Barcaldine
A vacancy rate of 20.1% tells the most important story about Barcaldine: roughly one in five dwellings sits unoccupied, a figure well above the national average and a direct consequence of the town's long-running population decline of 12.3% over the past decade. At 1,540 residents spread across 10,794 square kilometres, this central Queensland agricultural hub has a population density of just 0.1 persons per square kilometre. The median house price of $288,000 is far below state and national medians, and household income sits at the 46.4th percentile nationally, reflecting the town's working-class economic base anchored by healthcare, agriculture, and public administration.
Population
1,540
Median Age
43.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,487/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$288K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At $288,000, Barcaldine's median house price sits well below the Queensland state median and nationally affordable benchmarks, making entry costs relatively low compared to most regional centres. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,213, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.8%, which is comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The housing stock is almost entirely detached houses at 95.8%, with apartments at just 3.0%, so buyers have a very limited choice of dwelling type. Three-bedroom homes make up 41.0% of dwellings and four-plus-bedroom homes 30.7%, giving families reasonable options. Outright ownership is high at 44.9%, compared to 23.5% carrying a mortgage, suggesting an older, established resident base who bought when prices were even lower.
For Buyers
At $288,000, Barcaldine's median house price sits well below the Queensland state median and nationally affordable benchmarks, making entry costs relatively low compared to most regional centres. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,213, producing a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.8%, which is comfortably below the 30% stress threshold. The housing stock is almost entirely detached houses at 95.8%, with apartments at just 3.0%, so buyers have a very limited choice of dwelling type. Three-bedroom homes make up 41.0% of dwellings and four-plus-bedroom homes 30.7%, giving families reasonable options. Outright ownership is high at 44.9%, compared to 23.5% carrying a mortgage, suggesting an older, established resident base who bought when prices were even lower.
For Investors
The investment case for Barcaldine is constrained by structural headwinds. Weekly rent of $200 against a $288,000 median implies a gross yield of around 3.6%, moderate by national standards but undercut by a 20.1% vacancy rate, which is significantly higher than national norms and signals chronic oversupply relative to demand. Population has been declining at 0.71% annually and fell 12.3% over the decade, reducing the tenant pool rather than expanding it. Net overseas migration adds only 12 residents per year and internal migration is balanced at 4 net arrivals, meaning neither source provides meaningful demand growth. The gentrification stage is classified as not gentrifying, with zero gentrification signals, so capital growth catalysts are absent in the near term.
Schools in Barcaldine iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
Prep-6 · 16 students
Barcaldine Prep-12 State School
Prep-12 · 216 students
Demographics
The median age of 43 is 3.0 years above the national average, and the trajectory is clearly aging: the senior share rose 6.9 points while the working-age share fell 3.1 points over the decade. Only 6.4% of residents were born overseas, which is 15.2 percentage points below the national figure, making this one of the more Anglo-Celtic communities in Queensland. Ancestry is dominated by English (599), Irish (162) and Scottish (161). University qualifications reach 21.0% of residents, which is 9.1 percentage points below the national rate, consistent with a manual-trades and agriculture-oriented workforce. Average household size is 2.2, which is 0.3 below the national figure, aligning with the older couples-without-children profile: 34.7% of families are couples with no children.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
95.8%
Houses
0.5%
Townhouse
3.0%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Barcaldine skews toward outright ownership: 44.9% own their home outright, compared to 23.5% with a mortgage and 31.7% renting. This high outright ownership rate, higher than the national average, reflects an older, long-settled community. Detached separate houses dominate at 95.8%, well above the national norm, so the market offers almost no unit or apartment product. Three-bedroom homes account for 41.0% and four-plus bedrooms 30.7%, providing reasonable family configurations. The rent-to-income ratio of 13.4% signals that rental costs are manageable for current tenants, well below the 30% stress threshold. However, the 20.1% vacancy rate means many properties sit empty, depressing rental returns and creating a buyers market for those seeking affordable entry.
Mortgage / mo
$1,213
Rent / wk
$200
HH Size
2.2
Personal Income / wk
$869
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
20.1%
Unoccupied
147
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
13.4%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.8%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
34.7%
Couples, no children
1,008
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is the single largest employer at 17.7% of the local workforce, followed by public administration at 12.6% and agriculture at 11.9%. This public-sector and primary-industry mix is typical of remote Queensland service towns. By occupation, professionals (127) and managers (124) represent the two largest groups, slightly ahead of labourers (116), which reflects the presence of government services and farm management roles. Unemployment is very low at 2.2% and full-time employment reaches 70.4% of employed people. The SEIFA IRSD decile of 4 places Barcaldine below average nationally for relative disadvantage, and the IEO decile of 3 indicates below-average education and occupation outcomes compared to other suburbs, consistent with the agriculture-focused industrial base. Real incomes grew 21.4% over the decade, outpacing inflation.
