Barton

Population growth drivers in Barton are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of Nov 2025, the estimated population for the Barton statistical area (Lv2) is around 1,997. This figure represents an increase of 51 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,946. The latest resident population estimate was derived from AreaSearch's examination of the ABS's ERP data release in June 2024 and subsequent address validation. This population level equates to a density ratio of 928 persons per square kilometer, roughly inline with averages across locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade ending in 2021, Barton demonstrated a compound annual growth rate of 3.5%, outperforming its SA4 region. Overseas migration was the primary driver for population growth, contributing approximately 83.0% of overall gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections are used, also based on 2022. By 2041, Barton is projected to grow by approximately 126 persons, reflecting a 6.3% increase over the 17-year period, aligning with aggregated SA2-level projections.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Barton according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Barton has seen only one residential development approval in the past five years. This reflects a fully developed suburb with limited opportunities for new construction. The absence of new supply generally supports demand for established properties, potentially contributing to price stability.

Barton has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 50% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified eight projects likely to impact the area. Key projects are National Security Office Precinct (York Park), Kingston Arts Precinct, Cromwell Office Building Development, and Greenway Rise - The Establishment. Below is a 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 analysis of employment trends sees Barton performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Barton's workforce is highly educated with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate was 0.4% in the past year, showing an estimated employment growth of 0.6%.

As of September 2025, 1,454 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.2%, below the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) rate of 3.6%. Workforce participation was on par with ACT's 69.6%. Key industries included public administration & safety, professional & technical services, and education & training. Public administration & safety showed particularly strong specialization, employing 1.8 times more residents than the regional average.

Conversely, health care & social assistance employed only 6.3% of local workers, compared to ACT's 11.7%. The area hosted 7.3 jobs per resident as at the Census, functioning as an employment hub attracting workers from surrounding areas. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment levels increased by 0.6%, labour force grew by 0.8%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, ACT experienced employment growth of 1.4% and a drop in unemployment rate by 0.2 percentage points. State-level data to 25-Nov-25 showed ACT employment grew by 1.19% year-on-year, with an unemployment rate of 4.5%, slightly higher than the national rate of 4.3%. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Barton's employment mix indicates local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 12.6% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

The economic profile demonstrates exceptional strength, placing the area among the top 10% nationally based on comprehensive AreaSearch income analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows median income in Barton suburb is $93,297 and average income is $142,601. This compares to Australian Capital Territory's median income of $72,206 and average income of $85,981. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.26% since June 2023, estimated current incomes are approximately $101,936 (median) and $155,806 (average) as of September 2025. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data from 2021, Barton's household, family, and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 89th and 99th percentiles. Income distribution shows 41.5% of residents (828 people) earn between $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, aligning with regional trends where this cohort represents 34.3%. A substantial proportion, 43%, earn above $3,000 weekly, indicating strong economic capacity. High housing costs consume 15.9% of income, but strong earnings place disposable income at the 89th percentile nationally. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Barton features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living

The latest Census evaluation found that dwelling structures in Barton comprised 6.2% houses and 93.8% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. Home ownership in Barton stood at 22.3%, with mortgaged dwellings accounting for 28.8% and rented ones for 48.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,015, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $525. Nationally, Barton's mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, with rents substantially above the national figure of $375.

Barton features high concentrations of lone person households and group households, with a median household size of 1.7 people

Family households constitute 47.9% of all households, including 10.5% couples with children, 34.0% couples without children, and 3.2% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 52.1%, with lone person households at 46.1% and group households comprising 5.2%. The median household size is 1.7 people.

Educational achievement in Barton places it within the top 10% nationally, reflecting strong academic performance and high qualification levels across the community

Barton's educational attainment exceeds broader benchmarks significantly. Among residents aged 15+, 75.2% hold university qualifications, compared to Australia's 30.4% and the SA4 region's 46.8%. This high level of educational attainment positions Barton strongly for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most prevalent at 37.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (30.2%) and graduate diplomas (7.9%).

Technical qualifications make up 13.5% of educational achievements, with advanced diplomas accounting for 7.6% and certificates for 5.9%. Educational participation is notably high in Barton, with 30.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 16.7% in tertiary education, 4.7% in primary education, and 3.2% pursuing secondary education.

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

Transport analysis shows 19 active stops in Barton, all bus services. These are covered by 41 routes, offering 2,362 weekly passenger trips. Accessibility is excellent, with residents typically 162 meters from nearest stop.

Average daily service frequency is 337 trips across all routes, about 124 weekly trips per stop.

Barton's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Barton. Both young and old age cohorts saw low prevalence of common health conditions.

The rate of private health cover was found to be exceptionally high at approximately 83% of the total population (1,667 people), compared to the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions in the area were mental health issues and asthma, impacting 9.2 and 7.4% of residents respectively. Seventy-one point nine percent declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 0% across Australian Capital Territory. Eighteen point three percent of residents are aged 65 and over (365 people). Health outcomes among seniors perform even better than the general population in health metrics.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Barton was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Barton had a higher cultural diversity than most local markets, with 19.1% speaking a language other than English at home and 29.2% born overseas. Christianity was the predominant religion in Barton, making up 37.8% of its population. Notably, Judaism comprised 0.7%, significantly higher than None% across Australian Capital Territory.

The top three ancestral groups were English (26.1%), Australian (18.2%), and Irish (11.7%). There were also notable differences in the representation of Welsh (1.2%), French (1.1%), and Serbian (0.8%) ethnicities compared to None% regionally.

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

The median age in Barton is 40 years, which exceeds the Australian Capital Territory's average of 35 years and is slightly higher than the national median of 38 years. Compared to the Australian Capital Territory, Barton has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (23.7%), but fewer residents aged 15-24 (6.4%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is significantly higher than the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and the latest data, the proportion of residents aged 75-84 has increased from 4.5% to 6.2%, while the proportion of those aged 35-44 has risen from 14.9% to 16.5%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 has decreased from 26.5% to 23.7%, and the proportion of those aged 15-24 has dropped from 8.6% to 6.4%. By the year 2041, Barton's age composition is expected to shift significantly. The demographic trend will be led by the 55-64 age group, which is projected to grow by 25%, reaching 347 people from 277. This aging population dynamic is evident in the fact that those aged 65 and above are expected to comprise 58% of the projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0-4 and 5-14 age cohorts.