Located in New South Wales, Calala sits 403 km from Sydney CBD, around 4 hours 50 minutes by car. The suburb has 4,577 residents, a median age of 33, and a median household income of $96,876 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the middle range nationally. The suburb grew 16.6% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $350 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $1,600. Calala is characterised by high crime risk. Of 2 schools within the suburb boundary, 1 ranks above the state average, and walkability is low.
Is Calala a good suburb?
Calala scores a C (39/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on prices, weaker on transit.
Mixed results
2 schools · 1 above peer schools
Car-dependent
Walkability 13/100 · 403.3 km · 289 min drive to Sydney
More affordable than most
Median $705K · More affordable than 83% of NSW
Moderate crime risk
Fire 20/100 · Crime 63/100
Mid-range socio-economic
SEIFA decile 6/10 · median age 33 · 4,577 residents
Liveability Rating
39 / 100 · Ranked #1035 in NSWEach bar is Calala's rank among NSW suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
No flood data is published for New South Wales — a blank here means we hold no data, not that there is no risk.
How do you rate the liveability in Calala?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
39 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataCalala's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $705,000, about 4% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$705,000
In line with its 5 neighbours (median $697,300)
Based on 157 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 92 days — median across 10 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 51 sales $630K
- 4 bed 76 sales $785K
- 5 bed 9 sales $930K
Land
$240,000
Based on 17 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Calala are currently listed at around $810,000 on average. Based on 6 houses listed in the past six months.
$810K
6 houses listed in the last 6 months.
6 of the suburb's 1,527 dwellings (0.4%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Calala rent for around $615 a week on average, based on 14 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
$615/wk
26% above its 3 neighbours (median $490/wk)
14 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
14 rentals advertised against an estimated 406 rented homes (3.4%) in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- 3-bed houses
- $500/wk
- 220 bonds
- +41% since 2021
- 2-bed units
- $380/wk
- 85 bonds
- +38% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies across postcode 2340 (NSW publishes bonds by postcode, which can cover several suburbs). Change since 2021 compares the median of the first four quarters with the last four. Asking rents above come from advertised listings.
Rental affordability
June quarter 2025119 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 25% of its income on the median rent in postcode 2340.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Gross rental yield
Indicative$615/week ($32,000 a year) on a $810,000 median
Based on a small sample (6 listings) — indicative only.
Gross yield — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. Calculated from median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.
Is Calala safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Calala sits in the moderate band, with 196 incidents recorded in 2025 — up about 9% on the prior year.
196 offences
8.9% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202510 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
Where they happened
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Council Flood Studies
Tamworth Regional Council has published 8 flood studies on the NSW Flood Data Portal. The mapped flood areas are in those studies; SuburbScan does not hold them.
Schools
Two schools serve Calala, and results are mixed — some outperforming peer-suburb schools, some below. Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School leads the pack.
- • 1,463 students across 2 schools (avg 732)
- • Sectors: 1 Independent, 1 Government
- • ICSEA 1025-1034, median 1030 (above the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Carinya Christian School Tamworth (857 students)
Secondary
Combined
Walkability
Calala is very car-dependent on foot — at 13/100, nearly all errands require a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Calala.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 62.0 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 25.1 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 7.2 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 10.8 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Calala.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 57%
- Premises covered
- 2,033
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Tamworth: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 10 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 6 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Calala is home to about 4,600 residents, with a median age of 33, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $97,000 a year, with unemployment at 2.7%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
4,577
Median Age
33
Median Household Income
$96,876/yr
Census Median Rent
$350/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$1,600/mo
Avg Household Size
2.7
Median Personal Income
$45,656/yr
Unemployment Rate
2.7%
Unoccupied Dwellings
4.5%
Total Dwellings
1,527
Owner-Occupier Rate
73.4%
Houses
96.2%
Rental Stress
18.8%
Mortgage Stress
19.8%
Work From Home
14.2%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 89.0%
- English Spoken at Home
- 91.2%
- Employment Rate
- 63.9%
- Completed Year 12
- 36.7%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
79 residents (1.7%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
3.0% of residents (128) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Sydney (84).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 4,281 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
Local Jobs
People who work in this suburb against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 948 people work here; 2,235 employed residents live here.
Mostly a place people commute from: 0.4 jobs per working resident. At least 56% of employed residents must work outside the suburb.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,397 a year through Tamworth based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Rural and farming 94%
- Residential 5%
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 — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Tamworth
In the year to August 2026, 390 new dwellings were approved across Tamworth. That mix is 270 houses and 120 units. Approvals are down 34.9% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Land Council
Aboriginal land in this area is administered by the Tamworth Local Aboriginal Land Council.
