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 February 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Barnsley is around 1,820. This figure reflects an increase of 85 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,735. The change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population at 1,819 in June 2024, based on the latest ERP data release by the ABS, and an additional 85 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 515 persons per square kilometer. Barnsley's growth rate of 4.9% since the census is within 1.0 percentage points of the Rest of NSW's 5.9%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Natural growth contributed approximately 82.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. 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 is expected to grow by 367 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 20.1% in total over the 17-year period.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, Barnsley has recorded around 26 residential properties granted approval each year. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, approximately 132 homes were approved, with a further 9 approved so far in FY-26. On average, over these years, 0.7 new residents per year per dwelling constructed have been recorded.

This suggests that new construction is matching or outpacing demand, providing buyers more options and potentially enabling population growth to exceed current expectations. The average value of new dwellings developed is $428,000, moderately above regional levels, indicating an emphasis on quality construction. In FY-26, there have been $11.6 million in commercial approvals, indicating steady commercial investment activity. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Barnsley shows 66.0% higher new home approvals per person, which should provide buyers with ample choice. This level is substantially higher than the national average, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. Recent construction comprises 76.0% detached houses and 24.0% medium and high-density housing, maintaining the area's traditional low density character while focusing on family homes appealing to those seeking space.

This marks a significant departure from existing housing patterns, which are currently 99.0% houses, suggesting diminishing developable land availability and responding to evolving lifestyle preferences and housing affordability needs. With around 32 people per dwelling approval, Barnsley shows characteristics of a low density area. Population forecasts indicate that Barnsley will gain 366 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling 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 impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified one major project likely affecting the region: Winten Cameron Park Stage 5 Development, Sugar Valley Library Museum (kirantakamyari), Cameron Grove Estate, and West Wallsend and Holmesville Heritage Conservation Area Amendment are key projects, with the following list focusing on those most relevant.

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

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The employment landscape in Barnsley shows performance that lags behind national averages across key labour market indicators

Barnsley has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector is prominent, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%. Over the past year, employment has been relatively stable.

As of December 2025, 1,020 residents are employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.7%, compared to Regional NSW's 3.9%. Workforce participation is high at 70.1%. According to Census data, 15.5% of residents work from home. The leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

Construction is particularly strong, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level. Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 0.4% of local workers, below Regional NSW's 5.3%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited, as indicated by Census data comparing working population to resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 0.5%, while labour force grew by 1.8%, leading to a rise in unemployment of 1.3 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW saw a decrease in employment (-1.2%), a fall in labour force (-0.8%), and a smaller increase in unemployment (0.4%). Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that over five years, national employment is expected to expand by 6.6%, and over ten years, it is forecast to grow by 13.7%. 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, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

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

The suburb of Barnsley's median income among taxpayers was $54,680 in the financial year ending 30 June 2023. The average income stood at $61,859 during this period. These figures are lower than those for Regional NSW, which were $52,390 and $65,215 respectively. Based on a Wage Price Index growth rate of 8.86% between financial years 2023 and 2025, estimated median income would be approximately $59,525 as of September 2025, with average income projected at around $67,340 during the same period. According to Census data from 2021, incomes in Barnsley cluster around the national median. The largest segment of residents, comprising 37.8%, earn between $1,500 and $2,999 weekly, which is similar to patterns seen at regional levels where 29.9% fall within this income range. After accounting for housing costs, 85.7% of income remains available for other expenses.

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

Barnsley's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, comprised 99.3% houses and 0.7% other dwellings such as semi-detached properties, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Regional NSW's 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 Regional NSW's average. The median weekly rent was $360, compared to Regional 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 constitute 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 account for the remaining 19.8%, with lone person households at 17.7% and group households comprising 3.5%. The median household size is 2.7 people, which is larger than the Regional 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 indicates a need for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 5.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.1%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 48.7% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.5%) and certificates (40.2%).

A total of 24.6% of the population is actively engaged in formal education, comprising 9.2% in primary, 6.1% in secondary, and 2.2% in 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 of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 29 different routes that together facilitate 380 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility in Barnsley is rated as excellent, with residents on average located 189 meters from the nearest transport stop. The area is predominantly residential, with most residents commuting outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation, used by 96% of residents. On average, there are 2.0 vehicles per dwelling in Barnsley, which is higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, 15.5% of residents work from home, a figure that may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 54 trips per day, equating to approximately 15 weekly trips per individual 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 based on AreaSearch's assessment.

Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were found to be high across both younger and older age cohorts. Private health cover was relatively low at approximately 51% of the total population (~935 people). The most common medical conditions were mental health issues, impacting 10.8% of residents, and asthma, affecting 10.4%. Sixty-one point four percent declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. The working-age population faces notable health challenges with elevated chronic condition rates. Eighteen point two percent of residents are aged 65 and over (331 people), lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, ranking higher than the general population nationally.

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's population was found to be predominantly Australian-born, with 94.6% born in Australia, and a high proportion of citizens at 96.0%. English was spoken exclusively at home by 97.8% of the population. Christianity was the dominant religion in Barnsley, comprising 54.8%, slightly lower than the Regional NSW average of 55.9%.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (33.9%), English (33.2%), and Scottish (8.2%). Notably, Welsh ancestry was overrepresented at 1.0% compared to the regional average of 0.5%, as were Australian Aboriginal (5.6% vs 4.6%) and Polish (0.9% vs 0.5%) ancestries.

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

The median age in Barnsley is 39 years, which is significantly lower than Regional NSW's average of 43 but essentially aligned with Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Regional NSW, Barnsley has a higher percentage of residents aged 25-34 (14.6%) but fewer residents aged 75-84 (5.2%). According to the 2021 Census, the proportion of residents aged 75-84 increased from 3.1% to 5.2%, while the percentage of residents aged 5-14 decreased from 12.1% to 10.5%. The proportion of residents aged 45-54 also dropped, from 13.0% to 11.5%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Barnsley's age structure. Notably, the number of residents aged 25-34 is projected to grow by 36%, reaching 361 from 265. Conversely, the number of residents aged 65-74 is projected to decline by 3 people.