Calala vs Timbumburi

Calala is the younger of the two, with a median age of 33 against 47 in Timbumburi. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Calala, about half of households are couple families. In Timbumburi, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Timbumburi: a median of $1.57 million, against $705,000 in Calala, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Calala tends to suit families with children and buyers on a tighter budget, while Timbumburi suits couples.

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

Calala

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 0)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • But Timbumburi carries lower crime risk (52/100 vs 63/100)

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

First-home buyers

Calala

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($240,000 vs $1,960,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($705,000 vs $1,575,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Calala

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($350/wk vs $513/wk)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Timbumburi

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (278 min vs 289 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (390.3 km vs 403.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Timbumburi

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (52/100 vs 63/100)

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

Investors

Calala

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (16.6% vs -14.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Calala Timbumburi
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.

Calala Timbumburi
Walkability 13 / 6
Calala — Walkability: 13/100 Timbumburi — Walkability: 6/100
Safety 37 / 48
Calala — Safety: 37/100 Timbumburi — Safety: 48/100
Low fire risk 80 / 100
Calala — Low fire risk: 80/100 Timbumburi — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Calala has more residents (4,577 vs 122); Timbumburi rents higher ($513/wk vs $350/wk).

Calala Timbumburi
Population 4,577
+97% vs other
 122
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +16.6% -14.1%
Median age 33 47
Median household income $96,876/yr $119,132/yr
+23% vs other
Median weekly rent $350/wk $513/wk
+47% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Calala Timbumburi
0-4 6.5% / 4.1%
Calala — 0-4: 6.5% Timbumburi — 0-4: 4.1%
5-14 17.0% / 13.1%
Calala — 5-14: 17.0% Timbumburi — 5-14: 13.1%
15-19 9.0% / 6.6%
Calala — 15-19: 9.0% Timbumburi — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 6.0% / —
Calala — 20-24: 6.0% Timbumburi — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 14.4% / 10.7%
Calala — 25-34: 14.4% Timbumburi — 25-34: 10.7%
35-44 12.7% / 9.8%
Calala — 35-44: 12.7% Timbumburi — 35-44: 9.8%
45-54 10.9% / 24.6%
Calala — 45-54: 10.9% Timbumburi — 45-54: 24.6%
55-64 9.3% / 18.9%
Calala — 55-64: 9.3% Timbumburi — 55-64: 18.9%
65-74 8.6% / 7.4%
Calala — 65-74: 8.6% Timbumburi — 65-74: 7.4%
75-84 4.6% / 8.2%
Calala — 75-84: 4.6% Timbumburi — 75-84: 8.2%
85+ 1.0% / —
Calala — 85+: 1.0% Timbumburi — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (24.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Calala 47.2% couple families
Calala — Couple Families: 47.2% Calala — Lone Person: 30.1% Calala — One Parent Families: 18.3% Calala — Group Household: 3.2% Calala — Other Families: 1.3%
Timbumburi 62.5% couple families
Timbumburi — Couple Families: 62.5% Timbumburi — Lone Person: 37.5% Timbumburi — One Parent Families: 0.0% Timbumburi — Group Household: 0.0% Timbumburi — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Calala 26.6% renting
Calala — Owned Outright: 30.5% Calala — Mortgage: 43.0% Calala — Renting: 26.6%
Timbumburi 0.0% renting
Timbumburi — Owned Outright: 59.5% Timbumburi — Mortgage: 40.5% Timbumburi — Renting: 0.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Calala Timbumburi
Certificate III & IV 18.4% / 16.4%
Calala — Certificate III & IV: 18.4% Timbumburi — Certificate III & IV: 16.4%
Bachelor Degree 9.6% / 13.9%
Calala — Bachelor Degree: 9.6% Timbumburi — Bachelor Degree: 13.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.7% / 14.8%
Calala — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.7% Timbumburi — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 14.8%
Postgraduate Degree 2.4% / —
Calala — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4% Timbumburi — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / —
Calala — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Timbumburi — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.4%).

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.

