Calala, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Calala NSW is 4,577 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Calala is $878 per week ($45,656 per year). Median rent in Calala is $350 per week ($1,517 per month). Calala has a median age of 33 years, younger than the national median of 38. Calala has a population density of 71 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Calala is England. The most common religion is No religion (32.1% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Mandarin. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Calala is $1,600.

There were 47 recorded offences in Calala in 2025-26, a rate of 10 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (15 offences).

Population
4,577
Census 2021
Median income
$878/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$350/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
33years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Calala vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Calala is $878 a week, 15% above the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 670th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $350 a week, $35 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 18.8% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 33, 10 years younger than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureCalalaTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$878/wk$765/wk +15%$766/wk
Household income$1,863/wk$1,704/wk +9%$1,637/wk
Rent$350/wk$385/wk −9%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,600/mo$1,965/mo −19%$1,733/mo
Median age3343 −10 yrs42
Rent share of household income18.8%22.6% −3.8 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Calala, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Calala Population

4,577 residents at the 2021 Census.

Calala Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$878/wk
$45,656 per year
Ranked 2,395 of 14,663
Median Rent
$350/wk
$1,517 per month
Ranked 3,104 of 14,663
Median Age
33years
5 years younger than the national median
Mortgage
$1,600/mo
Avg household size: 2.7 · 0.7 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Calala Rent Prices & Affordability

19% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: affordable.

Household income $1,863/wk
Median rent $350/wk
Rent to income 18.8%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Calala against your income

About $8,073 a month
Median rent $350/wk
Left after rent $1,513/wk
Rent share 18.8%

Calala Schools

2
schools nearby
2
government
1011
avg ICSEA score
799
total students
Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 606 students
1025
ICSEA
Nemingha Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 193 students
996
ICSEA

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Calala, with a map

Calala Map

Calala, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Calala, New South Wales: 31.1546°S, 150.9777°E

Calala Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (2)

People in Calala

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 51.0% (2,329) Female 49.0% (2,241)

Population Density

71
people per km²
4,577 people · 64.2 km²

Households

2.7
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$2,106
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
1.4%
New Zealand
0.8%
Philippines
0.5%
India
0.4%
South Africa
0.3%
Fiji
0.2%
China
0.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Mandarin
0.6%
Tagalog
0.5%
Spanish
0.3%
Gujarati
0.2%
Afrikaans
0.2%
Australian Indigenous Languages
0.2%
French
0.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

Australian
48.2%
English
40.7%
Scottish
11.0%
Australian Aboriginal
10.6%
Irish
9.8%
German
4.4%
Italian
1.8%
Dutch
1.4%
Chinese
1.1%
Welsh
0.6%
Filipino
0.6%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
32.1%
Anglican
23.0%
Catholic
22.0%
Not stated
5.8%
Christian (other)
4.0%
Uniting Church
3.2%
Presbyterian and Reformed
3.1%
Pentecostal
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

11.0%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
46.6% 1,631
Separated
3.2% 111
Divorced
7.5% 264
Widowed
3.5% 124
Never married
39.2% 1,372

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
45.4%
Couple: no children
25.7%
Couple: no children under 15
13.1%
One parent: children under 15
10.2%
One parent: no children under 15
5.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
21.7%
2 persons
32.9%
3 persons
16.8%
4 persons
17.4%
5 persons
8.1%
6+ persons
3.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Calala

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,527 occupied private dwellings in Calala at the 2021 Census, 26.2% were rented, 30.0% owned outright and 42.3% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.3% 5 dwellings
Owned outright
30.0% 458 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
42.3% 646 dwellings
Rented
26.2% 400 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.0% 16 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
96.8%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
3.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
0.4%
2 bedrooms
4.5%
3 bedrooms
39.9%
4 bedrooms
46.0%
5 bedrooms
7.7%
6+ bedrooms
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
2.7%
$300-$449/mo
0.8%
$450-$599/mo
2.2%
$600-$799/mo
2.4%
$800-$999/mo
6.3%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
21.9%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
27.0%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
23.9%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
9.7%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
3.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
1.9%
1 vehicle
31.4%
2 vehicles
43.8%
3 vehicles
14.8%
4+ vehicles
8.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Calala

