Barooga
The striking feature of Barooga is its settled, low-density profile: 1,888 residents spread across 98.12 sq km, with a median age of 46, or 6.0 years above the national benchmark. Housing is strongly detached, with 88.7% separate houses, while a 12.7% vacancy rate creates a different risk profile from a tightly supplied market. For buyers comparing Barooga with nearby Tocumwal, the draw is space and ownership: 42.0% own outright and only 21.6% rent. The trade-off is an older population and household income at the 36.3rd percentile, so demand is likely to be more local and should be assessed carefully.
Local council: Berrigan
Population
1,888
Median Age
46.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,375/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
30
Barooga suits buyers prioritising detached space over apartment living. Separate houses account for 88.7% of dwellings, with 50.4% containing 3 bedrooms and 32.6% containing 4 or more, so the stock leans toward family homes and larger blocks. The main housing cost references are $1,387 per month for a mortgage and $260 per week for rent. Ownership is relatively established, with 42.0% owned outright versus 34.6% mortgaged. Compared with the national household-size average, Barooga is 0.2 people lower at 2.3, which can mean less consistent demand for very large homes. Buyers should also allow for car dependence and inspect property condition carefully.
For Buyers
Barooga suits buyers prioritising detached space over apartment living. Separate houses account for 88.7% of dwellings, with 50.4% containing 3 bedrooms and 32.6% containing 4 or more, so the stock leans toward family homes and larger blocks. The main housing cost references are $1,387 per month for a mortgage and $260 per week for rent. Ownership is relatively established, with 42.0% owned outright versus 34.6% mortgaged. Compared with the national household-size average, Barooga is 0.2 people lower at 2.3, which can mean less consistent demand for very large homes. Buyers should also allow for car dependence and inspect property condition carefully.
For Investors
Rental investors need to treat Barooga's 12.7% vacancy rate as the central risk, because available stock can weaken leasing speed even when the reference rent is $260 per week. Renting accounts for 21.6% of occupied dwellings, below the 42.0% owned outright share, pointing to a market with a substantial resident-owner base rather than deep tenant dependence. Development activity reached 30 applications in 12 months, although the examples include sheds and only 1 dwelling, so activity should not be read as 30 new homes. Compared with a tightly supplied market, vacancy is higher and income resilience matters; household income sits at the 36.3rd percentile.
Development Activity
Total DAs
223
Last 12 Months
30
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-14.3%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Barooga
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Demographics
Barooga has an older age profile, with a median age of 46, 6.0 years above the national benchmark. University attainment is 17.6%, 12.5 percentage points below national, while the overseas-born share is 8.8%, 12.8 points below national. English ancestry is the largest recorded group at 849 people, followed by Irish at 264 and Scottish at 209; Christianity counts 970 people and no religion 743. This established cultural pattern, combined with 78.3% of residents staying at the same address and 21.7% turnover, points to limited residential churn. When comparing Barooga with nearby Tocumwal, buyers should focus on Barooga's age, mobility and tenure mix when assessing services and resale demand.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
88.7%
Houses
8.3%
Townhouse
2.4%
Apartment
Tenure
Barooga's housing stock is overwhelmingly detached: 88.7% separate houses, compared with 2.4% apartments and 8.3% semi-detached homes. Three-bedroom dwellings make up 50.4% and 4-plus-bedroom homes 32.6%, so family-scale stock is far more common than compact formats. Tenure is split between 42.0% outright owners, 34.6% mortgage holders and 21.6% renters, while the average household has 2.3 people, 0.2 below the national comparison point. Housing costs appear manageable for current households, with mortgage payments at 23.3% of income and rent at 18.9%, but the 12.7% vacancy rate can make resale and leasing conditions more uneven than in a tighter market. Buyers comparing Barooga with Tocumwal should inspect dwelling condition and block size, not just tenure percentages.