Calala Timbumburi
England 1.4% / 2.5%
Calala — England: 1.4% Timbumburi — England: 2.5%
Iran — / 2.5%
Calala — Iran: not among its largest Timbumburi — Iran: 2.5%
New Zealand 0.8% / —
Calala — New Zealand: 0.8% Timbumburi — New Zealand: not among its largest
Philippines 0.5% / —
Calala — Philippines: 0.5% Timbumburi — Philippines: not among its largest
India 0.4% / —
Calala — India: 0.4% Timbumburi — India: not among its largest
South Africa 0.3% / —
Calala — South Africa: 0.3% Timbumburi — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Calala 96.2% houses
Calala — Houses: 96.2% Calala — Townhouses: 3.5% Calala — Flats / Apartments: 0.3%
Timbumburi 100.0% houses
Timbumburi — Houses: 100.0% Timbumburi — Townhouses: 0.0% Timbumburi — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Calala Timbumburi
Median house price $705,000 $1,575,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $240,000 $1,960,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 92 days
from 10 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Calala Timbumburi
Rural and farming 94% 100%
Residential 5% 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

Calala Timbumburi
New dwellings approved 390
across Tamworth
same for both
Approvals change year on year -35%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Calala Timbumburi
Houses 3.9%
$615/wk on $810K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Calala Timbumburi
House price Higher than 27% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
Income Higher than 64% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 61% of NSW Higher than 50% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 43% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 30% of NSW Higher than 31% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 47% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 70% of NSW —

Liveability

Calala Timbumburi
Grade C —
Score 39/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Calala carries more bushfire risk (20 vs 0); Calala carries more crime risk (63 vs 52).

Calala Timbumburi
Bushfire Low
20/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
63/100
 Moderate
52/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Calala Timbumburi
Inside the suburb 2 1
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Calala

  • Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • Carinya Christian School Tamworth Independent · Combined below peers

Schools in Timbumburi

  • Timbumburi Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Calala Timbumburi
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 5 0
Childcare 3 1
Pharmacies 1 0
Waterways 18 3

Mobility

Calala sits further from the CBD (403.3 km vs 390.3 km).

Calala Timbumburi
Walkability score 13/100 6/100
Distance to Sydney 403.3 km
+3% vs other
 390.3 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 289 min 278 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 2340
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 47
postcode 2340
same for both

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.

Calala Timbumburi
Car (driver) 76.8% / 62.1%
Calala — Car (driver): 76.8% Timbumburi — Car (driver): 62.1%
Worked from Home 14.2% / 29.3%
Calala — Worked from Home: 14.2% Timbumburi — Worked from Home: 29.3%
Car (passenger) 6.1% / 8.6%
Calala — Car (passenger): 6.1% Timbumburi — Car (passenger): 8.6%
Walked Only 2.1% / —
Calala — Walked Only: 2.1% Timbumburi — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bicycle 0.5% / —
Calala — Bicycle: 0.5% Timbumburi — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.8%).

Setting

Calala Timbumburi
Elevation 422 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 431 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Calala Timbumburi
Connectivity score 75/100 29/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 57%
2,033 premises
 0%
49 premises

Climate

Calala Timbumburi
Annual rainfall 784 mm 650 mm
Summer max (Jan) 27.5°C 32.6°C
Winter min (Jul) 0.1°C 2.6°C

Air quality (annual mean)

Calala Timbumburi
PM2.5 5.8 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 13.6 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.35 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Calala Timbumburi
Average residential rate $1,397/yr
same for both
Council Tamworth
same for both

Federal electorate

Calala Timbumburi
Division New England
same for both
Member Barnaby Joyce
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Calala Timbumburi
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Calala

Acreage Family

Timbumburi

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Calala

Calala vs South Tamworth Calala vs Hillvue Calala vs East Tamworth Calala vs Kingswood Calala vs Nemingha Calala vs Loomberah

Other comparisons with Timbumburi

Timbumburi vs Kingswood Timbumburi vs Loomberah Timbumburi vs Duri Timbumburi vs Warral
Full data on Calala Full data on Timbumburi
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or