Barton

Barton lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

As of November 2025, the estimated population of Barton is around 1,991 people. This figure reflects a growth of 45 individuals since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 1,946 people. The current estimate is inferred from AreaSearch's validation of new addresses and their examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2024. This results in a population density ratio of approximately 926 persons per square kilometer, comparable to averages seen across other locations assessed by AreaSearch. Over the past decade, Barton has exhibited resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 3.5%, outperforming the SA4 region. Overseas migration contributed significantly to this growth, accounting for around 83.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch's projections for Barton are based on ABS/Geoscience Australia figures released in 2024, using 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data and years post-2032, age group growth rates from the ACT Government's SA2 area projections, with a 2022 base, are adopted. According to these projections, Barton is expected to experience population growth of around 126 persons by 2041, reflecting an increase of approximately 6.6% over the 17-year period.

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

AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers indicates that Barton has had virtually no dwelling approvals in recent years. Specifically, an estimated 3 homes were approved between the financial years FY21 to FY25, with 0 approvals so far in FY26. This lack of supply is notable given that an average of 68 people per year have moved into the area for each dwelling built during this period. The construction cost value of new properties averages $107,000, which is below the regional average, suggesting more affordable housing options in Barton. Additionally, commercial development approvals totaling $22,000 have been recorded in FY26, indicating a predominantly residential focus in the area's property development.

Barton 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 eight projects that could affect this region. Notable ones are National Security Office Precinct at York Park, Kingston Arts Precinct, Cromwell Office Building Development, and Greenway Rise - The Establishment. Below is a list of those considered most relevant.

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

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AreaSearch analysis of employment trends sees Barton performing better than 90% of local markets assessed across Australia

Barton has a highly educated workforce with professional services well represented. Its unemployment rate was 0.3% in the past year, showing an estimated employment growth of 1.5%.

As of June 2025, 1,496 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 3.1%, below the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) rate of 3.4%. Workforce participation was on par with ACT's 69.6%. Leading employment industries among residents included public administration & safety, professional & technical services, and education & training. Barton showed strong specialization in public administration & safety, employing 1.8 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance employed only 6.3% of local workers, below ACT's 11.7%. With a ratio of 7.3 workers per resident at the Census, Barton functioned as an employment hub hosting more jobs than residents and attracting workers from surrounding areas. In the 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 1.5% while labour force grew by 1.6%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 0.1 percentage points. By comparison, ACT recorded employment growth of 1.9%, labour force growth of 1.6%, and a decrease in unemployment by 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from Sep-22 projected national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Barton's employment mix suggested local employment should increase by 6.2% over five years and 12.6% over ten years.

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

Barton's income level is among the top percentile nationally according to the latest ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2022. Barton's median income among taxpayers is $93,063 and the average income stands at $142,243, which compares to figures for Australian Capital Territory's of $68,678 and $83,634 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 13.6% since financial year 2022, current estimates would be approximately $105,720 (median) and $161,588 (average) as of September 2025. According to 2021 Census figures, household, family and personal incomes all rank highly in Barton, between the 89th and 99th percentiles nationally. The earnings profile shows the $1,500 - 2,999 earnings band captures 41.5% of the community (826 individuals), mirroring the metropolitan region where 34.3% occupy this bracket. The area demonstrates considerable affluence with 43.0% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and service offerings. High housing costs consume 15.9% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 89th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 10th decile.

Barton features a more urban dwelling mix with significant apartment living, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

The dwelling structure in Barton, as evaluated at the latest Census, consisted of 6.2% houses and 93.8% other dwellings such as semi-detached properties, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. In contrast, the Australian Capital Territory had no reported houses or other dwellings at that time. Home ownership in Barton was recorded at 22.3%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.8% and rented dwellings at 48.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Barton was $2,015, aligning with the Australian Capital Territory average, while the median weekly rent figure was $525, compared to no reported figures for the Australian Capital Territory. Nationally, Barton's median monthly mortgage repayments were higher than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were 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 significantly exceeds national averages. Among residents aged 15+, 75.2% hold university qualifications, compared to 30.4% nationally and 46.8% in the SA4 region. This high level of education positions Barton well for knowledge-based opportunities. Bachelor degrees are most common 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 at 7.6% and certificates at 5.9%. Educational participation is 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. The area's educational infrastructure is anchored by Telopea Park School, serving 1,571 students. Barton demonstrates exceptional educational performance, with an ICSEA score of 1157, placing local schools among the most advantaged nationally. All 1 schools offer integrated K-12 education, providing continuity throughout students' academic journey. With 78.9 school places per 100 residents, the area shows strong educational infrastructure serving both local and surrounding communities.

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

Barton has 20 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by 16 different routes that together facilitate 1,630 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated as excellent, with residents on average situated 162 meters from the nearest stop.

All routes combined offer an average of 232 daily trips, equating to around 81 weekly trips per individual 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 with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 83% of the total population (1,658 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues impacting 9.2% of residents and asthma affecting 7.4%, while 71.9% declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments. This compares to 0% across Australian Capital Territory. Barton has 18.3% of residents aged 65 and over (364 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, performing even better than the general population in health metrics.

Barton was found to be more culturally diverse than the vast majority of local markets in Australia, upon assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Barton's population showed high cultural diversity, with 19.1% speaking a language other than English at home as of 2016 Census data. This figure was higher compared to the majority of local markets. Additionally, 29.2% of Barton's residents were born overseas.

Christianity was the predominant religion in Barton, accounting for 37.8% of its population. However, Judaism had a notable overrepresentation at 0.7%, which was significantly higher than the none reported across Australian Capital Territory. Regarding ancestry, the top three groups were English (26.1%), Australian (18.2%), and Irish (11.7%). Other ethnic groups with notable divergences included Welsh at 1.2% (compared to none regionally), French at 1.1%, and Serbian at 0.8%.

Barton's population is slightly older than the national pattern

The median age in Barton is 40 years, notably exceeding the Australian Capital Territory's average of 35 years and modestly exceeding the national median of 38 years. Relative to the Australian Capital Territory, Barton has a higher concentration of residents aged 25-34 years (23.7%) but fewer residents aged 15-24 years (6.4%). This concentration of 25-34 year-olds is well above the national average of 14.5%. Between the 2021 Census and present, the population aged 75 to 84 has grown from 4.5% to 6.2%, while the 35 to 44 age group increased from 14.9% to 16.5%. Conversely, the 25 to 34 age group has declined from 26.5% to 23.7%, and the 15 to 24 age group dropped from 8.6% to 6.4%. By 2041, Barton is expected to see significant shifts in its age composition. Leading this demographic shift, the 55 to 64 age group is projected to grow by 25%, reaching 347 people from 276. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above comprising 58% of the projected growth. Conversely, population declines are projected for the 0 to 4 and 5 to 14 age cohorts.