Unemployment
1.4%
Labour Force
2,737
Unemployed
37
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
70.4%
Part-time
27.4%
Participation
58.4%
Employed
710
Occupations
Top Industries
University
21.0%
Postgraduate
2.5%
Born Overseas
6.4%
Dwellings
571
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high in Barcaldine, with 75.1% of residents commuting by car, typical of remote Queensland where public transport is minimal. Walking and cycling accounts for 16.2% of trips, which is relatively high and reflects the compact town layout rather than infrastructure quality. The IRSAD decile of 4 places the suburb below the national median on the combined advantage-disadvantage index. Volunteering is notably strong at 33.8% of residents, well above national norms, a hallmark of tight-knit rural communities where formal services are stretched. Rent and mortgage stress are both absent: rent-to-income sits at 13.4% and mortgage-to-income at 18.8%, both comfortably below stress thresholds. No schools are recorded in the dataset, so families rely on nearby educational facilities.
Drive
75.1%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
16.2%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.71%/yr
(-35 people/yr)
EstablishedBarcaldine is in a steady long-term decline. Annual population change runs at minus 0.71%, equivalent to approximately 35 fewer residents per year, and the 10-year population loss reaches 12.3%. Medium-scenario forecasts project population falling from around 4,700 in 2026 to roughly 4,537 by 2031. Net overseas migration of 12 per year and balanced internal migration of 4 net arrivals are insufficient to offset natural decline from the aging population. The gentrification score of zero confirms no price-growth catalyst is forming. Affordability has gradually improved, with the rent-to-income ratio falling from 22.2% in 2011 to 19.4% in 2021, but this reflects stagnant rents rather than income growth. Rent overall grew 30.8% over the period, suggesting the rental market has tightened despite the high vacancy rate.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+12
Net Internal / yr
+4
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Barcaldine compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Barcaldine a good suburb to live in?
Barcaldine suits residents who value affordability and low financial stress. Mortgage-to-income sits at 18.8% and rent-to-income at 13.4%, both well below national stress thresholds. The IRSAD decile of 4 places it below average nationally for overall advantage, and the declining population of 1,540 means fewer local services than larger centres.
What is the median house price in Barcaldine?
The median house price is approximately $288,000, estimated from 2025 rental data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,213, giving a mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.8%. Weekly rent averages $200. These figures sit well below Queensland and national medians, making Barcaldine one of the more affordable rural markets in the state.
What schools are in Barcaldine?
No schools are recorded within the Barcaldine suburb boundary in the current dataset. The local university qualification rate is 21.0%, which is 9.1 percentage points below the national average, consistent with a workforce oriented toward trades, agriculture, and public services rather than professional degrees.
Is Barcaldine safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Barcaldine in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 4 on IRSD, below the national median for relative disadvantage, suggesting moderate disadvantage levels. The volunteering rate of 33.8% is well above average, reflecting strong community engagement for a remote town of 1,540 people.
Is Barcaldine good for property investment?
The investment outlook is challenging. Weekly rent of $200 against a $288,000 median implies a gross yield near 3.6%, but a vacancy rate of 20.1% well above national norms reduces effective returns. Population is falling at 0.71% per year with a 12.3% decline over the decade, shrinking the tenant pool. No gentrification signals are present to support capital growth.
How is Barcaldine's population changing?
Population is declining at 0.71% annually, losing roughly 35 residents per year. The 10-year population fall is 12.3%. Medium forecasts project further decline from around 4,700 in 2026 to about 4,537 by 2031. Net overseas migration of 12 per year and balanced internal migration of 4 net arrivals are too small to reverse this aging-driven trend.
What industries employ residents in Barcaldine?
Healthcare is the largest employer at 17.7% of workers, followed by public administration at 12.6% and agriculture at 11.9%. Construction accounts for 10.8% and education 9.7%. This public-sector and primary-industry mix is typical of remote Queensland service towns. Full-time employment reaches 70.4% of employed people, with an unemployment rate of just 2.2%.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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