Calista
Statistical Area - sa2

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 according to the 2021 Census. By Aug 2025, it is around 7,898, an increase of 464 people or 6.2%. This growth is inferred from ABS estimates: 7,790 residents in June 2024 and 50 new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density of 521 persons per square kilometer. Calista's 6.2% growth rate since the census is close to the national average of 8.6%. 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 uses ABS Greater Capital Region growth rates by age cohort, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Looking ahead, Calista is projected to have above median population growth with an expected increase of 1,204 persons by 2041, reflecting a total increase of 13.9% over the 17 years.

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 seen approximately 12 dwellings receive development approval annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 64 homes were approved. As of now, no dwellings have been recorded in FY-26.

On average, Calista has seen about 1.4 new residents per year for each new home over these five financial years, suggesting a balanced supply and demand market that supports stable conditions. The average expected construction cost value for new dwellings is $353,000, which is lower than regional levels, indicating more affordable housing choices for buyers. This financial year has seen approximately $3.6 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Perth, Calista records significantly lower building activity, with 89.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new dwellings typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties.

When compared nationally, this activity is also lower, suggesting market maturity and possible development constraints. Recent building activity comprises solely standalone homes, preserving Calista's low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The current estimated population density in the area is approximately 794 people per dwelling approval. Future projections indicate that Calista will add around 1,096 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.

Calista has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 42ndth percentile nationally

Eleven infrastructure projects identified by AreaSearch are anticipated to impact the area significantly. Key projects include Westport, Mandurah Line, Anketell Road Upgrade from Leath Road to Kwinana Freeway, and Westport Container Port Kwinana. The following list details those expected to be most relevant.

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

The labour market performance in Calista lags significantly behind most other regions nationally

Calista has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, notably in manufacturing and industrial sectors. Its unemployment rate is 13.5%.

In the past year, employment grew by 2.1%. As of June 2025, there are 3,589 employed residents, but the unemployment rate is higher than Greater Perth's at 9.7% versus 3.9%. Workforce participation in Calista is lower at 56.2%, compared to Greater Perth's 65.2%. The dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and retail trade.

Manufacturing has a particularly high concentration, with levels at 1.9 times the regional average. However, professional & technical services have lower representation at 4.2% versus the regional average of 8.2%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data showing fewer working residents than expected based on population numbers. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 2.1%, but unemployment rose by 3.1 percentage points due to a larger labour force increase of 5.8%. In contrast, Greater Perth had employment growth of 3.7% with only a 0.1 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-wide, WA employment contracted by 0.82% between Sep-24 and Sep-25, losing 14,590 jobs, while the state's unemployment rate was 4.3%. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.5%, with employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment to grow by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Calista's current employment mix suggests local growth could be approximately 5.8%% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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

Calista's median taxpayer income in financial year 2022 was $57,626, with an average of $66,563, according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is slightly above the national average, contrasting with Greater Perth's median income of $58,380 and average income of $78,020. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 11.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Calista would be approximately $64,316 (median) and $74,291 (average) as of March 2025. Census 2021 income data shows household, family and personal incomes in Calista all fall between the 11th and 14th percentiles nationally. Distribution data indicates that 29.9% of Calista's population (2,361 individuals) have incomes within the $1,500 - $2,999 range, consistent with broader trends across regional levels showing 32.0% in the same category. 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 above-average rates of outright home ownership

Calista's dwellings, as per the latest Census, consisted of 87.6% houses and 12.4% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). Perth metro had 93.0% houses and 7.0% 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 was $1,300, below Perth metro's average of $1,724. Median weekly rent in Calista was $275, compared to Perth metro's $315. 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, consisting of 23.7% couples with children, 20.5% couples without children, and 16.6% single parent families. Non-family households compose the remaining 37.5%, with lone person households at 33.3% and group households comprising 4.1% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 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 faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 12.6%, substantially below the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 9.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 2.3% and graduate diplomas at 1.3%. Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 40.4% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas at 8.9% and certificates at 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. A robust network of 6 schools operates within Calista, educating approximately 1,061 students. Education provision is balanced with 5 primary and 1 secondary school serving distinct age groups.

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

Calista has 49 operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by five different routes that together facilitate 749 weekly passenger journeys. The accessibility of these services is deemed good, with residents typically residing just 211 metres from the nearest stop.

On average, each route undertakes 107 daily trips, equating to roughly 15 weekly trips per individual bus stop.

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

Health data indicates significant health challenges in Calista, with various conditions affecting both younger and older age groups.

Private health cover stands at approximately 52%, higher than the average SA2 area (~4,138 people). Mental health issues (11.7%) and arthritis (9.1%) are the most prevalent medical conditions. Conversely, 60.9% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 71.4% in Greater Perth. Calista has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 18.9% (1,491 people), compared to 10.4% in Greater Perth. Health outcomes among seniors generally align with the overall population's health profile.

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 showed higher linguistic diversity than most local areas, with 12.1% speaking a language other than English at home, and 31.3% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Calista, representing 40.3% of its population. Notably, the 'Other' religious category was overrepresented in Calista at 1.0%, compared to Greater Perth's 2.8%.

In terms of ancestry, the top groups were English (31.8%), Australian (25.1%), and Other (8.3%). Some ethnic groups had notable differences: Maori were slightly more prevalent in Calista at 2.2% versus 2.1% regionally; Welsh were also more represented at 0.9% compared to 0.7%; New Zealand's representation remained similar at 1.1%.

Calista's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Calista has a median age of 40, which is somewhat higher than Greater Perth's figure of 37 and marginally higher than Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to the Greater Perth average, Calista has an over-representation of the 55-64 cohort at 12.4% and an under-representation of the 35-44 year-olds at 12.8%. Between 2021 and present, the 65-74 age group has grown from 8.2% to 9.0% of Calista's population while the 5-14 cohort has declined from 13.8% to 11.5%. Demographic projections suggest significant changes in Calista's age profile by 2041, with the 85+ age cohort surging dramatically from 266 to 659 people (a 147% increase). Notably, combined growth in the 65+ age groups will account for 78% of total population growth. Meanwhile, the 15-24 and 0-4 cohorts are expected to experience population declines.