Barmera
Statistical Area - sa2

Barmera has shown very soft population growth performance across periods assessed by AreaSearch

Barmera's population was approximately 6,401 people as of the Census in 2021. By June 2024, it had increased to an estimated resident population of 6,628. This increase is attributed to 49 validated new addresses since the Census date and overseas migration contributing around 85.1% of overall population gains. As of November 2025, Barmera's population is projected to be around 6,674, reflecting a growth of 273 people (4.3%) since the 2021 Census. This level equates to a density ratio of 7.8 persons per square kilometer. Barmera's growth rate of 4.3% positions it within 2.2 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 6.5%.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, the SA State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted, adjusted using a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Based on these projections, Barmera is expected to grow by 297 persons to 2041, recording a gain of 3.8% in total over the 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Barmera, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Barmera has seen approximately 12 new homes approved annually. Between Financial Year 2021 (FY-21) and FY-25, 63 homes were approved, with an additional 4 approved so far in FY-26. On average, over the past five financial years, one new resident has arrived per new home.

This pace suggests that new supply is meeting or exceeding demand, providing ample buyer choice and capacity for population growth beyond current forecasts. The average construction cost of these homes was $218,000, which is below the regional average, indicating more affordable housing options. In FY-26, $3.2 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting Barmera's primarily residential nature. Compared to the Rest of SA, Barmera has significantly less development activity, 67.0% below the regional average per person. This limited new supply generally supports stronger demand and values for established dwellings.

Additionally, recent development has been entirely comprised of detached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. The estimated population density is 606 people per dwelling approval, reflecting Barmera's quiet, low activity development environment. Population forecasts indicate that Barmera will gain 251 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Barmera has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 23rdth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 11 projects likely affecting this region. Notable projects include Bruno Bay Infrastructure Upgrade, McLean Street Residential Estate, Riverview Drive Reconstruction (Flood Recovery), and Berri Energy Project. The following list details those expected to be most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Despite maintaining a low unemployment rate of 3.7%, Barmera has experienced recent job losses, resulting in a below average employment performance ranking when compared nationally

Barmera has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, with manufacturing and industrial sectors prominent. As of June 2025, the unemployment rate is 3.7%.

In this month, 3,219 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 0.9% lower than Rest of SA's 4.6%. Workforce participation stands at 56.2%, slightly higher than Rest of SA's 54.1%. Key industries include health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and agriculture, forestry & fishing. Manufacturing employment is particularly high, at 1.5 times the regional level.

Retail trade, however, is under-represented with only 7.7% of Barmera's workforce compared to Rest of SA's 9.9%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. Between June 2024 and June 2025, the labour force decreased by 2.2%, employment fell by 2.8%, leading to a rise in unemployment of 0.6 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of SA saw an employment decline of 1.2% with unemployment rising by 1.2 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Barmera's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.3% over five years and 12.0% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 30, 2022 indicates that income in Barmera is lower than average on a national basis. The median assessed income was $45,608 while the average income stood at $50,530. This contrasts with Rest of SA's figures where the median income was $46,889 and the average income was $56,582. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.83% since financial year ending June 30, 2022, current estimates would be approximately $51,460 (median) and $57,013 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes in Barmera all fall between the 17th and 20th percentiles nationally. The data shows that 28.9% of the population (1,928 individuals) fall within the $1,500 - $2,999 income range, reflecting patterns seen in the metropolitan region where 27.5% similarly occupy this range. While housing costs are modest with 89.0% of income retained, the total disposable income ranks at just the 22nd percentile nationally.

Barmera is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

Dwelling structure in Barmera, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 91.0% houses and 9.0% other dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro SA had 89.9% houses and 10.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Barmera was 40.7%, similar to Non-Metro SA's figure. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 36.8%, with rented dwellings at 22.5%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Barmera was $1,083, aligning with the Non-Metro SA average. Median weekly rent was recorded at $200 compared to Non-Metro SA's $220. Nationally, Barmera's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Barmera has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 68.8% of all households, including 23.7% couples with children, 33.0% couples without children, and 11.2% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 31.2%, with lone person households at 29.1% and group households making up 2.1%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which aligns with the average for the Rest of South Africa.

Barmera faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 11.5%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 8.9%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.0%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 37.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (7.9%) and certificates (29.8%). A total of 23.8% of the population is actively pursuing education, with 11.4% in primary, 7.0% in secondary, and 1.5% in tertiary education.

Six schools operate within Barmera, educating approximately 602 students. The educational mix includes five primary schools and one K-12 school. School places per 100 residents (9.0) are below the regional average (13.6), with some students potentially attending schools in nearby areas.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Barmera is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Health data indicates significant challenges for Barmera, with high prevalence of common health conditions across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is notably low, at approximately 46% (~3,083 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.6%) and mental health issues (9%), while 61.0% report no medical ailments, slightly lower than the Rest of SA's 61.8%. Barmera has a higher proportion of residents aged 65 and over at 27.3% (1,819 people), compared to Rest of SA's 26.2%. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are challenging but perform better than the general population in certain metrics.

Barmera ranks below the Australian average when compared to other local markets across a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Barmera's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 88.0% of its population born in Australia and 91.9% being citizens. English is spoken exclusively at home by 90.3% of the population. Christianity is the predominant religion, practiced by 44.2% of Barmera's residents.

Notably, the 'Other' religious category comprises 2.5%, which is higher than the regional average of 1.5%. The top three ancestral groups are English (30.9%), Australian (30.7%), and German (9.1%). Some ethnic groups have significant representation in Barmera compared to the rest of South Australia: Greek at 4.1% vs 1.3%, Hungarian at 0.4% vs 0.2%, and Croatian at 0.7% vs 0.3%.

Barmera hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Barmera is 48 years, which is similar to the Rest of SA's average of 47 years but well above the national norm of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of SA average, the 65-74 cohort is notably over-represented at 16.0% locally, while the 0-4 year-olds are under-represented at 3.7%. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 15 to 24 age group has grown from 10.2% to 11.8% of the population, while the 75 to 84 cohort increased from 7.1% to 8.6%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort declined from 13.2% to 11.8%, and the 5 to 14 age group dropped from 11.9% to 10.5%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Barmera, with the 75 to 84 cohort showing the strongest projected growth at 48%, adding 275 residents to reach 849. Senior residents aged 65 and above will drive 83% of population growth, underscoring demographic aging trends. Conversely, both the 65-74 and 5-14 age groups are expected to see reduced numbers.