Barcaldine

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Barcaldine's population is estimated at around 1,615 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 75 people (4.9%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,540 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 1,601 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 24 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 0.10 persons per square kilometer. Barcaldine's growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA4 region's growth rate of 4.3%, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by natural growth, contributing approximately 48.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered and years post-2032, Queensland State Government's SA2 area projections released in 2023 based on 2021 data are adopted. Projections indicate a decline of overall population by 24 persons by 2041. However, growth across specific age cohorts is anticipated, led by the 25 to 34 age group, projected to increase by 33 people.

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

Barcaldine experienced limited development activity with an average of 3 approvals per year over the five-year period from January 2016 to December 2020, resulting in a total of 15 dwellings. This low level of development reflects Barcaldine's rural nature, where housing needs are locally driven rather than broadly market-driven. The small number of approvals means yearly growth figures and relativities can vary significantly based on individual projects.

Compared to the Rest of Queensland and national averages, Barcaldine has shown significantly less construction activity. Recent development in Barcaldine has been exclusively standalone homes, reflecting its rural character where larger properties are typical. As of December 2020, there were an estimated 526 people per dwelling approval in the area. With a stable or declining population expected, housing pressure in Barcaldine is likely to remain low, potentially creating 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 strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified three projects likely affecting 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. The following list details those 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.

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

Barcaldine has a skilled workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate was 1.0% as of September 2025, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. In this period, 889 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 3.1% lower than Rest of Qld's rate of 4.1%.

Workforce participation was relatively standard at 69.8%, compared to Rest of Qld's 65.7%. Census responses indicated that a low 13.1% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. The dominant employment sectors among residents included agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and public administration & safety. Barcaldine had particular employment specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing, with an employment share 3.4 times the regional level.

Conversely, 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 the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to September 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.6% and employment declined by 0.6%, keeping the unemployment rate relatively stable. This contrasted with Rest of Qld, where employment rose by 1.7%, the labour force grew by 2.1%, and unemployment rose by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offered further insight into potential future demand within Barcaldine. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, estimated that national employment would expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these industry-specific projections to Barcaldine's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.0% over five years and 12.7% over ten years. However, it was important to note that these were simple weighting extrapolations for illustrative purposes and did not take into account localised population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of the latest postcode level ATO data released for financial year ended 30 June 2023, Barcaldine had a median income among taxpayers of $53,802 with an average level of $65,065. This is below the national average and compares to levels of $53,146 and $66,593 across Rest of Qld respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.91% since financial year ended 30 June 2023, current estimates would be approximately $59,134 (median) and $71,513 (average) as of September 2025. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics Census figures for 2021, personal income ranks at the 62nd percentile ($869 weekly), while household income sits at the 35th percentile. Income analysis reveals that the predominant cohort spans 34.0% of locals (549 people) in the $1,500 - $2,999 income category, mirroring the broader area where 31.7% occupy this bracket. Housing costs are manageable with 91.3% retained, though disposable income sits below average at the 43rd percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the fifth decile.

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

Barcaldine's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 95.8% houses and 4.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compared to Non-Metro Qld's 76.4% houses and 23.6% other dwellings. Home ownership in Barcaldine was 44.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 23.2% and rented ones at 32.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,213, lower than Non-Metro Qld's average of $1,655. The median weekly rent in Barcaldine was $200, compared to Non-Metro Qld's $345. 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 account for 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 constitute 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 2.5.

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%. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 15.0%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.5%) and postgraduate qualifications (2.0%). Vocational credentials are held by 40.1% of residents aged 15 and above, with advanced diplomas at 10.1% and certificates at 30.0%. Educational participation is high, with 30.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 14.3% in primary, 8.8% in secondary, and 3.1% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably 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.

No public transport data available for this catchment area.

Barcaldine's residents are relatively healthy in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Barcaldine's health metrics closely match national benchmarks based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Common health conditions are seen at a standard level across both young and old age cohorts in the area. Private health cover is held by approximately 53% of Barcaldine's total population, which totals around 855 people, slightly higher than the average SA2 area. The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma and arthritis, affecting 8.8 and 8.2% of residents respectively. A total of 67.6% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, similar to the 67.6% figure across Rest of Qld. Health outcomes among working-age residents are generally typical. Barcaldine has 340 people aged 65 and over, comprising 21.1% of its population. Health outcomes among seniors in Barcaldine rank particularly strongly, even higher than the national average for the general population.

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 who speak English only at home. The majority religion is Christianity, representing 65.1%, compared to the regional average of 52.2%. The top three ancestry groups are Australian (34.1%), English (31.0%), and Irish (8.4%).

Notably, South African descent was higher in Barcaldine at 0.9% versus 0.5% regionally, while Australian Aboriginal was 6.9% compared to 3.9%, and Russian ancestry was 0.5% compared to the regional average of 0.2%.

Barcaldine hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

The median age in Barcaldine is 42 years, close to Rest of Qld's average of 41 years but well above Australia's median of 38 years. Compared to the Rest of Qld average, the 75-84 age cohort is notably over-represented at 8.3% in Barcaldine, while the 15-24 age group is under-represented at 10.1%. Between the 2021 Census and the present, the 0-4 age group has grown from 4.8% to 6.1% of the population. Conversely, the 45-54 age cohort has declined from 13.3% to 11.5%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes in Barcaldine. The 25-34 age group is projected to expand by 26 people (13%), from 206 to 233. Meanwhile, the 35-44 and 65-74 age groups are expected to experience population declines.