Callala Bay vs Callala Beach

Callala Bay is the younger of the two, with a median age of 51 against 58 in Callala Beach. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Callala Beach, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Callala Beach: a median of $1.2 million, against $1 million in Callala Bay. On these figures, Callala Bay tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Callala Beach 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

Callala Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is already more of a family suburb (56% vs 42%)

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

First-home buyers

Callala Bay

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($699,500 vs $930,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (30% vs 40%)
  • has cheaper houses ($1,000,000 vs $1,198,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

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

Commuting to the city

Callala Bay

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (50/100 vs 18/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Callala Bay is more walkable (50/100 vs 18/100)
  • Callala Beach has more residents already 65 and over (34% vs 28%)

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

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

Callala Bay Callala Beach
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.

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Walkability 50 / 18
Callala Bay — Walkability: 50/100 Callala Beach — Walkability: 18/100
Safety 51 / 58
Callala Bay — Safety: 51/100 Callala Beach — Safety: 58/100
Low fire risk 39 / 34
Callala Bay — Low fire risk: 39/100 Callala Beach — Low fire risk: 34/100

Demographics

Callala Bay has more residents (2,234 vs 777); Callala Beach skews older (58 vs 51).

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Population 2,234
+65% vs other
 777
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.7% -3.2%
Median age 51 58
Median household income $67,028/yr
+11% vs other
 $59,592/yr
Median weekly rent $390/wk $400/wk
+3% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Callala Bay Callala Beach
0-4 4.2% / 3.2%
Callala Bay — 0-4: 4.2% Callala Beach — 0-4: 3.2%
5-14 10.5% / 8.0%
Callala Bay — 5-14: 10.5% Callala Beach — 5-14: 8.0%
15-19 5.8% / 4.2%
Callala Bay — 15-19: 5.8% Callala Beach — 15-19: 4.2%
20-24 4.2% / 3.2%
Callala Bay — 20-24: 4.2% Callala Beach — 20-24: 3.2%
25-34 9.0% / 5.5%
Callala Bay — 25-34: 9.0% Callala Beach — 25-34: 5.5%
35-44 7.9% / 8.8%
Callala Bay — 35-44: 7.9% Callala Beach — 35-44: 8.8%
45-54 13.5% / 12.6%
Callala Bay — 45-54: 13.5% Callala Beach — 45-54: 12.6%
55-64 16.9% / 20.3%
Callala Bay — 55-64: 16.9% Callala Beach — 55-64: 20.3%
65-74 16.6% / 19.2%
Callala Bay — 65-74: 16.6% Callala Beach — 65-74: 19.2%
75-84 9.2% / 11.1%
Callala Bay — 75-84: 9.2% Callala Beach — 75-84: 11.1%
85+ 2.3% / 4.2%
Callala Bay — 85+: 2.3% Callala Beach — 85+: 4.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Callala Bay 39.2% lone person
Callala Bay — Lone Person: 39.2% Callala Bay — Couple Families: 38.5% Callala Bay — One Parent Families: 17.9% Callala Bay — Group Household: 2.6% Callala Bay — Other Families: 1.8%
Callala Beach 52.2% lone person
Callala Beach — Lone Person: 52.2% Callala Beach — Couple Families: 25.5% Callala Beach — One Parent Families: 16.3% Callala Beach — Group Household: 3.8% Callala Beach — Other Families: 2.2%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Callala Bay 21.6% renting
Callala Bay — Owned Outright: 53.5% Callala Bay — Mortgage: 24.9% Callala Bay — Renting: 21.6%
Callala Beach 23.0% renting
Callala Beach — Owned Outright: 54.9% Callala Beach — Mortgage: 22.1% Callala Beach — Renting: 23.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Certificate III & IV 20.9% / 21.2%
Callala Bay — Certificate III & IV: 20.9% Callala Beach — Certificate III & IV: 21.2%
Bachelor Degree 8.9% / 11.5%
Callala Bay — Bachelor Degree: 8.9% Callala Beach — Bachelor Degree: 11.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.4% / 9.3%
Callala Bay — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.4% Callala Beach — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3%
Postgraduate Degree 3.0% / 3.2%
Callala Bay — Postgraduate Degree: 3.0% Callala Beach — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.1% / 2.2%
Callala Bay — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1% Callala Beach — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.2%).

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.

