemployment rise of 2.2 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Perth saw employment growth of 2.9% and a marginal increase in unemployment. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia for May-25 project national employment growth of 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 5.8% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, though these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

The median taxpayer income in Calista SA2 is $61,230, with an average of $70,259 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is higher than Greater Perth's median income of $60,748 and average income of $80,248. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $67,120 (median) and $77,018 (average). Census data shows household, family, and personal incomes in Calista fall between the 10th and 14th percentiles nationally. The income distribution reveals that the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates with 29.9% of residents (2,336 people), similar to the metropolitan region where this cohort represents 32.0%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Calista, with only 81.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 13th percentile nationally.

Calista is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Calista's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 87.6% houses and 12.4% other dwellings. In contrast, Perth metro had 77.8% houses and 22.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Calista was at 22.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 44.5% and rented ones at 33.1%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Calista was $1,300, below Perth metro's average of $1,907. Weekly rent in Calista stood at $275, compared to Perth metro's $350. Nationally, Calista's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and 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 62.5% of all households, including 23.7% couples with children, 20.5% couples without children, and 16.6% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 37.5%, with lone person households at 33.3% and group households comprising 4.1%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which is smaller than the Greater Perth average of 2.6.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 12.6%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.3%) and graduate diplomas (1.3%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 40.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (8.9%) and certificates (31.5%).

Educational participation is high, with 29.3% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 11.4% in primary education, 8.1% in secondary education, and 3.3% pursuing tertiary education.

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

The analysis of public transport in Calista shows that there are 51 active transport stops operating within the area, all of which are bus stops. These stops are serviced by five individual routes, collectively providing 753 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport is rated as good, with residents typically located 211 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward using cars, which remain the dominant mode at 81%. Train use accounts for 10%, and bus use is at 5%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.2 per dwelling, below the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a relatively low 4.9% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency averages 107 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 14 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, as assessed by AreaSearch through mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Various health conditions affect both younger and older age groups, with private health cover at approximately 54% of the total population (~4,212 people), higher than the average SA2 area but lower than Greater Perth's 59.0%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 11.7% and 9.1% of residents respectively. Conversely, 60.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 71.9% in Greater Perth. The working-age population experiences notable health challenges due to high chronic condition rates. Calista has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 20.0%, or 1,561 people, compared to Greater Perth's 16.3%. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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

Calista's population was found to be more culturally diverse than most local markets, with 12.1% speaking a language other than English at home and 31.3% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Calista, making up 40.3% of its population. Notably, the 'Other' religious category comprised 1.0%, compared to 1.4% across Greater Perth.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups were English (31.8%), Australian (25.1%), and Other (8.3%). There were also significant differences in the representation of certain ethnic groups: Maori was overrepresented at 2.2%, Welsh at 0.9%, and New Zealand at 1.1%.

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

Calista has a median age of 40, which is somewhat higher than Greater Perth's figure of 37 and Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Greater Perth average, Calista has an over-representation of the 55-64 cohort at 12.8% locally, while the 35-44 year-olds are under-represented at 12.5%. Between 2021 and present, the percentage of the population aged 65 to 74 has increased from 8.2% to 9.6%, while the percentage of those aged 5 to 14 has declined from 13.8% to 11.0%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Calista's age profile. The number of people aged 85 and above is projected to increase by 364 individuals (124%), from 294 to 659. Notably, the combined population growth of those aged 65 and above will account for 73% of total population growth, reflecting Calista's aging demographic trend. Meanwhile, the populations of those aged 0 to 4 and 35 to 44 are expected to decline.