Barnsley

Barnsley is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Barnsley is around 1,820. This reflects an increase of 85 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 1,735. The current resident population estimate of 1,819 by AreaSearch, based on latest ERP data from ABS (June 2024), and additional validated new addresses since the Census date, contributes to this increase. This results in a density ratio of 515 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Barnsley has shown resilient growth with a compound annual growth rate of 1.4%, outpacing its SA4 region. Natural growth contributed approximately 82.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024, using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a 2021 base year are utilised. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb of Barnsley is expected to grow by 338 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 16.5% in total over the 17-year period.

Recent residential development output has been above average within Barnsley when compared nationally

AreaSearch analysis shows Barnsley recorded approximately 26 residential property approvals annually. Between FY-21 and FY-25, around 132 homes were approved, with 19 more in FY-26 so far. Over these five years, an average of 0.7 new residents per year was associated with each dwelling constructed.

This suggests new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing buyers with more options and potentially enabling population growth beyond current expectations. The average value for new dwellings is $428,000, which is moderately higher than regional levels, indicating a focus on quality construction. In FY-26, there have been $11.6 million in commercial approvals, signifying steady commercial investment activity. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Barnsley has 68.0% more new home approvals per person. This is substantially higher than national levels, suggesting strong developer confidence in the area's potential. Recent construction comprises 76.0% detached houses and 24.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character while responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs.

This marks a significant shift from existing housing patterns, which are currently 99.0% houses. With around 32 people per dwelling approval, Barnsley exhibits characteristics of a low density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Barnsley is projected to gain approximately 300 residents by 2041. Given current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Barnsley has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. One project is identified by AreaSearch as potentially impacting this area: Winten Cameron Park Stage 5 Development. Other notable projects include Sugar Valley Library Museum (kirantakamyari), Cameron Grove Estate, and West Wallsend and Holmesville Heritage Conservation Area Amendment. The following details projects likely 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.

AreaSearch analysis indicates Barnsley maintains employment conditions that align with national benchmarks

Barnsley has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector is prominent. Unemployment rate was 3.7% in the past year.

Employment growth was estimated at 3.4%. As of September 2025, 1,035 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.7%, 0.1% below Rest of NSW's rate. Workforce participation was 70.1%, higher than Rest of NSW's 61.5%. About 15.5% of residents worked from home, considering Covid-19 impacts.

Major employment industries were health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade. Construction had a strong share of 1.4 times the regional level, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employed just 0.4%. Employment increased by 3.4% in Barnsley over the year to September 2025, with labour force increasing by 3.9%, leading to an unemployment rise of 0.4 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest a 6.6% growth over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Barnsley's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.1% over five years and 13.0% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Barnsley's median income among taxpayers in financial year 2023 was $54,680, with an average income of $61,859. This compares to Rest of NSW's figures of $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes for September 2025 would be approximately $59,525 (median) and $67,340 (average). According to Census 2021 data, household, family, and personal incomes in Barnsley cluster around the 50th percentile nationally. The largest income segment in Barnsley comprises 37.8% earning between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly (687 residents). After housing costs, 85.7% of income remains for other expenses.

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

In Barnsley, as per the latest Census evaluation, 99.3% of dwellings were houses, with 0.7% being other types such as semi-detached properties and apartments. This contrasts with Non-Metro NSW's figures of 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Barnsley stood at 34.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 52.0% and rented ones at 13.2%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,733, aligning with Non-Metro NSW's average. The median weekly rent was $360, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $330. Nationally, Barnsley's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Barnsley features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 80.2% of all households, including 37.3% couples with children, 27.0% couples without children, and 12.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up 19.8%, with lone person households at 17.7% and group households comprising 3.5%. The median household size is 2.7 people, larger than the Rest of NSW average of 2.4.

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

The area's university qualification rate is 7.7%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 5.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.1%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 48.7% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (8.5%) and certificates (40.2%).

A substantial 24.6% of the population is actively pursuing formal education. This includes 9.2% in primary education, 6.1% in secondary education, and 2.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Barnsley has 24 active public transport stops, all serving buses. These stops are covered by 29 different routes that together facilitate 380 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of transport in Barnsley is rated as excellent, with residents on average located 189 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to its residential nature. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 96% of residents. On average, there are 2.0 vehicles per dwelling, surpassing the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 15.5% of Barnsley's residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Across all routes, service frequency averages 54 trips per day, translating to roughly 15 weekly trips per stop.

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

Barnsley faces significant health challenges, as assessed by AreaSearch's analysis of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover is relatively low in Barnsley, at approximately 51% of the total population (around 935 people). Mental health issues and asthma are the most common medical conditions, affecting 10.8% and 10.4% of residents respectively. However, 61.4% of residents claim to be completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Rest of NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges due to elevated chronic condition rates. Barnsley has 17.9% of residents aged 65 and over (325 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

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

Barnsley had a cultural diversity score below average, with 94.6% of its population born in Australia, 96.0% being citizens, and 97.8% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, making up 54.8% of Barnsley's population, compared to 55.9% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (33.9%), English (33.2%), and Scottish (8.2%).

Notably, Welsh people made up 1.0%, Australian Aboriginal 5.6%, and Polish 0.9%, all higher than the regional averages of 0.5%, 4.6%, and 0.5% respectively.

Barnsley's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Barnsley as of 2021 was 39 years, which is notably lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 but closely aligns with Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Barnsley had a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (15.0%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (5.0%). According to the 2021 Census, the 75-84 age group increased from 3.1% to 5.0%, while the 25-34 cohort rose from 13.8% to 15.0%. Conversely, the 5-14 age group decreased from 12.1% to 10.7%, and the 45-54 group fell from 13.0% to 11.6%. Looking forward to 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Barnsley's age structure. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 29 people, reaching 352 from 273. Meanwhile, the 65-74 cohort is projected to decrease by 10 people.