Callala Bay Callala Beach
England 5.2% / 5.4%
Callala Bay — England: 5.2% Callala Beach — England: 5.4%
New Zealand 0.9% / 2.1%
Callala Bay — New Zealand: 0.9% Callala Beach — New Zealand: 2.1%
Italy 0.4% / 1.0%
Callala Bay — Italy: 0.4% Callala Beach — Italy: 1.0%
Germany 0.5% / 0.8%
Callala Bay — Germany: 0.5% Callala Beach — Germany: 0.8%
Scotland 0.5% / 0.6%
Callala Bay — Scotland: 0.5% Callala Beach — Scotland: 0.6%
Ireland — / 1.0%
Callala Bay — Ireland: not among its largest Callala Beach — Ireland: 1.0%
Greece — / 0.9%
Callala Bay — Greece: not among its largest Callala Beach — Greece: 0.9%
Netherlands 0.5% / —
Callala Bay — Netherlands: 0.5% Callala Beach — Netherlands: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Callala Bay 94.8% houses
Callala Bay — Houses: 94.8% Callala Bay — Townhouses: 4.0% Callala Bay — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Callala Beach 98.8% houses
Callala Beach — Houses: 98.8% Callala Beach — Townhouses: 0.0% Callala Beach — Flats / Apartments: 1.2%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Median house price $1,000,000 $1,198,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $699,500 $930,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 53 days
from 37 sales
 64 days
from 35 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.

Callala Bay Callala Beach
3 bed $898K / $1.06M
Callala Bay — 3 bed: $898K (34 sales) Callala Beach — 3 bed: $1.06M (29 sales)

34 vs 29 sales

4 bed $1.1M / $1.25M
Callala Bay — 4 bed: $1.1M (41 sales) Callala Beach — 4 bed: $1.25M (26 sales)

41 vs 26 sales

5 bed $1.25M / $1.57M
Callala Bay — 5 bed: $1.25M (7 sales) Callala Beach — 5 bed: $1.57M (5 sales)

7 vs 5 sales

Zoning mix

Callala Beach has more rural and farming land (23% vs 3%); Callala Bay has more land zoned for conservation (64% vs 47%).

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Environmental 64% 47%
Residential 25% 22%
Rural and farming 3% 23%
Parks and recreation 3% 2%
Infrastructure and transport 2%
same for both
Planning zones cover 97% of Callala Bay and 96% of Callala Beach. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Callala Bay Callala Beach
New dwellings approved 854
across Shoalhaven
same for both
Approvals change year on year -10%
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.

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Houses 2.8%
$620/wk on $1.15M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Callala Bay Callala Beach
House price Higher than 52% of NSW Higher than 62% of NSW
Income Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 21% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 33% of NSW Higher than 17% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 54% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 86% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 14% of NSW —

Liveability

Callala Bay is more walkable (50 vs 18).

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Grade C
same for both
Score 36/100 34/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Bushfire Moderate
61/100
 Moderate
66/100
Crime Moderate
49/100
 Moderate
42/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
38/100
 Moderate
66/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Callala Bay

  • Callala Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Callala Beach

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

Amenities in the suburb

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 0 1
Childcare 2 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Waterways 4 1

Mobility

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Walkability score 50/100 18/100
Distance to Sydney 183.9 km 183.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 153 min 152 min
Public transport score 31/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 6.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 7.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2540
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 44
postcode 2540
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.

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Car (driver) 77.7% / 62.9%
Callala Bay — Car (driver): 77.7% Callala Beach — Car (driver): 62.9%
Worked from Home 13.1% / 26.5%
Callala Bay — Worked from Home: 13.1% Callala Beach — Worked from Home: 26.5%
Car (passenger) 4.9% / 8.3%
Callala Bay — Car (passenger): 4.9% Callala Beach — Car (passenger): 8.3%
Walked Only 2.9% / 1.1%
Callala Bay — Walked Only: 2.9% Callala Beach — Walked Only: 1.1%
Bus 0.5% / 1.1%
Callala Bay — Bus: 0.5% Callala Beach — Bus: 1.1%
Bicycle 0.8% / —
Callala Bay — Bicycle: 0.8% Callala Beach — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.7%).

Setting

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Elevation 19 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 886 m
3.8 km to a named beach
 823 m
4.6 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Connectivity score 73/100 77/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 50%
1,372 premises
 58%
1,065 premises

Climate

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Annual rainfall 1,302 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 23.9°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 9.6°C
same for both

Council rates

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Average residential rate $1,501/yr
same for both
Council Shoalhaven
same for both

Federal electorate

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Division Gilmore
same for both
Member Fiona Phillips
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Callala Bay Callala Beach
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Callala Bay

Acreage Coastal Retirees

Callala Beach

Acreage Coastal Quiet Retirees
Full data on Callala Bay Full data on Callala Beach
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.

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