Calwa is located 4 miles (6.4 km) south-southeast of downtown Fresno,[6] at an elevation of 292 feet (89 m).

[1] The name was taken from the acronym for "California Wine Association" (CalWA).

[6][7] According to the United States Census Bureau, the community has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2), all land.

Calwa is an almost complete county island surrounded by the city of Fresno on all sides except the southeast corner.

In 1885, the land of what is now Calwa, was improved and cultivated by Hugh William La Rue to plant an orchard and vineyard.

Calwa became a railroad town when Santa Fe Railways invested one million dollars to build a switching yard and houses for railway employees.

41 households (8.5%) were made up of individuals, and 8 (1.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.