Emerald vs Kallista

Emerald is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 47 in Kallista. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Emerald, most households are couple families. In Kallista, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Emerald tends to suit couples, while Kallista suits people living alone.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Emerald

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (14 vs 2)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (5 vs 2)
  • But Kallista carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 40/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Kallista

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($347/wk vs $400/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Kallista

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (22/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Kallista

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (22/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (27/100 vs 40/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Emerald and Kallista drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Emerald Kallista
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Emerald Kallista
Walkability 0 / 22
Emerald — Walkability: 0/100 Kallista — Walkability: 22/100
Safety 60 / 73
Emerald — Safety: 60/100 Kallista — Safety: 73/100
Low fire risk 37 / 28
Emerald — Low fire risk: 37/100 Kallista — Low fire risk: 28/100
Low flood risk 84 / 77
Emerald — Low flood risk: 84/100 Kallista — Low flood risk: 77/100

Demographics

Emerald has more residents (5,890 vs 1,418); Emerald rents higher ($400/wk vs $347/wk).

Emerald Kallista
Population 5,890
+76% vs other
 1,418
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.9% -1.3%
Median age 43 47
Median household income $110,188/yr
+5% vs other
 $104,156/yr
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+13% vs other
 $347/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Emerald Kallista
0-4 5.1% / 3.1%
Emerald — 0-4: 5.1% Kallista — 0-4: 3.1%
5-14 13.4% / 11.8%
Emerald — 5-14: 13.4% Kallista — 5-14: 11.8%
15-19 6.4% / 5.6%
Emerald — 15-19: 6.4% Kallista — 15-19: 5.6%
20-24 5.7% / 4.2%
Emerald — 20-24: 5.7% Kallista — 20-24: 4.2%
25-34 8.9% / 7.4%
Emerald — 25-34: 8.9% Kallista — 25-34: 7.4%
35-44 12.7% / 13.5%
Emerald — 35-44: 12.7% Kallista — 35-44: 13.5%
45-54 15.4% / 15.7%
Emerald — 45-54: 15.4% Kallista — 45-54: 15.7%
55-64 13.9% / 16.4%
Emerald — 55-64: 13.9% Kallista — 55-64: 16.4%
65-74 11.7% / 15.7%
Emerald — 65-74: 11.7% Kallista — 65-74: 15.7%
75-84 5.1% / 6.1%
Emerald — 75-84: 5.1% Kallista — 75-84: 6.1%
85+ 1.7% / 0.8%
Emerald — 85+: 1.7% Kallista — 85+: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Emerald 59.0% couple families
Emerald — Couple Families: 59.0% Emerald — Lone Person: 25.2% Emerald — One Parent Families: 12.7% Emerald — Group Household: 2.3% Emerald — Other Families: 0.9%
Kallista 49.0% couple families
Kallista — Couple Families: 49.0% Kallista — Lone Person: 34.2% Kallista — One Parent Families: 13.4% Kallista — Group Household: 2.5% Kallista — Other Families: 0.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Emerald 8.5% renting
Emerald — Owned Outright: 39.5% Emerald — Mortgage: 52.0% Emerald — Renting: 8.5%
Kallista 9.0% renting
Kallista — Owned Outright: 41.5% Kallista — Mortgage: 49.5% Kallista — Renting: 9.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Emerald Kallista
Bachelor Degree 13.0% / 18.5%
Emerald — Bachelor Degree: 13.0% Kallista — Bachelor Degree: 18.5%
Certificate III & IV 16.6% / 12.9%
Emerald — Certificate III & IV: 16.6% Kallista — Certificate III & IV: 12.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.8% / 9.7%
Emerald — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8% Kallista — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.7%
Postgraduate Degree 3.7% / 7.6%
Emerald — Postgraduate Degree: 3.7% Kallista — Postgraduate Degree: 7.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.0% / 4.4%
Emerald — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.0% Kallista — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 4.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.5%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Emerald Kallista
England 6.8% / 7.1%
Emerald — England: 6.8% Kallista — England: 7.1%
New Zealand 1.2% / 0.8%
Emerald — New Zealand: 1.2% Kallista — New Zealand: 0.8%
Netherlands 1.0% / 1.0%
Emerald — Netherlands: 1.0% Kallista — Netherlands: 1.0%
Germany 0.6% / 1.2%
Emerald — Germany: 0.6% Kallista — Germany: 1.2%
Scotland 0.7% / 0.5%
Emerald — Scotland: 0.7% Kallista — Scotland: 0.5%
India — / 0.6%
Emerald — India: not among its largest Kallista — India: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Emerald 98.2% houses
Emerald — Houses: 98.2% Emerald — Townhouses: 1.1% Emerald — Flats / Apartments: 0.7%
Kallista 98.2% houses
Kallista — Houses: 98.2% Kallista — Townhouses: 1.6% Kallista — Flats / Apartments: 0.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Emerald Kallista
Median house price $930,000 $1,000,000
Median unit price $920,000 —
Median land price $522,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 22 days
from 39 sales
 9 days
from 11 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Emerald Kallista
2 bed $745K / $815K
Emerald — 2 bed: $745K (9 sales) Kallista — 2 bed: $815K (5 sales)