Mortgage / mo
$1,387
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$260
Census 2021
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$719
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
12.7%
Unoccupied
109
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.9%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
23.3%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.5%
Couples with children
51.7%
Couples, no children
11.6%
Single parent
543
Total families
Economy & Employment
Barooga's jobs base is anchored by healthcare, which accounts for 16.3% of industry employment and 83 workers, followed by manufacturing at 13.0% and 66, construction at 12.6% and 64, education at 11.4% and 58, and hospitality at 7.5% and 38. The occupation mix is similarly practical, led by 147 labourers, 135 managers and 121 trade workers, with 115 professionals and 107 clerical or administrative workers. Unemployment is 2.4% across a labour force of 903, while participation is 56.9%, so the low jobless rate sits alongside a sizeable group outside the labour force. Household income at the 36.3rd percentile is below a national middle-income benchmark, making local service access and cost sensitivity important.
Unemployment
2.4%
Labour Force
903
Unemployed
22
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
56.4%
Part-time
36.2%
Participation
56.9%
Employed
881
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
17.6%
Postgraduate
1.3%
Born Overseas
8.8%
Dwellings
749
Transport to Work
Daily life in Barooga is car-oriented: 80.7% of workers drove, compared with 2.0% who walked or cycled, while 9.5% worked from home. Barooga has 1 local school, Barooga Public School, a government primary school; families should check enrolment zones and secondary-school access against the exact address. The low density of 19.2 people per sq km supports space but means services are less concentrated than in a larger regional centre. Community participation is a practical positive, with 19.0% volunteering, while 5.3% of residents, or 95 people, need assistance. With a median age of 46, 6.0 years above national, accessibility and health-service proximity matter more than a walkable urban format. Current safety decisions should rely on recent local police information.
Drive
80.7%
Public Transport
N/A
Walk / Cycle
2.0%
Work from Home
9.5%
Growth Outlook
Barooga's growth story is incremental rather than high-density. The settlement covers 98.12 sq km at 19.2 people per sq km, and 78.3% of residents stayed at the same address while 21.7% changed address. That stability can support local services, but it also limits the speed at which new demand appears. Development activity reached 30 applications over 12 months, with examples including sheds and 1 dwelling, so the current pipeline points more to ongoing property investment and maintenance than a confirmed wave of new housing. Compared with a higher-turnover regional market, Barooga's 21.7% mobility rate suggests slower population churn. Buyers should watch whether applications shift from ancillary structures toward multiple dwellings.
Population trend: Berrigan council area
Barooga sits in the Berrigan council area. These are the council area's residents, not Barooga's.
Residents 2025
8,773
Growth, 5 yr average
+0.3%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+0.7%
2024 to 2025
ABS Estimated Resident Population by LGA, 30 June each year; council area, not this suburb
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Barooga compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Barooga a good suburb to live in?
Barooga can suit residents who value detached housing and a settled pace. It has 1,888 residents, 88.7% separate houses and 80.7% car-driver travel, while its median age of 46 is 6.0 years above national. The trade-off is reliance on cars and a smaller local service base.
What is the median house price in Barooga?
For a current median house price, compare recent settled sales with the exact dwelling type, because 88.7% of Barooga homes are separate houses and 50.4% have 3 bedrooms. Rent is $260 per week, but that figure is not a substitute for a sale-price benchmark.
What schools are in Barooga?
Barooga has 1 local school, Barooga Public School, which is a government primary school. Confirm the catchment, transport arrangements and secondary options for the exact address before committing, because school access can vary across the wider district.
Is Barooga safe?
Barooga's current safety position should be checked through NSW Police incident information for the 1,888-person suburb and its surrounding area. Review recent trends, offence locations and lighting around the exact street rather than treating a small-town setting as a guarantee of lower risk.
Is Barooga good for property investment?
Barooga may suit a cautious investor who can tolerate vacancy risk. Rent is $260 per week, vacancy is 12.7%, renting is 21.6%, and development activity reached 30 applications in 12 months. Screen tenant depth, property condition and local demand carefully, because vacancy is higher than in a tightly supplied market.
How is Barooga's population changing?
Barooga's population appears relatively settled rather than fast-turnover: 78.3% stayed at the same address and 21.7% moved. Development activity reached 30 applications in 12 months, but examples include sheds and 1 dwelling, so this points to ongoing property activity rather than a confirmed population surge. The current population is 1,888.
What development is happening in Barooga?
There were 30 development applications in 12 months, including new sheds and 1 dwelling house. That mix indicates ongoing property works and some residential activity, but it does not yet demonstrate a large housing pipeline. Buyers should check the latest approvals and construction status before relying on future supply.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications).
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