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 was around 5,219 as of November 2025, reflecting a decrease of 49 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 5,268. This change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population of 5,221 in June 2024 and an additional 13 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density was 1,683 persons per square kilometer, above national averages assessed by AreaSearch. While Chisholm saw a 0.9% decline since census, the SA3 area experienced 0.2% growth, indicating divergent trends. Natural growth contributed approximately 66.0% of overall population gains recently. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered and years post-2032, ACT Government's SA2 area projections with a 2022 base are adopted. Projections indicate a decline in overall population by 325 persons by 2041, but growth is anticipated for specific age cohorts, notably the 75 to 84 age group projected 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 8 new homes approved annually over the past five financial years, totalling 42 homes. As of FY-26, 5 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.4 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were noted between FY-21 and FY-25. This suggests that new supply is keeping pace with or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts.

The average construction value of these properties was $215,000. In FY-26, commercial development approvals totalled $337,000, indicating minimal commercial development activity in the area. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Chisholm shows approximately 69% of the construction activity per person. Nationally, it ranks at the 19th percentile among assessed areas, suggesting somewhat limited buyer options while strengthening demand for established homes. This activity is below average nationally, reflecting the area's maturity and possible planning constraints.

New building activity in Chisholm shows 57.0% detached houses and 43.0% attached dwellings. This indicates an increasing blend of attached housing types, offering choices across price ranges from spacious family homes to more accessible compact options. This is a considerable change from the current housing mix, which is currently 96.0% houses, reflecting reduced availability of development sites and addressing shifting lifestyle demands and affordability requirements. Chisholm has approximately 807 people per dwelling approval, demonstrating an established market. Given stable or declining population forecasts, Chisholm may experience less housing pressure in the future, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

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

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified two projects expected to affect the area notably. Major initiatives include Calwell Retirement Living Precinct, Calwell Public Housing Development, Erindale Group Centre Master Plan Implementation - Stage 1, and Canberra Light Rail Stage 4 - Woden to Tuggeranong. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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

Chisholm has a skilled workforce with an unemployment rate of 4.4% as of June 2025. Over the past year, there was estimated employment growth of 3.2%.

The area had 2,839 residents in work at this time, while its unemployment rate was 1.0% higher than the Australian Capital Territory's rate of 3.4%. Workforce participation was broadly similar to the Australian Capital Territory's 69.6%. Key industries of employment among Chisholm 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.

However, professional & technical services were under-represented, with only 7.4% of Chisholm's workforce compared to 11.1% in the Australian Capital Territory. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 3.2%, while labour force increased by 1.6%, causing the unemployment rate to fall by 1.5 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia, published in May 2025, project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. 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 had a median income among taxpayers of $64,238 and an average of $71,194. This was above the national average. The Australian Capital Territory had a median income of $68,678 and an average of $83,634 during this period. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Chisholm would be approximately $72,974 (median) and $80,876 (average) as of September 2025. According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Chisholm ranked highly nationally, between the 83rd and 85th percentiles. Income distribution showed that 38.1% of individuals earned between $1,500 and $2,999, reflecting regional patterns where 34.3% fell into this range. Economic strength was evident with 33.9% of households earning high weekly incomes exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. Housing accounted for 13.8% of income, and residents ranked in the 85th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking placed it in the 6th decile.

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

In Chisholm, as assessed at the latest Census, 95.9% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 4.2% being other types such as semi-detached homes and apartments. This compares to the Australian Capital Territory's figures of 79.6% houses and 20.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Chisholm stood at 29.1%, with mortgaged dwellings making up 50.7% and rented dwellings 20.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, matching the Australian Capital Territory average, while median weekly rent was $410, compared to the territory's $2,000 and $425 respectively. Nationally, Chisholm's median monthly mortgage repayments were higher at $2,000 than the Australian average of $1,863, and median weekly rents were also higher at $410 compared to the national figure of $375.

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

Family households constitute 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 account for the remaining 23.4%, with lone person households at 20.9% and group households comprising 2.1%. The median household size is 2.7 people, 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%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 15.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.2%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 36.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (12.4%) and certificates (24.3%).

Educational participation is high at 28.6%, comprising primary education (10.2%), secondary education (8.0%), and tertiary education (3.8%). The area has two schools serving 602 students, Caroline Chisholm School and Caroline Chisholm School - Junior Campus, with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 979) offering balanced educational opportunities. School places per 100 residents are lower than the regional average at 11.5, indicating some students may attend schools in nearby areas.

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

Chisholm has 39 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 8 different routes that together facilitate 736 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 174 meters to the nearest stop.

Across all routes, there are approximately 105 daily trips, equating to about 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 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 (around 2,870 people), compared to 57.2% across the Australian Capital Territory.

Mental health issues impact 9.5% of residents, while asthma affects 8.8%. About 66.4% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 66.1% in the Australian Capital Territory. Around 16.4% of residents are aged 65 and over (854 people), which is lower than the 17.6% in the 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's cultural diversity, as per a study conducted on 18th-19th June 20XX, showed 19.0% of its population were born overseas and 14.4% spoke a language other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Chisholm, accounting for 50.0% of the population. However, Islam's representation stood out at 2.4%, compared to the Australian Capital Territory average of 2.4%.

In terms of ancestry, Australians comprised 27.5%, English 26.5%, and Irish 8.2% of Chisholm's population. Notably, Hungarians were overrepresented at 0.4%, Serbians at 0.5%, and Macedonians at 0.4%, compared to regional averages of 0.3%, 0.4%, and 0.2% respectively.

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 55-64 age group makes up 13.4% of Chisholm's population compared to Australian Capital Territory, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 11.3%. Between 2021 and the present day, the 65 to 74 age group has grown from 9.4% to 11.0%, and the 35 to 44 cohort increased from 13.5% to 15.0%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 cohort declined from 13.6% to 11.3%, and the 55 to 64 group dropped from 15.1% to 13.4%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Chisholm. The 75 to 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 to 24 and 5 to 14 age groups are expected to decrease in numbers.