9 vs 5 sales

3 bed $875K / $892K
Emerald — 3 bed: $875K (42 sales) Kallista — 3 bed: $892K (20 sales)

42 vs 20 sales

4 bed $1.08M / $1.05M
Emerald — 4 bed: $1.08M (44 sales) Kallista — 4 bed: $1.05M (15 sales)

44 vs 15 sales

Zoning mix

Kallista has more rural and farming land (71% vs 13%); Emerald has more land zoned for conservation (19% vs 0%).

Emerald Kallista
Rural and farming 13% 71%
Infrastructure and transport 56% 2%
Parks and recreation 3% 27%
Environmental 19% 0%
Residential 9% 0%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Emerald Kallista
New dwellings approved 1,323
across Cardinia
 416
across Yarra Ranges
Approvals change year on year +13% -57%

Ranking within VIC

Emerald Kallista
House price Higher than 61% of VIC Higher than 46% of VIC
Income Higher than 82% of VIC Higher than 76% of VIC
Schools Higher than 65% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 7% of VIC Higher than 80% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 69% of VIC Higher than 81% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 79% of VIC Higher than 95% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 74% of VIC Higher than 75% of VIC

Liveability

Kallista is more walkable (22 vs 0); Kallista scores higher overall (61 vs 56).

Emerald Kallista
Grade B
same for both
Score 56/100 61/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Emerald carries more crime risk (40 vs 27).

Emerald Kallista
Bushfire Moderate
63/100
 High
72/100
Crime Moderate
40/100
 Low
27/100
Flood Low
16/100
 Low
23/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Emerald Kallista
Inside the suburb 3 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 2 0

Schools in Emerald

  • Dandenong Ranges Steiner School Independent · Primary above peers
  • Emerald Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Emerald Secondary College Government · Secondary below peers

Schools in Kallista

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Emerald Kallista
Supermarkets 2 1
Cafes & restaurants 7 4
Parks & reserves 14 2
Childcare 5 2
GPs 2 1
Pharmacies 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 3 1
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 11 9

Mobility

Emerald Kallista
Walkability score 0/100 22/100
Distance to Melbourne 54.7 km
+2% vs other
 53.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 60 min 58 min
Public transport score 77/100
Bus
 36/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 31.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 6.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 3 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.1%
postcode 3782
 2.1%
postcode 3791
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 39
postcode 3782
 28
postcode 3791

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Emerald Kallista
Car (driver) 65.4% / 56.3%
Emerald — Car (driver): 65.4% Kallista — Car (driver): 56.3%
Worked from Home 27.7% / 38.3%
Emerald — Worked from Home: 27.7% Kallista — Worked from Home: 38.3%
Car (passenger) 4.4% / 2.3%
Emerald — Car (passenger): 4.4% Kallista — Car (passenger): 2.3%
Walked Only 1.5% / 1.8%
Emerald — Walked Only: 1.5% Kallista — Walked Only: 1.8%
Train 0.7% / 1.4%
Emerald — Train: 0.7% Kallista — Train: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (65.4%).

Setting

Emerald Kallista
Elevation 231 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 402 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 30.1 km 30.2 km

NBN connectivity

Emerald Kallista
Connectivity score 57/100 62/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 23%
2,364 premises
 29%
666 premises

Climate

Emerald Kallista
Annual rainfall 777 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.3°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Emerald Kallista
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 15.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Emerald Kallista
Average residential rate $1,880/yr $2,161/yr
Council Cardinia Yarra Ranges

Federal electorate

Emerald Kallista
Division La Trobe Casey
Member Jason Wood Aaron Violi
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Emerald Kallista
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Emerald

Acreage Outer

Kallista

Acreage Outer Professionals Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Emerald

Emerald vs Cockatoo Emerald vs Monbulk Emerald vs Beaconsfield Upper Emerald vs Belgrave South Emerald vs Menzies Creek Emerald vs Macclesfield

Other comparisons with Kallista

Kallista vs Monbulk Kallista vs Olinda Kallista vs Selby Kallista vs The Patch Kallista vs Menzies Creek Kallista vs Sherbrooke
Full data on Emerald Full data on Kallista
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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