Chisholm
Public administration is the standout economic signature, accounting for 31.8% of industry employment and 586 workers. Chisholm's 5,268 residents occupy 3.1 square kilometres at a density of 1,696.8 people per square kilometre, creating an established suburban setting rather than a low-density fringe. The median age is 37, which is 3 years below the national median, while household income sits at the 87.8th percentile nationally. Housing is strongly detached, with 95.9% separate houses and 50.2% mortgaged dwellings. Compared with nearby Richardson and Gilmore, Chisholm has a pronounced mortgage-belt profile, supported by stable family housing and a sizeable public-sector employment base.
Population
5,268
Median Age
37.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,292/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
6
For buyers, Chisholm is best suited to households seeking established detached housing, especially three and four-plus bedroom homes. Separate houses account for 95.9% of dwellings, while 51.0% have three bedrooms and 42.4% have four or more. A current median house price is unavailable, so purchase decisions require recent comparable sales rather than a suburb-wide benchmark. Mortgage repayments average $2,000 per month and mortgage commitments equal 20.2% of household income, with no mortgage stress flag. Household income is $2,292 per week and ranks at the 87.8th percentile, higher than the national midpoint, which supports purchasing capacity. The 19.9% rental share also provides some tenure flexibility compared with the 50.2% mortgage cohort.
For Buyers
For buyers, Chisholm is best suited to households seeking established detached housing, especially three and four-plus bedroom homes. Separate houses account for 95.9% of dwellings, while 51.0% have three bedrooms and 42.4% have four or more. A current median house price is unavailable, so purchase decisions require recent comparable sales rather than a suburb-wide benchmark. Mortgage repayments average $2,000 per month and mortgage commitments equal 20.2% of household income, with no mortgage stress flag. Household income is $2,292 per week and ranks at the 87.8th percentile, higher than the national midpoint, which supports purchasing capacity. The 19.9% rental share also provides some tenure flexibility compared with the 50.2% mortgage cohort.
For Investors
Chisholm presents a measured rental investment case, with weekly rent of $410, a vacancy rate of 4.1% and 19.9% of households renting. Compared with the 29.0% outright-owned share, the rental segment is smaller, reflecting an established owner-occupier market rather than a highly tenant-dependent suburb. Rent growth is recorded at 13.9%, which may support income growth, while five development matters in the past 12 months indicate limited but continuing property activity. Overseas migration is the primary migration driver, although the annual growth trend is -0.28%, so demand is not being reinforced by rapid local expansion. A median sale price is unavailable, making yield and capital-growth assessment dependent on individual sales and acquisition costs.
Development Activity
Total DAs
42
Last 12 Months
6
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-14.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Chisholm
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Caroline Chisholm School
Caroline Chisholm School
Demographics
Chisholm has a median age of 37, or 3 years below the national median, and a household size of 2.7, which is 0.2 above the national figure. University attainment is 32.0%, sitting 1.9 percentage points above the national comparison, while the overseas-born share is 19.0%, 2.6 points below national levels. English ancestry is the largest reported group at 1,962 people, followed by Irish at 607 and Scottish at 587. Christianity is reported by 2,491 residents and no religion by 2,151. Household structure is family-oriented, with 47.3% couples with children and 35.4% couples without children. Residential stability is high because 82.8% stayed at the same address, compared with 17.2% turnover. The profile is therefore older and more settled than fast-changing migrant precincts, while remaining slightly younger than the national median.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.9%
Houses
3.2%
Townhouse
1.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Chisholm's housing stock is dominated by detached family homes: 95.9% are separate houses, compared with 1.0% apartments and 3.2% semi-detached dwellings. The bedroom mix reinforces that pattern, with 51.0% three-bedroom homes and 42.4% with four or more bedrooms, while only 6.0% have two bedrooms. Compared with the 1.0% apartment share, the separate-house concentration gives the suburb a low-density family character. Tenure is split between 50.2% mortgaged homes, 29.0% owned outright and 19.9% rented, so mortgage holders are the largest group. Weekly rent is $410 and the mortgage-to-income ratio is 20.2%, versus 17.9% for rent-to-income; neither measure is flagged as housing stress. The mix supports longer stays because larger homes and high ownership reduce reliance on short-term rental turnover.
