Calwell vs Richardson

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Calwell, about half of households are couple families.

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

Calwell

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)
  • carries lower crime risk (63/100 vs 73/100)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Richardson

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (26% vs 15%)
  • has cheaper rent ($391/wk vs $448/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Richardson

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (24.8 km vs 26.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Calwell

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (63/100 vs 73/100)

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

Investors

Richardson

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on houses (4.7% vs 3.6%)

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Calwell Richardson
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.

Calwell Richardson
Walkability 68 / 63
Calwell — Walkability: 68/100 Richardson — Walkability: 63/100
Safety 37 / 27
Calwell — Safety: 37/100 Richardson — Safety: 27/100
Low fire risk 18 / 10
Calwell — Low fire risk: 18/100 Richardson — Low fire risk: 10/100
Low flood risk 75 / 62
Calwell — Low flood risk: 75/100 Richardson — Low flood risk: 62/100

Demographics

Calwell has more residents (5,730 vs 3,058); Calwell has higher household incomes ($127,920 vs $106,236).

Calwell Richardson
Population 5,730
+47% vs other
 3,058
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -0.5% +1.7%
Median age 37 36
Median household income $127,920/yr
+17% vs other
 $106,236/yr
Median weekly rent $448/wk
+13% vs other
 $391/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Calwell Richardson
0-4 6.6% / 6.2%
Calwell — 0-4: 6.6% Richardson — 0-4: 6.2%
5-14 13.0% / 13.9%
Calwell — 5-14: 13.0% Richardson — 5-14: 13.9%
15-19 5.8% / 6.6%
Calwell — 15-19: 5.8% Richardson — 15-19: 6.6%
20-24 6.5% / 6.0%
Calwell — 20-24: 6.5% Richardson — 20-24: 6.0%
25-34 14.1% / 15.4%
Calwell — 25-34: 14.1% Richardson — 25-34: 15.4%
35-44 12.8% / 14.1%
Calwell — 35-44: 12.8% Richardson — 35-44: 14.1%
45-54 13.2% / 13.2%
Calwell — 45-54: 13.2% Richardson — 45-54: 13.2%
55-64 14.6% / 12.7%
Calwell — 55-64: 14.6% Richardson — 55-64: 12.7%
65-74 8.1% / 8.6%
Calwell — 65-74: 8.1% Richardson — 65-74: 8.6%
75-84 3.4% / 2.8%
Calwell — 75-84: 3.4% Richardson — 75-84: 2.8%
85+ 1.8% / 0.8%
Calwell — 85+: 1.8% Richardson — 85+: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Calwell 52.5% couple families
Calwell — Couple Families: 52.5% Calwell — Lone Person: 25.8% Calwell — One Parent Families: 16.9% Calwell — Group Household: 3.3% Calwell — Other Families: 1.5%
Richardson 43.3% couple families
Richardson — Couple Families: 43.3% Richardson — Lone Person: 29.6% Richardson — One Parent Families: 21.7% Richardson — Group Household: 3.2% Richardson — Other Families: 2.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Calwell 15.2% renting
Calwell — Owned Outright: 30.2% Calwell — Mortgage: 54.6% Calwell — Renting: 15.2%
Richardson 26.0% renting
Richardson — Owned Outright: 26.3% Richardson — Mortgage: 47.7% Richardson — Renting: 26.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Calwell Richardson
Certificate III & IV 14.3% / 15.4%
Calwell — Certificate III & IV: 14.3% Richardson — Certificate III & IV: 15.4%
Bachelor Degree 14.2% / 10.2%
Calwell — Bachelor Degree: 14.2% Richardson — Bachelor Degree: 10.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.5% / 8.5%
Calwell — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.5% Richardson — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5%
Postgraduate Degree 4.6% / 3.5%
Calwell — Postgraduate Degree: 4.6% Richardson — Postgraduate Degree: 3.5%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 1.8%
Calwell — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Richardson — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.4%).

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.

