Barham

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

As of May 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Barham is around 1,618. This figure reflects an increase of 49 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,569. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 1,617 following their examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025, along with an additional 22 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 3.4 persons per square kilometer. Barham's growth rate of 3.1% since the census is within 1.7 percentage points of the SA3 area's growth rate of 4.8%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 79.0% of overall population gains during recent periods in the suburb.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb is expected to grow by 164 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 10.1% in total over the 16-year period. This growth trend aligns with demographic trends and population statistics for regional areas across the nation.

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 an average of three dwelling approvals annually from 2015 to 2019. This low development level is typical in rural areas due to modest housing needs and limited construction activity influenced by local demand and infrastructure capacity. The small number of approvals can significantly impact annual growth statistics.

Barham's construction activity is notably lower than the Rest of NSW, and it falls below national averages. Recent building activity consists solely of detached dwellings, aligning with rural living preferences. As of 2019, there were an estimated 633 people per dwelling approval in Barham. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Barham is projected to add 163 residents by 2041.

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

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

The performance of a region is significantly impacted by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified one project that could potentially affect this area: Victoria to NSW Interconnector West (VNI West). Other notable projects include South West Renewable Energy Zone, EnergyConnect, and Regional Housing Fund. The following details the projects most likely to be 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 both white and blue-collar jobs across diverse sectors. Its unemployment rate is 4.9%, as per AreaSearch's statistical area data aggregation in December 2025. As of this date, 748 residents are employed with an unemployment rate at 1.0% above Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation stands at 54.8%, compared to Regional NSW's 60.5%. According to Census responses, only 12.7% of residents work from home. Leading employment industries include agriculture, forestry & fishing, retail trade, and health care & social assistance. Notably, the area specializes in agriculture, forestry & fishing with an employment share 3.4 times the regional level, while health care & social assistance has limited presence at 11.3%, compared to Regional NSW's 16.9%.

Over the year ending December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 2.2% and employment declined by 3.1%, resulting in a 0.7 percentage point rise in unemployment. In comparison, Regional NSW saw a 1.2% employment fall, a 0.8% labour force contraction, and a 0.4 percentage point increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 indicate overall employment growth of 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 these are simple weighted extrapolations for illustrative purposes only.

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

AreaSearch's data for financial year 2023 shows Barham's median income is $39,413 and average income is $47,891. This is below Regional NSW's median of $52,390 and average of $65,215. By March 2026, estimated incomes are approximately $43,480 (median) and $52,833 (average), based on a 10.32% Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023. Census data indicates Barham's household, family, and personal incomes fall between the 3rd and 8th percentiles nationally. Income brackets show 29.0% of residents earn $400 - $799 weekly, compared to broader area trends where 29.9% earn $1,500 - $2,999 weekly. A significant proportion (41.5%) of Barham's residents have incomes under $800 weekly, suggesting constrained household budgets across much of the area. Despite modest housing costs with 90.1% of income retained, 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

Barham's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 85.0% houses and 15.1% other dwellings. In Regional NSW, this was 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Barham stood at 55.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 20.7% and rented ones at 23.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Barham was $1,148, lower than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure in Barham was $185, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Barham's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,148 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were 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 make up the remaining 39.6%, with lone person households at 37.4% and group households comprising 2.2% of the total. The median household size is 2.1 people, which is smaller than the Regional NSW average of 2.4.

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%, significantly lower than the NSW 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 prevalent, with 36.9% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (10.2%) and certificates (26.7%). A total of 21.5% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, with 8.0% in primary, 6.3% in secondary, and 2.5% in tertiary education.

A substantial 21.5% of the population actively pursues formal education. This includes 8.0% in primary education, 6.3% in secondary education, and 2.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Barham has 55 operational public transport stops, all bus services. These are covered by seven routes offering 72 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy good accessibility, with an average distance of 379 meters to the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commutes are outward-bound. Cars remain the primary mode at 87%, while 11% walk. On average, there are 1.4 vehicles per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, only 12.7% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages ten trips daily across all routes, resulting in approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

Barham's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Barham's health data shows relatively positive outcomes. Mortality rates and health conditions align broadly with national benchmarks. Common health conditions are seen across both young and old age groups.

Private health cover is extremely low at approximately 46% of the total population (~743 people), compared to Regional NSW's 51.9% and the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (13.1%) and mental health issues (8.2%). 61.0% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Working-age residents show above average prevalence of chronic health conditions. Barham has 40.1% of residents aged 65 and over (648 people), higher than Regional NSW's 23.4%. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, ranking even higher than the general population nationally.

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 92.0% of its population being citizens, 91.9% born in Australia, and 96.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity is the dominant religion in Barham, comprising 57.7% of people, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW. The top three represented ancestry groups are Australian (34.2%), English (33.1%), and Irish (9.8%).

Notably, Sri Lankan representation is higher at 0.4% in Barham than regionally (0.1%), Scottish representation is slightly higher at 8.7%, and Australian Aboriginal representation is lower at 2.5%.

Barham ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

Barham's median age is 58, which is significantly higher than Regional NSW's figure of 43 and Australia's national average of 38 years. The 65-74 age group constitutes a strong 20.8% of Barham's population, compared to Regional NSW's figure. Meanwhile, the 35-44 cohort makes up only 6.8%, which is less prevalent than in Regional NSW. This concentration of the 65-74 age group is notably higher than the national average of 9.4%. Between 2021 and present, the 65-74 age group has increased from 18.5% to 20.8%, while the 15-24 cohort has risen from 6.6% to 8.5%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 18.1% to 15.7%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Barham's age profile will evolve significantly. Leading this shift, the 75-84 group is projected to grow by 42%, adding 83 people and reaching a total of 284 from its current figure of 200. This growth is primarily driven by residents aged 65 and older, who are expected to represent 77% of the population's anticipated increase. Conversely, both the 55-64 and 5-14 age groups are projected to see reduced numbers.