Mortgage / mo
$2,000
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$410
Census 2021
HH Size
2.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,088
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
4.1%
Unoccupied
80
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
20.2%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.3%
Couples with children
35.4%
Couples, no children
15.6%
Single parent
1,473
Total families
Economy & Employment
Chisholm's employment base is anchored by public administration at 31.8% and 586 workers, followed by healthcare at 14.2% and 262, construction at 11.1% and 204, education at 9.4% and 173, and professional and technical services at 8.4% and 154. The occupation mix is similarly broad, led by professionals at 566, clerical and administrative workers at 488, trades at 409, managers at 393 and community and personal service workers at 299. The labour force totals 2,866, with a 68.7% participation rate, 66.0% full-time employment rate and 3.7% unemployment rate. Socioeconomic results are higher than the midpoint across all four reported SEIFA deciles: IEO is 7, IER is 8, IRSD is 7 and IRSAD is 7. The IER result is strongest, consistent with household income at the 87.8th percentile, while the industry mix connects local households to government, health, construction and education demand.
Unemployment
3.7%
Labour Force
2,866
Unemployed
106
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.0%
Part-time
28.6%
Participation
68.7%
Employed
2,760
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
32.0%
Postgraduate
9.1%
Born Overseas
19.0%
Dwellings
1,861
Transport to Work
Daily life in Chisholm is strongly car-oriented: 80.5% of residents travel as car drivers, compared with 2.7% using public transport and 0.9% walking or cycling, while 9.7% work from home. This pattern suits households with regular vehicle access but can make commuting without a car less convenient. Caroline Chisholm School is the local government provider, with both primary and high school provision across 1 named campus and 2 school stages; enrolment zones should be checked against the exact address. The suburb covers 3.1 square kilometres at a density of 1,696.8 people per square kilometre, giving it an established suburban scale. Volunteering is 14.5% and need for assistance is 6.2%. Compared with public transport use, private vehicle dependence is much higher, while the IRSAD decile of 7 sits above the midpoint and supports a relatively advantaged socioeconomic setting.
Drive
80.5%
Public Transport
2.7%
Walk / Cycle
0.9%
Work from Home
9.7%
Population Forecast
-0.28%/yr
(-15 people/yr)
EstablishedChisholm is following a slow-growth, aging trajectory. The annual forecast trend is -0.28%, below a zero-growth benchmark, while population change across the wider area is 0.7% over 10 years. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, but the demographic shift is toward older residents: the senior share has risen 7.1 percentage points, while the young share has fallen 0.3 points and the working share has declined 1.4 points. Gentrification is scored at 0 and labelled Not gentrifying, so current change is not being driven by a strong reinvestment or prestige-market cycle. Rent growth of 13.9% may still lift housing costs, while the affordability trend is labelled Improving, moving from 42.3 in 2011 to 37.7 in 2021. Compared with faster-growing areas, Chisholm's outlook is defined by stability and gradual aging rather than rapid expansion.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+24
Net Internal / yr
-54
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Chisholm compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chisholm a good suburb to live in?
Chisholm suits households seeking detached housing and established services. It has 5,268 residents, 95.9% separate houses and a median age of 37, while household income ranks at the 87.8th percentile. Car dependence is high at 80.5%, so lifestyle fit depends on driving needs.
What is the median house price in Chisholm?
A current median house price is unavailable. The housing mix is 95.9% separate houses, and weekly rent is $410, so buyers should compare recent settled sales for 3 and 4-plus bedroom homes rather than infer a price from rent.
What schools are in Chisholm?
Caroline Chisholm School is the local government provider, with both primary and high school offerings. That is 1 named campus across 2 school stages. Confirm the exact enrolment zone for each address because ACT boundaries can affect access.
Is Chisholm safe?
An up-to-date suburb crime rate is unavailable, so safety should be checked through current ACT Police information and the exact street. Chisholm has 5,268 residents, but population size alone cannot indicate personal risk.
Is Chisholm good for property investment?
Chisholm may suit a long-term investor seeking detached rental stock, but the case is mixed. Weekly rent is $410, vacancy is 4.1% and 19.9% of households rent. Compared with an annual trend of -0.28%, investors should assess yield and resale prospects carefully because no median sale price is available.
How is Chisholm's population changing?
Chisholm's population is 5,268 today and change is slow: the annual trend is -0.28%, while wider-area population change over 10 years is 0.7%. The trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 7.1% and young share down 0.3%; overseas migration is the primary driver.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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