Barcaldine

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

As of Nov 2025, Barcaldine's population is estimated at around 1,606 based on ABS population updates and new addresses validated by AreaSearch. This reflects an increase from the 2021 Census figure of 1,540 people, a growth of 66 individuals (4.3%). The current estimate is inferred from AreaSearch's resident population figure of 1,607 following examination of ABS' latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 7 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of approximately 0.10 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade (2015-2025), Barcaldine has shown resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of -0.8%, outpacing the broader SA3 area. Natural growth contributed about 48.0% to overall population gains during recent periods, while overseas and interstate migration also played positive roles.

AreaSearch adopts 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, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections from 2023 based on 2021 data are used. However, these state projections do not provide age category splits; thus, AreaSearch applies proportional growth weightings in line with ABS Greater Capital Region projections released in 2023 using 2022 data for each age cohort. Looking ahead to 2041, projections indicate a decline in overall population by 27 persons. However, specific age cohorts are expected to grow, notably the 25 to 34 age group which is projected to increase by 34 people.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Barcaldine according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Barcaldine had an average of 3 approvals per year for residential development between 2016 and 2020, resulting in a total of 16 dwellings over this five-year period. This low level of development activity is characteristic of rural areas like Barcaldine, where housing needs are typically specific to the local community rather than driven by broader market demand. It should be noted that with such low approval numbers, yearly growth figures and relativities can fluctuate significantly based on individual projects.

Compared to the rest of Queensland and national averages, Barcaldine has shown significantly less construction activity. Recent development in the area has been exclusively standalone homes, reflecting the rural character where larger properties and space are common. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 394 people, indicating a quiet, low activity development environment. Given that the population is expected to remain stable or decline, Barcaldine may see reduced pressure on housing, potentially presenting opportunities for buyers.

With population expected to remain stable or decline, Barcaldine should see reduced pressure on housing, potentially creating opportunities for buyers.

Barcaldine has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 31stth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified three projects that could impact this region: Queensland Inland Road Network Upgrade, Central Queensland Digital Infrastructure Program, Outback Way Sealing Project - Queensland Section, and Residential Activation Fund - Central Queensland Allocation.

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

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Employment conditions in Barcaldine rank among the top 10% of areas assessed nationally

Barcaldine has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. Its unemployment rate was 1.1% in June 2025, showing relative employment stability over the past year according to AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation.

As of this date, 874 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 2.8% lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 3.9%. Workforce participation was fairly standard at 61.6%, compared to Rest of Qld's 59.1%. Dominant employment sectors among residents include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and public administration & safety. Agriculture, forestry & fishing had particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 3.4 times the regional average.

Retail trade was under-represented with only 6.8% of Barcaldine's workforce compared to Rest of Qld's 10.0%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities as indicated by Census working population vs resident population count. Over the 12 months to June 2025, employment increased by 0.1% while labour force increased by 0.5%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 0.3 percentage points according to AreaSearch's analysis of SALM and ABS data aggregated from wider statistical area data. Rest of Qld recorded employment growth of 1.8%, labour force growth of 2.0%, with unemployment rising 0.2 percentage points during the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 offer further insight into potential future demand within Barcaldine. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, were mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. National employment was forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Barcaldine's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.7% over ten years, noting this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data for financial year 2022 shows Barcaldine had a median taxpayer income of $53,802 and an average income of $65,065. These figures align with national averages, which were $50,780 and $64,844 respectively across Rest of Qld. Based on Wage Price Index growth from 13.99% between financial year 2022 and September 2025, estimated median income is approximately $61,329 and average income is $74,168 by that date. According to the 2021 Census, personal income ranks at the 62nd percentile ($869 weekly) and household income at the 35th percentile in Barcaldine. Income analysis reveals that 34.0% of locals (546 people) fall into the $1,500 - 2,999 income category, similar to the broader area where 31.7% occupy this bracket. Housing costs are manageable with 91.3% retained, but disposable income is below average at the 43rd percentile. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 5th decile.

Barcaldine is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Barcaldine's dwelling structures, as per the latest Census, consisted of 95.8% houses and 4.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Non-Metro Qld's 92.7% houses and 7.3% other dwellings. Home ownership in Barcaldine stood at 44.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.2% and rented ones at 32.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,213, higher than Non-Metro Qld's average of $910. Median weekly rent in Barcaldine was recorded at $200, lower than Non-Metro Qld's figure of $160. Nationally, Barcaldine's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Barcaldine features high concentrations of lone person households, with a lower-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 63.7% of all households, including 21.5% couples with children, 30.8% couples without children, and 9.0% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 36.3%, with lone person households at 34.3% and group households comprising 2.6%. The median household size is 2.2 people, which is smaller than the Rest of Qld average of 2.3.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 19.5%, significantly lower than the Australian average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 15.0%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.5%) and postgraduate qualifications (2.0%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 40.1% of residents aged 15+ holding such qualifications - advanced diplomas at 10.1% and certificates at 30.0%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 14.3% in primary education, 8.8% in secondary education, and 3.1% pursuing tertiary education. Barcaldine's three schools have a combined enrolment of 241 students. The area has varied educational conditions (ICSEA: 905), with educational mix including one primary, one secondary, and one K-12 school. Note: for schools showing 'n/a' in enrolments, please refer to the parent campus.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Health performance in Barcaldine is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Barcaldine faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. The rate of private health cover in Barcaldine is approximately 53% of the total population (around 851 people), which is higher than the average SA2 area's rate of 49.5%.

The most common medical conditions are asthma, impacting 8.8% of residents, and arthritis, affecting 8.2%. Approximately 67.6% of Barcaldine residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 67.5% across the rest of Queensland. The area has 21.2% of residents aged 65 and over (340 people), which is higher than the state average of 20.1%. Health outcomes among seniors in Barcaldine are strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

The latest Census data sees Barcaldine placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Barcaldine's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 85.6% of its population being citizens born in Australia speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 65.1% of Barcaldine's population compared to 66.5% across Rest of Qld. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.1%), English (31.0%), and Irish (8.4%).

Notably, South African ethnicity was overrepresented at 0.9% in Barcalinde compared to the regional average of 0.2%. Similarly, Australian Aboriginal ethnicity was higher at 6.9% than the regional average of 8.2%, and Russian ethnicity was also slightly higher at 0.5% versus 0.1%.

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

Barcaldine's median age is 43 years, which is higher than the Rest of Qld average of 41 years and exceeds the national average of 38 years. The 55-64 age group makes up 14.1% of Barcaldine's population compared to the Rest of Qld, while the 15-24 cohort is less prevalent at 10.0%. According to post-2021 Census data, the 0-4 age group has grown from 4.8% to 6.0%, and the 45-54 cohort has declined from 13.3% to 11.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests Barcaldine's age profile will change significantly. The 25-34 cohort is projected to grow by 16%, adding 32 residents to reach 230. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 65-74 and 5-14 cohorts.