Employment

Employed full-time
45.2% 1,458 people
Employed part-time
20.2% 652 people
Unemployed
1.9% 60 people
Not in labour force
32.8% 1,058 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
28.5%
Technicians & Trade Workers
17.4%
Community & Personal Service
14.4%
Managers
13.4%
Clerical & Administrative
12.6%
Labourers
4.9%
Sales Workers
4.4%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
4.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.2%
$1-$149/wk
0.6%
$150-$299/wk
0.6%
$300-$399/wk
1.1%
$400-$499/wk
4.3%
$500-$649/wk
3.4%
$650-$799/wk
5.8%
$800-$999/wk
6.3%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.6%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.6%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.9%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
7.2%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
14.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
10.7%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
7.4%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
4.3%
$4,000+/wk
9.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
11.2%
$1-$149/wk
4.3%
$150-$299/wk
4.4%
$300-$399/wk
3.3%
$400-$499/wk
2.7%
$500-$649/wk
3.3%
$650-$799/wk
8.3%
$800-$999/wk
12.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
15.4%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
7.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.6%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
9.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.0%
$3,500+/wk
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
73.8%
Did not go to work
15.4%
Car (passenger)
5.8%
Walked only
2.0%
Truck
1.0%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.8%
Bicycle
0.5%
Other
0.4%
Bus
0.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
56.1%
Year 10 or equivalent
29.9%
Year 11 or equivalent
8.3%
Year 9 or equivalent
5.7%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
44.4%
Bachelor Degree
23.3%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
19.0%
Postgraduate Degree
6.0%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.1%
Certificate I/II
3.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
20.3%
Engineering
16.7%
Education
14.8%
Society & Culture
13.2%
Health
12.9%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
6.7%
Architecture & Building
6.5%
Agriculture & Environment
4.0%
Creative Arts
1.9%
Natural & Physical Sciences
1.7%
Information Technology
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Secondary: Government
28.4%
Primary: Government
20.3%
Pre-school
10.0%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
9.6%
Vocational Education
9.6%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
9.1%
Primary: Catholic
6.8%
Secondary: Catholic
6.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
89.6%
Has need for assistance
5.4%
Need for assistance not stated
4.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
466
Asthma
238
Arthritis
133
Heart disease
104
Diabetes
102
Cancer
75
Lung condition
51
Kidney disease
39
Stroke
37
Dementia
7

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
13.6% 454
Did not provide
86.4% 2,892

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
18.4% 617
Not a volunteer
81.6% 2,732

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Reserves
0.2% 6
Previously served
2.7% 90
Never served
97.1% 3,256

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
32.2%
1 child
10.9%
2 children
27.2%
3 children
20.5%
4 children
7.4%
5+ children
2.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
3
1951: 1960
15
1961: 1970
30
1971: 1980
31
1981: 1990
19
1991: 2000
23
2001: 2010
61
2011: 2015
42
2016
16
2017
17
2018
15
2019
15
2020
13
2021
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

17.7%
moved in the last year
50.6%
moved in the last 5 years
2.7%
unemployment rate (Census)
65.6%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
3,552
Moved from NSW
441
Moved: same area (SA2)
255
Moved from QLD
28
Moved from overseas
23
Moved from VIC
5
Moved from ACT
5
Moved from NT
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
22.4%
5: 14 hours
31.4%
15: 29 hours
13.8%
30+ hours
9.1%
Did not do domestic work
23.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
78.7%
Step family: no other children
11.7%
Blended family: no other children
7.5%
Intact family: other children present
1.1%
Other couple: children only
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Calala Crime Statistics

47 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
15
Assault
10
Property Damage
8
Sexual Offences
6
Other Against Person
4
Drug Offences
3
Weapons
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Singleton Heights
Income: $796/wk Rent: $320/wk $30/wk less rent
Oxley Vale
Income: $731/wk Rent: $335/wk $15/wk less rent
Paxton
Income: $730/wk Rent: $345/wk $5/wk less rent
Walgett
Income: $823/wk Rent: $175/wk $175/wk less rent
Bourke
Income: $860/wk Rent: $180/wk $170/wk less rent
Kooringal (NSW)
Income: $777/wk Rent: $270/wk $80/wk less rent
Crestwood
Income: $982/wk Rent: $320/wk $30/wk less rent
Glenfield Park
Income: $808/wk Rent: $330/wk $20/wk less rent

Suburbs near Calala

The closest suburb to Calala is Kingswood (Tamworth Regional - NSW), 4.5 km away.

Kingswood (Tamworth Regional - NSW)
4.5 km away · income $815/wk · rent $360/wk
East Tamworth
6.7 km away · income $915/wk · rent $325/wk
Hillvue
7.1 km away · income $839/wk · rent $350/wk
South Tamworth
7.9 km away · income $626/wk · rent $260/wk
West Tamworth
8.8 km away · income $624/wk · rent $275/wk
Timbumburi
10.2 km away · income $946/wk · rent $513/wk

Compare Calala

Frequently Asked Questions About Calala

What is the population of Calala NSW?

The population of Calala NSW is 4,577 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 71 people per km². Calala is ranked #1,698 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Calala?

The median personal income in Calala NSW is $878 per week, or $45,656 per year. The median household income is $1,863 per week. Family income is $2,106 per week. Calala is ranked #2,395 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Calala?

Median rent in Calala NSW is $350 per week ($1,517 per month). Rent represents 18.8% of household income, which is considered affordable. Calala ranks #3,104 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Calala?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Calala NSW is $1,600. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Calala?

The median age in Calala NSW is 33 years. This is younger than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Calala a good suburb to live in?

Calala is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 4,577. The median income is $878/wk, which is above the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (18.8% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 10747. All dollar figures in AUD.