Calwell

Calwell has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Calwell's population is around 5,552 as of Feb 2026. This reflects a decrease of 178 people (3.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,730 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,552 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 30 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 1,427 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 56.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and for years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections, with 2022 as a base, are adopted. Looking at population projections moving forward, lower quartile growth of statistical areas across the nation is anticipated, with the area expected to increase by 278 persons by 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting a gain of 5.0% in total over the 17 years.

The level of residential development activity in Calwell is very low in comparison to the average area assessed nationally by AreaSearch

Calwell has averaged around 6 new dwelling approvals each year, with 34 homes approved over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25) and 0 so far in FY-26. Given population has fallen over the past period, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, creating a well-balanced market with good buyer choice, while new dwellings are developed at an average value of $166,000—below the regional average—suggesting more affordable housing options for buyers. There have also been $393,000 in commercial approvals this financial year, demonstrating the area's residential nature.

Relative to the Australian Capital Territory, Calwell has around half the rate of new dwelling approvals per person and ranks within the 5th percentile of areas assessed nationally, meaning more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing properties. This is also below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and pointing to possible planning constraints. New development consists of 14.0% detached dwellings and 86.0% townhouses or apartments. This skew toward compact living offers affordable entry pathways and attracts downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This marks a significant departure from existing housing patterns (currently 87.0% houses), suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs.

Future projections show Calwell adding 278 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Should current construction levels persist, housing supply could lag population growth, likely intensifying buyer competition and underpinning price growth.

Calwell has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 27thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 7 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include Banks Gateway Estate, Calwell Retirement Living Precinct, Calwell Public Housing Development, and EV Fast Charging Infrastructure - Calwell (Calwell Shopping Centre), with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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.

Employment performance in Calwell exceeds national averages across key labour market indicators

Calwell possesses a well-educated workforce, with essential services sectors well represented, an unemployment rate of only 3.5%, and 1.2% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 3,163 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.3% below the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.8%, and workforce participation is on par with the Australian Capital Territory's 72.6%. Based on Census responses, a low 9.6% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents is concentrated in public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and construction. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in construction, with employment levels at 1.6 times the regional average. Meanwhile, professional & technical services have a limited presence with 7.9% employment compared to 11.1% regionally. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 1.2% while the labour force increased by 1.0%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 0.2 percentage points. This contrasts with the Australian Capital Territory, where employment rose by 0.9%, the labour force grew by 1.2%, and unemployment rose 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Calwell. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Calwell's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.4% over five years and 13.1% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

The Calwell SA2's income level is extremely high nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. The Calwell SA2's median income among taxpayers is $73,856 and the average income stands at $80,583, which compares to figures for the Australian Capital Territory's of $72,206 and $85,981 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.26% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $80,695 (median) and $88,045 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Calwell, between the 89th and 90th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 37.0% of residents (2,054 people), reflecting patterns seen in the broader area where 34.3% similarly occupy this range. A significant 39.5% earn above $3,000 weekly, reflecting pockets of prosperity that drive robust local economic activity. After housing costs, residents retain 87.0% of income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 8th decile.

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

Dwelling structure within Calwell, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 86.8% houses and 13.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to the Australian Capital Territory's 63.3% houses and 36.7% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Calwell was well beyond that of the Australian Capital Territory, at 30.2%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (54.6%) or rented (15.2%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was below the Australian Capital Territory average at $2,000, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $448, compared to the Australian Capital Territory's $2,080 and $450. Nationally, Calwell's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are substantially above the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 78.1% of all households, comprising 38.5% couples with children, 26.2% couples without children, and 12.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 21.9%, with lone person households at 19.1% and group households comprising 2.5% of the total. The median household size of 2.7 people is larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.5.

The educational profile of Calwell exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

The area faces educational challenges, with university qualification rates (29.1%) substantially below the SA4 region average of 46.8%. This represents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees lead at 19.2%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.7%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 36.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (12.9%) and certificates (23.1%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.2% in primary education, 7.7% in secondary education, and 4.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 33 active transport stops operating within Calwell, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 68 individual routes, collectively providing 4,244 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents typically located 199 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 92%, with 5% by bus. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. A relatively low 9.6% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 606 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 128 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Calwell is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data reveals substantial challenges facing Calwell, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is notable across both younger and older age cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (3,303 people), compared to 62.4% across the Australian Capital Territory.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 9.4% and 9.0% of residents, respectively, while 66.9% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 70.2% across the Australian Capital Territory. Working-age residents show an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 16.8% of residents aged 65 and over (934 people), which is higher than the 14.3% in the Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, with national rankings even higher than those of the general population.

In terms of cultural diversity, Calwell records figures broadly comparable to the national average, as found in AreaSearch's assessment of a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Calwell was found to be above average in terms of cultural diversity, with 19.1% of its population born overseas and 14.0% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Calwell is Christianity, which makes up 49.1% of people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation was in Islam, which comprises 2.1% of the population, compared to 3.4% across the Australian Capital Territory.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Calwell are Australian, comprising 27.8% of the population, English, comprising 26.4% of the population, and Other, comprising 8.9% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Spanish is notably overrepresented at 1.1% of Calwell (vs 0.5% regionally), Serbian at 0.5% (vs 0.4%) and Hungarian at 0.4% (vs 0.3%).

Calwell's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Calwell's median age of 37 years stands slightly older than the Australian Capital Territory's 35, though essentially aligned with the 38-year national average. The 55 - 64 age group shows strong representation at 13.4% compared to the Australian Capital Territory, whereas the 25 - 34 cohort is less prevalent at 12.7%. Since 2021, the 65 to 74 age group has grown from 8.1% to 10.8% of the population, while the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 12.8% to 14.9%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort has declined from 14.1% to 12.7% and the 45 to 54 group dropped from 13.2% to 11.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Calwell. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to rise substantially, expanding by 163 people (69%) from 235 to 399. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 77% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 15 to 24 and 35 to 44 age groups will see reduced numbers.