Barham
With a median age of 58, Barham sits 18 years above the national figure, making it one of the oldest demographic profiles in regional NSW. Despite that, the $400,000 median house price remains deeply affordable compared to state and national medians, which is partly why 56% of residents own their homes outright, far above average. The vacancy rate of 20.9% is unusually high, signalling soft underlying demand. Household income sits in just the 12.8th percentile nationally, reflecting a low-income, retired-leaning population in a rural Murray River town where Agriculture and Healthcare together employ nearly a third of the workforce.
Population
1,569
Median Age
58.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$995/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
56
Median House
$400K
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
The $400,000 median house price is the defining entry point for buyers, with prices rising modestly from $389,500 in 2024, a 2.7% annual gain that signals stability rather than speculation. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,148, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.6% sits below the 30% stress threshold, making Barham one of the more financially accessible towns in the Murray region. Separate houses dominate at 85% of the stock, with 3-bedroom homes making up 54.3% and 4-plus bedroom at 26.7%. Semi-detached dwellings account for 10.6% and apartments just 2.4%, so buyers seeking low-density living will find the stock profile well matched. The outright ownership rate of 56% suggests the existing base is debt-free and long-term, meaning turnover is driven more by estates and retirement relocations than speculation.
For Buyers
The $400,000 median house price is the defining entry point for buyers, with prices rising modestly from $389,500 in 2024, a 2.7% annual gain that signals stability rather than speculation. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,148, and the mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.6% sits below the 30% stress threshold, making Barham one of the more financially accessible towns in the Murray region. Separate houses dominate at 85% of the stock, with 3-bedroom homes making up 54.3% and 4-plus bedroom at 26.7%. Semi-detached dwellings account for 10.6% and apartments just 2.4%, so buyers seeking low-density living will find the stock profile well matched. The outright ownership rate of 56% suggests the existing base is debt-free and long-term, meaning turnover is driven more by estates and retirement relocations than speculation.
For Investors
The rental market in Barham shows tension between demand and oversupply. Weekly rent is $185, which against the $400,000 median implies a gross yield near 2.4%, below typical regional benchmarks. More pressing is the 20.9% vacancy rate, well above the 3% threshold considered a balanced rental market, suggesting more rental stock than active tenants can absorb. The suburb recorded 48 development applications in the past 12 months, indicating ongoing activity despite those headwinds. The renter share sits at 23.4%, a relatively thin pool in a town where most residents prefer to own. Investors considering Barham should weigh affordable entry prices against low rent, high vacancy, and a local economy dependent on Agriculture and Healthcare rather than employment growth sectors.
Development Activity
Total DAs
274
Last 12 Months
56
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+33.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Barham iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Barham Public School
K-6 · 162 students
Barham High School
7-12 · 184 students
Demographics
The median age of 58 is 18 years above the national average, one of the starkest age gaps recorded in NSW regional towns, and reflects decades of youth outmigration from the Murray-Darling basin. Overseas-born residents make up just 8.1%, which is 13.5 percentage points below the national figure, giving the community a strongly Anglo-Celtic character: English (675), Irish (199) and Scottish (178) are the top three ancestries. University qualifications reach 17.5%, some 12.6 points below the national rate, consistent with an agricultural and trades-oriented economy. The average household size of 2.1 is slightly below the national figure, and couples without children represent 47.9% of all families, a high share that aligns with the older age profile. Volunteering stands at 23.2%, above average nationally, suggesting strong community engagement among retirees.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
85.0%
Houses
10.6%
Townhouse
2.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure in Barham is overwhelmingly owner-occupied: 56% own outright, 20.6% carry a mortgage, and 23.4% rent. The outright ownership rate is well above national averages and reflects a settled, older population rather than active buyers. Separate houses account for 85% of all dwellings, with 3-bedroom homes at 54.3% and 4-plus bedrooms at 26.7%, providing generous stock for family-sized buyers. The price moved from $389,500 in 2024 to $400,000 in 2025, a 2.7% annual gain, which is the full extent of the available history. Rent-to-income at 18.6% and mortgage-to-income at 26.6% both sit below stress thresholds, making housing costs manageable relative to local incomes even though those incomes are in just the 12.8th percentile nationally. The high 20.9% vacancy rate points to supply exceeding demand in the rental segment.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$1,148
Rent / wk
$185
HH Size
2.1
Personal Income / wk
$571
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
20.9%
Unoccupied
178
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.6%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
47.9%
Couples, no children
1,066
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare leads the Barham industry mix at 16.5% of employed residents (59 workers), followed by Agriculture at 14.8% (53), Education at 12% (43), Hospitality at 9.5% (34) and Construction at 7%. The occupation breakdown shows Managers (113) and Labourers (108) as the top two groups, an unusual pairing that reflects the dual pull of farm management and manual agricultural labour. The unemployment rate is 4.2% and the full-time employment rate reaches 60.9%, broadly in line with regional towns. Participation is low at 45%, because 606 residents are not in the labour force, consistent with the high median age of 58. Household income sits in the 12.8th percentile nationally, driven down by the combination of part-time rural work, retirees on fixed incomes, and limited professional employment relative to urban centres.
