Barham

An assessment of population growth drivers in Barham reveals an overall ranking slightly below national averages considering recent, and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Barham's population is estimated at around 1,551 as of Nov 2025. This reflects a decrease of 18 people (1.1%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,569 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 1,519, estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024 and an additional 23 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 3.3 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 79.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Moving forward with demographic trends, a population increase just below the median of regional areas across the nation is expected, with the suburb expected to grow by 153 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting recording a gain of 12.1% in total over the 17 years.

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

Barham had 18 dwelling approvals over five years ending in December 2017. This low development level is typical of rural areas with modest housing needs and limited construction activity due to local demand and infrastructure capacity. The small number of approvals can significantly impact annual growth statistics.

Barham's construction activity is notably lower than Rest of NSW and national averages. Recent building activity consists solely of detached dwellings, reflecting rural living preferences for space and privacy. As of December 2017, the estimated population per dwelling approval was 452 people. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Barham is projected to add 187 residents by June 2041.

If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

Barham has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

No changes can significantly influence an area's performance like alterations to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. Zero projects have been identified by AreaSearch as likely to impact the area. Notable projects include South West Renewable Energy Zone, EnergyConnect, Regional Housing Fund (Victoria), and Victorian Renewable Energy Zones, with the following list detailing 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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Barham faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Barham's workforce comprises white and blue-collar jobs across various sectors. Its unemployment rate was 4.8% in the past year, with an estimated employment growth of 3.6%.

As of June 2025769 residents are employed, while the unemployment rate is 1.2% higher than Rest of NSW's rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation lags at 49.2%, compared to Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Leading employment industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, retail trade, and health care & social assistance. Agriculture, forestry & fishing is particularly strong, with an employment share 3.4 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance has limited presence at 11.3%, compared to the regional 16.9%. Employment opportunities locally appear limited, as indicated by Census working population vs resident population counts. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 3.6% while labour force rose by 3.9%, with unemployment remaining essentially unchanged. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.1%, labour force expand by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from Jobs and Skills Australia (Sep-22) project national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Barham's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.4% over five years and 11.7% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not consider localised population projections.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2022 shows that income in Barham is below the national average. The median income is $39,413 while the average income stands at $47,891. This contrasts with Rest of NSW's figures where the median income is $49,459 and the average income is $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, current estimates for Barham would be approximately $44,383 (median) and $53,930 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals that household, family and personal incomes in Barham all fall between the 3rd and 8th percentiles nationally. Income brackets indicate that the largest segment comprises 29.0% earning $400 - 799 weekly (449 residents), unlike trends in the broader area where 29.9% fall within the $1,500 - 2,999 range. The prevalence of lower-income residents (41.5% under $800/week) indicates constrained household budgets across much of the area. While housing costs are modest with 90.1% of income retained, the total disposable income ranks at just the 7th percentile nationally.

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

Dwelling structure in Barham, as evaluated at the latest Census, consisted of 85.0% houses and 15.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), compared to Non-Metro NSW's 89.8% houses and 10.2% other dwellings. Home ownership in Barham was 55.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.7% and rented dwellings at 23.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,148, well below the Non-Metro NSW average of $1,285. Median weekly rent in Barham was recorded at $185, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $235. Nationally, Barham's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents substantially below the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 60.4% of all households, including 15.9% that are couples with children, 37.1% that are couples without children, and 6.5% that are single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 39.6%, with lone person households making up 37.4% and group households comprising 2.2%. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Rest of NSW average of 2.3.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 13.4%, substantially lower than NSW's average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 10.1%, followed by graduate diplomas (2.0%) and postgraduate qualifications (1.3%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 36.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas at 10.2% and certificates at 26.7%. A total of 21.5% of the population is actively pursuing formal education: 8.0% in primary, 6.3% in secondary, and 2.5% in tertiary education.

Educational institutions include Barham High School and Barham Public School, serving a combined 317 students with typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 957). The area functions as an educational hub with 20.4 school places per 100 residents, higher than the regional average of 9.3, attracting students from nearby communities.

Transport servicing is low compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Barham has 54 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by nine different routes that together offer 80 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of the transport system is rated as good, with residents typically living just 379 meters from their nearest stop.

On average, there are 11 trips per day across all routes, which equates to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

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

Barham faces significant health challenges, with common conditions prevalent across both younger and older age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 46%, covering around 712 people, compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common conditions are arthritis (affecting 13.1% of residents) and mental health issues (8.2%), with 61.0% reporting no medical ailments, similar to Rest of NSW at 60.6%. As of 2021, Barham has 38.5% of residents aged 65 and over (597 people), higher than the 30.5% in Rest of NSW. Despite this, health outcomes among seniors are strong, outperforming general population metrics.

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

Barham's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with a population composition of 92.0% citizens, 91.9% born in Australia, and 96.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Barham, accounting for 57.7% of its population, compared to 58.1% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (34.2%), English (33.1%), and Irish (9.8%).

Notably, Sri Lankan ethnicity was overrepresented in Barham at 0.4%, compared to the regional average of 0.1%. Scottish ethnicity also had a higher representation in Barham at 8.7%, compared to the regional figure of 9.2%. The Australian Aboriginal population in Barham matched the regional average, both being 2.5%.

Barham ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Barham has a median age of 58, which is higher than the Rest of NSW figure of 43 and Australia's national average of 38 years. The age group of 65-74 makes up 20.0% of Barham's population, compared to 9.4% nationally and a lower percentage in the Rest of NSW. Conversely, the 35-44 age group is less prevalent at 6.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has grown from 6.6% to 8.2%, while the 65-74 cohort increased from 18.5% to 20.0%. During this period, the 55-64 age group declined from 18.1% to 16.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Barham's age profile. The 75-84 age group is projected to grow by 43%, reaching 261 people from 183. Residents aged 65 and older will represent 75% of this growth, while both the 15-24 and 5-14 age groups are expected to decrease in number.