Calwell
ACT 2905 · Unincorporated ACT
5,730 (2021) → 5,551 est. (2025) · Declining
Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.
Calwell is a declining suburb in Unincorporated ACT, ACT 2905, about 18km from Canberra CBD. Recent property sales in Calwell are too limited to report a reliable median price. The suburb has 3 schools, a transport score of 42/100, and is about 101km inland. Calwell has an overall score of 54/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 84/100.
Demographics
Age distribution
Top countries of birth: England (3.07%), India (2.11%), New Zealand (1.03%), Philippines (0.98%), Scotland (0.54%)
Top languages: Arabic (1.05%), Malayalam (0.8%), Spanish (0.79%), Hindi (0.7%), Punjabi (0.66%)
Source: ABS Census 2021
Residential Safety
Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:
Includes street and public-place assaults — supplementary context, not part of the safety score.
Residential incidents over time
Sum of the five residential categories above — not all recorded crime.
Area crime context
An independent score — crime data quality varies by state, so safety is shown separately and is not part of the overall score.
Source: ACT Policing (suburb-level) · Updated 2024
Schools
Reasonable school mix
Around the national average — a reasonable mix of schools, though the strongest options may require some travel.
Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 1023 (above the national average of 1000).
In suburb
- St Francis of Assisi Primary SchoolPrimary · CatholicICSEA 1063
- Calwell Primary SchoolPrimary · GovernmentICSEA 1027
- Calwell High SchoolSecondary · GovernmentICSEA 981
Nearby (within 10km)
- Richardson Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.4kmICSEA 951
- Covenant Christian SchoolCombined · Independent · 1.6kmICSEA 1088
- Theodore Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.7kmICSEA 993
- Isabella Plains Early Childhood SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.1kmICSEA 1042
- St Mary MacKillop CollegeSecondary · Catholic · 2.1kmICSEA 1064
- St Clare of Assisi Primary SchoolPrimary · Catholic · 2.3kmICSEA 1037
- Bonython Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.4kmICSEA 1040
- Gordon Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.5kmICSEA 1010
- Lanyon High SchoolSecondary · Government · 2.5kmICSEA 1014
- Caroline Chisholm SchoolSecondary · Government · 2.8kmICSEA 999
- Charles Conder Primary SchoolPrimary · Government · 2.8kmICSEA 1000
- Caroline Chisholm School - Junior CampusPrimary · Government · 2.8km
Source: ACARA 2023
Transport
Source: TfNSW GTFS
Liveability
Amenities within 2–3km
Counted within a short distance of the suburb centre (so nearby facilities count), with the in-boundary count shown beneath.
Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap
Fitness
Plenty of options
Well above average — a good spread of gyms and sports facilities within easy reach.
Facilities within 3km of the suburb centre. The Fitness Score is a national percentile of these counts per resident.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Outdoors
Some green space
Around the national average — a reasonable amount of parks and outdoor space nearby.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Outdoor Score is a national percentile led by parks and green space.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Culture
Few cultural venues
Very few cultural venues in and around this suburb.
Within 3km of the suburb centre. The Culture Score is a national percentile weighting theatres, museums, galleries, libraries and arts centres most heavily.
Source: OpenStreetMap
Entertainment Scene
Quiet area
Pretty light on licensed venues. Good for peace and quiet; less so for spontaneous nights out.
Government liquor register data is not yet available for ACT. Venue counts are estimated from OpenStreetMap within 2km of the suburb centre.
View nearby venues on the Entertainment Map →
Source: OpenStreetMap
Childcare
Some choices available
Around the national average — a reasonable mix of childcare options, though popular services may have waiting lists.
View childcare centres on the map →
Source: ACECQA National Quality Framework Register
Population & Growth
DecliningSource: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI
Nearby suburbs in Unincorporated ACT
Compare Calwell with another suburb
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Frequently asked questions about Calwell
Is Calwell safe?
Calwell has a residential safety score of 84/100, based on residential crime (break-ins, theft from dwellings, vehicle theft, domestic assault and robbery) per resident relative to the NSW median. Its total recorded incident rate is 2,478 per 100,000 across all categories.
How far is Calwell from Canberra CBD?
Calwell is about 17.9 km from Canberra CBD, an estimated 66 minutes by public transport.
What schools are in Calwell?
Calwell has 3 schools, with an average ICSEA of 1024 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.
What is public transport like in Calwell?
Calwell has a transport score of 42/100 and 30 bus stops.