Chisholm
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Chisholm's population, as per AreaSearch's analysis, is approximately 5,219 as of August 2025. This figure represents a decrease of 49 individuals (0.9%) from the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 5,268. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,221 in June 2024 and an additional 13 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,683 persons per square kilometer, higher than the average across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. While Chisholm's population declined by 0.9% since the census, the SA3 area experienced a growth rate of 0.2%, indicating divergent trends. Natural growth contributed approximately 66.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch employs 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, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections are adopted, using 2022 as the base year. According to these projections, Chisholm's population is expected to decline by 325 persons by 2041. However, specific age cohorts are projected to grow, notably the 75 to 84 age group, which is anticipated to increase by 125 people.

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

Chisholm has seen approximately five new homes approved annually. Development approval data from the ABS covers financial years 2020-21 to 2025-26, totalling 27 approvals over these five years and four in 2026-27 so far. On average, 0.4 people moved to the area per dwelling built annually between 2020-21 and 2025-26, indicating supply meeting or exceeding demand. New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $291,000.

In the current financial year, $337,000 in commercial development approvals have been recorded. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Chisholm shows around 68% of construction activity per person and ranks among the 19th percentile nationally, suggesting relatively constrained buyer choice. This is below the national average, indicating an established area with potential planning limitations. New building activity comprises approximately 57.0% detached houses and 43.0% attached dwellings, offering choices across price ranges. This shows a significant shift from the current housing mix of 96.0% houses.

The location has about 807 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established market with stable or declining population projections, suggesting reduced housing demand pressures benefiting potential buyers.

Chisholm has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 46thth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects that are expected to impact this region. Major initiatives include Calwell Retirement Living Precinct, Calwell Public Housing Development, Monaro Highway Safety Upgrades, and Canberra Hospital Master Plan. The following details those considered most relevant.

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

Employment conditions in Chisholm remain below the national average according to AreaSearch analysis

Chisholm's workforce is skilled with high representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 4.4% as of June 2025.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 3.2%. In June 2025, 2,839 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 1.0% higher than the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) rate of 3.4%. Workforce participation in Chisholm was similar to ACT's 69.6%. Key industries of employment among residents were public administration & safety, health care & social assistance, and construction.

Construction had notably high concentration with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average. Professional & technical services were under-represented at 7.4% compared to ACT's 11.1%. Limited local employment opportunities were indicated by Census data on working population versus resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 3.2% while labour force increased by 1.6%, reducing the unemployment rate by 1.5 percentage points. In ACT, employment grew by 1.9%, labour force expanded by 1.6%, and unemployment fell by 0.3 percentage points. As of Sep-25, ACT's employment had contracted by 0.33% (losing 1,480 jobs), with the state unemployment rate at 4.2%. National unemployment was 4.5% with national employment growth at 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts from May 2025 project national employment to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though industry-specific growth rates differ significantly. Applying these projections to Chisholm's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.3%% over five years and 13.0% over ten years.

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

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Chisholm's median income among taxpayers is $64,238, with an average of $71,194. This is higher than the national average. The Australian Capital Territory has a median income of $68,678 and an average of $83,634. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.78% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Chisholm would be approximately $71,163 (median) and $78,869 (average) as of March 2025. According to the 2021 Census, incomes in Chisholm rank highly nationally, between the 83rd and 85th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. In income distribution, 38.1% of individuals earn between $1,500 and $2,999, reflecting regional patterns where 34.3% fall into this range. Economic strength is evident with 33.9% of households earning high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounts for 13.8% of income, and residents rank highly in disposable income at the 85th percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Chisholm is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Chisholm's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 95.9% houses and 4.2% other dwellings. In comparison, Australian Capital Territory had 79.6% houses and 20.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Chisholm was at 29.1%, with mortgaged dwellings at 50.7% and rented ones at 20.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, aligning with Australian Capital Territory's average. Median weekly rent was $410, compared to Australian Capital Territory's $425. Nationally, Chisholm's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Chisholm has a typical household mix, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 76.6% of all households, including 36.9% couples with children, 26.4% couples without children, and 12.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 23.4%, with lone person households at 20.9% and group households making up 2.1%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.6.

Educational attainment in Chisholm aligns closely with national averages, showing typical qualification patterns and performance metrics

The area's university qualification rate is 25.6%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 46.8%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 15.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational credentials are held by 36.7% of residents aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas accounting for 12.4% and certificates for 24.3%. Current educational participation is high at 28.6%, including 10.2% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 3.8% pursuing tertiary education.

Educational institutions include Caroline Chisholm School and Caroline Chisholm School - Junior Campus, serving a total of 602 students. The ICSEA score for Chisholm is 979, indicating typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities. There is one primary and one secondary institution providing education in the area. However, school places per 100 residents (11.5) are below the regional average (14.9), suggesting some students may attend schools in neighbouring areas.

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

Transport analysis shows 39 active transport stops in Chisholm, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 8 different routes that together facilitate 736 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of public transport is rated excellent, with residents on average located 174 meters from the nearest stop.

Across all routes, there are an average of 105 trips per day, which equates to approximately 18 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Chisholm is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Chisholm faces significant health challenges, with common health conditions being somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 55% of the total population (~2,870 people), compared to 57.2% across Australian Capital Territory.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 9.5 and 8.8% of residents respectively, while 66.4% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 66.1% across Australian Capital Territory. The area has 16.4% of residents aged 65 and over (854 people), which is lower than the 17.6% in Australian Capital Territory. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

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

Chisholm has a cultural diversity level above average, with 19.0% of its population born overseas and 14.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Chisholm, comprising 50.0% of its population. Islam's representation in Chisholm appears to be notably higher than the Australian Capital Territory average, with 2.4% compared to the region's 2.4%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups are Australian (27.5%), English (26.5%), and Irish (8.2%). Some ethnic groups show significant variations in representation: Hungarian is overrepresented at 0.4%, Serbian at 0.5%, and Macedonian at 0.4%.

Chisholm's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Chisholm's median age is 37 years, slightly older than Australian Capital Territory's 35 but aligned with Australia's national average of 38 years. The age group of 55-64 has strong representation at 13.4%, compared to Australian Capital Territory, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 11.3%. From 2021 to present, the 65-74 age group grew from 9.4% to 11.0% of the population, and the 35-44 cohort increased from 13.5% to 15.0%. Conversely, the 25-34 cohort declined from 13.6% to 11.3%, and the 55-64 group dropped from 15.1% to 13.4%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Chisholm. The 75-84 age cohort is projected to increase by 107 people (47%), from 229 to 337. Notably, the combined 65+ age groups will account for 97% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, both the 15-24 and 5-14 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.