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
60.9%
Part-time
34.9%
Participation
45.0%
Employed
588
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.5%
Postgraduate
1.9%
Born Overseas
8.1%
Dwellings
678
Transport to Work
Car dependency is high, with 82% of residents driving to work, higher than most regional NSW benchmarks, and public transport data is not recorded for Barham, reflecting its rural Murray River setting. Conversely, 12.1% walk or cycle, a solid active-transport share for a small inland town, likely linked to a flat terrain and compact centre. No schools are recorded in this dataset for Barham, so families rely on nearby facilities. Crime data is not available in this brief. As an indirect livability measure, rent-to-income sits at 18.6%, below the 30% stress marker nationally, and 23.2% of residents volunteer, well above average, suggesting a stable, mutually supportive community. About 8% of residents (119 people) need daily assistance, which is notable in a town where the median age of 58 is among the highest in regional NSW.
Drive
82.0%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
12.1%
Work from Home
N/A
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Barham compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Barham a good suburb to live in?
Barham suits buyers seeking affordability and quiet rural life. The $400,000 median house price is well below state medians, mortgage costs represent 26.6% of income, which is below the 30% stress threshold, and 56% of residents own their homes outright. The trade-offs are limited employment diversity, a median age of 58 well above the national figure, and minimal public transport.
What is the median house price in Barham?
The median house price in Barham is $400,000, up from $389,500 in 2024, a gain of 2.7%. Monthly mortgage repayments average $1,148 and weekly rent is $185. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 26.6% is below the standard 30% stress threshold, making Barham one of the more affordable entry points in regional NSW.
What schools are in Barham?
No schools are recorded inside the Barham boundary in this dataset. Families in this Murray River town rely on facilities in nearby centres. The local university qualification rate of 17.5% is 12.6 points below the national figure, consistent with an economy oriented toward agriculture, trades and healthcare rather than professional employment.
Is Barham safe?
Detailed crime statistics are not available for Barham in this dataset. As a contextual indicator, rent-to-income sits at 18.6% and mortgage-to-income at 26.6%, both below financial stress thresholds, and the volunteering rate of 23.2% is above national norms, suggesting a stable, low-stress community environment for a town of 1,569 residents.
Is Barham good for property investment?
Barham offers a low entry price of $400,000 but carries a 20.9% vacancy rate, well above the 3% balance point, meaning rental demand is weak relative to supply. Weekly rent of $185 implies a gross yield near 2.4%, below typical regional benchmarks. The 2.7% price gain from 2024 to 2025 is modest. Investors should weigh affordable purchase costs against thin rental demand and an aging, low-growth population base.
How is Barham's population changing?
Barham has 1,569 residents with a median age of 58, which is 18 years above the national average. The annual mobility rate is low, with 81% of residents staying at the same address, indicating a stable but aging and slowly declining base. No medium-term population forecast data is available, but inland NSW river towns have historically shown flat to negative natural growth due to youth outmigration.
How much development is happening in Barham?
Barham recorded 48 development applications in the past 12 months, a moderate level for a town of 1,569 people. Recent applications include sheds, decks, garages and water recreation structures rather than new dwellings, consistent with an owner-occupier base upgrading existing properties. The 56% outright ownership rate and 20.9% rental vacancy suggest little pressure to add new rental stock.
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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