Local Aboriginal Land Councils are statutory bodies under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, responsible for land claims and land management for their members. Their boundaries are administrative and are not a statement of whose Country this is. NSW does not publish a register of Aboriginal parties by area — they are registered for each project.
Air Quality
MODERATEPM2.5 averaged 5.8 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³).
PM10 averaged 13.6 µg/m³ · NO₂ averaged 0.35 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 1 · NO₂ 0.
From the Tamworth monitoring station, 8.7 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Woolbrook (Woolbrook Road), 42.1 kmModerate rainfall — warm summers, frosty winters.
- Elevation
- 422 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Near high-voltage lines
- 0.9% of addresses
- 21 within 100 m of an overhead line of 110 kV or more
- Annual rainfall
- 784 mm
- 84 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 27.5°C
- 3 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 0.1°C
- 75 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
1 facility within 5 km- 4.9 km
EV adoption
In postcode 2340, 134 of 43,639 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 3.4% (1,474 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 3.7%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 2340, 9,908 rooftop-solar systems totalling 72.4 MW have been installed since 2001, against 21,162 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 577 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $600,000.
Off-the-plan or contracted-build value cap is $750,000 (vs $600,000 for completed new homes). Stamp duty concessions are a separate scheme (First Home Buyers Assistance).
Mortgage repayments
1 mortgage broker is registered in this suburb, 14 across postcode 2340.
Transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with Revenue NSW
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $600,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with Revenue NSW.
At $705,000 this is $105,000 above the $600,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with Revenue NSW.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Barnaby Joyce The Nationals
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Barnaby Joyce | 32.9% | 67.1% | -1.9 |
| 2022 | Barnaby Joyce | 33.6% | 66.4% | -1.2 |
| 2019 | Barnaby Joyce | 32.4% | 67.6% | +1.2 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Kevin Anderson The Nationals
Next state election: 13 March 2027.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Kevin Anderson NP | 65.8% |
| 2019 | Kevin Anderson NP | 71.1% |
| 2015 | Kevin Anderson NP | 60.0% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: © State of New South Wales through the NSW Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0, adapted.
Looking at a specific address in Calala?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 4,577 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
Nearby suburbs
South Tamworth NSW 2340
Hillvue NSW 2340
East Tamworth NSW 2340
Kingswood NSW 2340
Nemingha NSW 2340
Loomberah NSW 2340
Compare Calala to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other NSW suburb — type a name and pick one.
Or jump straight to a nearby comparison:
Common questions about Calala
Is Calala a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Calala is moderate (63/100, ranked against other NSW suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Calala?
Calala has a low recorded bushfire history (20/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Calala a good place to live?
Calala has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of C (39/100), ranked against other NSW suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Calala?
Calala, NSW had a population of 4,577 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Calala, NSW?
The postcode for Calala, NSW is 2340.
How far is Calala from Sydney?
Calala is 403 km from Sydney CBD by road, about 289 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Calala?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Calala was $96,876 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Calala?
The median advertised rent in Calala is $615 a week for houses (14 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Calala?
The median age of residents in Calala was 33 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Calala at risk of bushfire?
Calala has a low recorded bushfire history (20/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the suburb relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Calala?
There are 2 schools inside the Calala boundary: 1 above and 1 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Calala walkable?
Calala scores 13/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very car-dependent. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the air quality in Calala?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Calala (Tamworth) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 5.8 µg/m³ and PM10 of 13.6 µg/m³. That puts Calala below the Australian NEPM annual standard of 8 µg/m³ but above the stricter WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Calala?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Calala, Woolbrook (Woolbrook Road) (42.1 km away), summer days average 27.5°C, winter nights 0.1°C, 784 mm of rain a year over 84 rainy days, and 3 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Calala?
First-home buyers in NSW may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $600,000. The grant is administered by Revenue NSW; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Calala belong to?
Calala sits within the Tamworth local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Calala?
The average residential rates bill through Tamworth is $1,397 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Calala?
Across Tamworth, 390 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 34.9% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Calala in?
Calala sits within the federal Division of New England, currently held by Barnaby Joyce (The Nationals).
Search another suburb or address
Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- State electorate · 2023
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
Was the information on this page useful to you?
Thanks! Anything we could improve?
We hate spam as much as you do — we'll never use your email for marketing, and we might not be able to reply to everyone.
Thanks for your feedback! 🙏
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.