Calwell Richardson
England 3.1% / 2.7%
Calwell — England: 3.1% Richardson — England: 2.7%
India 2.1% / 2.3%
Calwell — India: 2.1% Richardson — India: 2.3%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.2%
Calwell — New Zealand: 1.0% Richardson — New Zealand: 1.2%
Philippines 1.0% / 1.1%
Calwell — Philippines: 1.0% Richardson — Philippines: 1.1%
Iraq — / 1.0%
Calwell — Iraq: not among its largest Richardson — Iraq: 1.0%
Scotland 0.5% / —
Calwell — Scotland: 0.5% Richardson — Scotland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Calwell 86.8% houses
Calwell — Houses: 86.8% Calwell — Townhouses: 10.6% Calwell — Flats / Apartments: 2.7%
Richardson 96.1% houses
Richardson — Houses: 96.1% Richardson — Townhouses: 4.1% Richardson — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Calwell Richardson
Median house price $900,000 $830,000
Median unit price $610,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 18 days
from 42 sales
 13 days
from 21 sales

Development activity

Calwell Richardson
New dwellings approved 3,750
across Unincorporated ACT
same for both
Approvals change year on year -48%
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.

Calwell Richardson
Houses 3.6%
$580/wk on $835K
 4.7%
$750/wk on $829K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within ACT

Calwell Richardson
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 58% of ACT Higher than 13% of ACT
Schools Higher than 41% of ACT —
Walkability Higher than 61% of ACT Higher than 53% of ACT
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 6% of ACT Higher than 5% of ACT
NBN connectivity Higher than 47% of ACT Higher than 38% of ACT
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 18% of ACT Higher than 79% of ACT

Liveability

Calwell scores higher overall (25 vs 13).

Calwell Richardson
Grade D
same for both
Score 25/100 13/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Richardson carries more flood risk (38 vs 25); Richardson carries more crime risk (73 vs 63).

Calwell Richardson
Bushfire High
82/100
 High
90/100
Crime Moderate
63/100
 High
73/100
Flood Low
25/100
 Low
38/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Calwell Richardson
Inside the suburb 3 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Calwell

  • St Francis of Assisi Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Calwell Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Calwell High School Government · Secondary

Schools in Richardson

  • Richardson Primary School Government · Primary

Amenities in the suburb

Calwell Richardson
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 2 0
Childcare 5 3
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 1 0
EV chargers 2 0

Mobility

Calwell sits further from the CBD (26.8 km vs 24.8 km).

Calwell Richardson
Walkability score 68/100 63/100
Distance to Canberra 26.8 km
+7% vs other
 24.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 32 min 30 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 78/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 117.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 78.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.4%
postcode 2905
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 47
postcode 2905
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.

Calwell Richardson
Car (driver) 79.8% / 79.7%
Calwell — Car (driver): 79.8% Richardson — Car (driver): 79.7%
Worked from Home 9.9% / 8.2%
Calwell — Worked from Home: 9.9% Richardson — Worked from Home: 8.2%
Car (passenger) 5.3% / 6.9%
Calwell — Car (passenger): 5.3% Richardson — Car (passenger): 6.9%
Bus 4.0% / 4.6%
Calwell — Bus: 4.0% Richardson — Bus: 4.6%
Walked Only 0.6% / 0.4%
Calwell — Walked Only: 0.6% Richardson — Walked Only: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.8%).

Setting

Calwell Richardson
Elevation 687 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 609 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Calwell Richardson
Connectivity score 53/100 50/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 14%
2,264 premises
 6%
1,198 premises

Climate

Calwell Richardson
Annual rainfall 686 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.2°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 0.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Calwell Richardson
PM2.5 7.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 11.9 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.32 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Calwell Richardson
Average residential rate $3,105/yr
same for both
Council Unincorporated ACT
same for both

Federal electorate

Calwell Richardson
Division Bean
same for both
Member David Smith
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Calwell Richardson
Grant amount Not offered
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility None
same for both

Tags

Calwell

Affordable Large Blocks Middle-Ring Quiet

Richardson

Affordable Large Blocks Middle-Ring Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Calwell

Calwell vs Gordon Calwell vs Conder Calwell vs Isabella Plains Calwell vs Bonython Calwell vs Theodore

Other comparisons with Richardson

Richardson vs Monash Richardson vs Chisholm Richardson vs Isabella Plains Richardson vs Theodore Richardson vs Gowrie Richardson vs Fadden
Full data on Calwell Full data on Richardson
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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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