Barton
A compact inner-south profile defines Barton: 1,946 residents live across 2.15 sq km, producing a density of 904.9 people per sq km. Apartments account for 90.8% of dwellings, while personal income reaches $1,775 a week and household income ranks at the 91.8th percentile. Compared with nearby Kingston and Griffith, Barton is more strongly shaped by small apartment households and public-sector employment. Its overseas-born share is 29.2%, 7.6 percentage points above the national figure, helping explain a professional, mobile population rather than a family-heavy one. The profile is compact and affluent, but renting at 47.3% makes tenure experience more varied than the income figures alone suggest.
Local council: Unincorporated ACT
Population
1,946
Median Age
39.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$2,462/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
2
Barton suits buyers who prioritise apartment access, centrality and lower-maintenance living over a detached block. A suburb-wide median house price is not available, so the 90.8% apartment share matters more than a house headline; only 6.2% of dwellings are separate houses. Stock is concentrated in 2-bedroom homes at 41.3% and studios or 1-bedroom homes at 37.7%, compared with just 17.4% for 3-bedroom and 3.6% for 4-bedroom-plus dwellings. Weekly rent is $525 and the monthly mortgage figure is $2,015, while mortgage costs equal 18.9% of income, below rent at 21.3%. That structure favours singles and couples, but families should compare storage, parking and outdoor space carefully.
For Buyers
Barton suits buyers who prioritise apartment access, centrality and lower-maintenance living over a detached block. A suburb-wide median house price is not available, so the 90.8% apartment share matters more than a house headline; only 6.2% of dwellings are separate houses. Stock is concentrated in 2-bedroom homes at 41.3% and studios or 1-bedroom homes at 37.7%, compared with just 17.4% for 3-bedroom and 3.6% for 4-bedroom-plus dwellings. Weekly rent is $525 and the monthly mortgage figure is $2,015, while mortgage costs equal 18.9% of income, below rent at 21.3%. That structure favours singles and couples, but families should compare storage, parking and outdoor space carefully.
For Investors
Investment demand is anchored by renters: 47.3% of Barton households rent, more than the 22.9% who own outright, and weekly rent is $525. The 7.5% vacancy rate gives tenants more choice than a tightly constrained market, so investors should underwrite incentives, turnover and building quality rather than rely on gross rent alone. Apartments make up 90.8% of dwellings, concentrating both demand and supply in the same product type. Only 2 development matters were recorded in 12 months, limiting the immediate local pipeline, while the wider growth trend is 3.12% annually and migration is Balanced. Compared with detached markets, Barton is a yield-and-liquidity apartment proposition, with body corporate costs and resale depth especially important.
Development Activity
Total DAs
14
Last 12 Months
2
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 Barton
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
Telopea Park School
Telopea Park School
Demographics
Barton’s median age is 39, just 1.0 year below the national figure, but its education profile is far more elevated: 65.1% have university qualifications, 35.0 percentage points above national. The overseas-born share is 29.2%, 7.6 points higher than national, with English, Irish and Scottish among the leading recorded ancestries at 679, 304 and 240 people. Average household size is 1.7, or 0.8 below national, and couples without children represent 70.4% of families. Turnover is high at 43.4%, leaving 56.6% who stayed, which helps explain a mobile inner-suburb population compared with more settled family areas such as Kingston or Griffith. No religion is the largest religious response at 918 people, ahead of Christianity at 624.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
6.2%
Houses
3.0%
Townhouse
90.8%
Apartment
Tenure
Barton’s housing is defined by apartments rather than detached homes: 90.8% of dwellings are apartments, 6.2% separate houses and 3.0% semi-detached. Bedroom supply is correspondingly compact, led by 2-bedroom dwellings at 41.3% and 0-to-1-bedroom homes at 37.7%; 3-bedroom stock is 17.4% and 4-bedroom-plus only 3.6%. Tenure is split between renting at 47.3%, mortgages at 28.5% and outright ownership at 22.9%, a more renter-heavy pattern than owner-occupier suburbs. Weekly rent is $525, equal to 21.3% of income, while mortgage costs are 18.9%, with both stress flags false. Affordability improved from 35.2% in 2011 to 29.6% in 2021, so the affordability trend is labelled Improving, although apartment-level comparisons are more useful than detached-house benchmarks.
Mortgage / mo
$2,015
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$525
Census 2021
HH Size
1.7
Personal Income / wk
$1,775
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
7.5%
Unoccupied
77
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
18.9%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
22.4%
Couples with children
70.4%
Couples, no children
6.3%
Single parent
459
Total families
Economy & Employment
Barton’s economy is unusually concentrated in public administration, which employs 55.8% of workers, or 617 people. Professional and technical services add 14.6% and 161 workers, followed by education at 8.2% and 91, healthcare at 6.3% and 70, and real estate at 2.2% and 24. That mix aligns with 576 professionals and 306 managers, compared with 149 clerical and administrative workers. Labour conditions show unemployment at 1.7%, participation at 70.0% and full-time employment at 79.3%. Household income sits at the 91.8th percentile. SEIFA IEO, IRSD and IRSAD all reach decile 10, while IER is decile 6, an important gap because education and occupation advantage is higher than the economic-resources result. Public-sector concentration supports stability, but it also makes Barton more exposed to Canberra’s institutional employment cycle than a mixed-industry suburb.
Unemployment
1.7%
Labour Force
1,264
Unemployed
22
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
79.3%
Part-time
15.4%
Participation
70.0%
Employed
1,242
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
65.1%
Postgraduate
29.2%
Born Overseas
29.2%
Dwellings
944
Transport to Work
Daily movement is a Barton strength because 33.6% of residents walk or cycle to work, compared with 41.5% who drive and 7.0% who use public transport; 13.9% work from home. The compact 2.15 sq km footprint and 904.9 people per sq km support short inner-city trips, although apartment residents should still check parking and loading arrangements. Telopea Park School is the local government option, listed across High and Other types; families should confirm enrolment zones and year-level access against the exact address rather than infer quality from proximity. Social conditions are strong overall, with IRSAD and IRSD both at decile 10, higher than most lower-ranked areas. For safety, check recent ACT Police figures for the specific street and nearby Kingston or Griffith, since activity can vary around apartment entries, offices and major routes.
Drive
41.5%
Public Transport
7.0%
Walk / Cycle
33.6%
Work from Home
13.9%
Growth Outlook
Barton combines a high-growth forecast with an aging trajectory. Annual growth is forecast at 3.12%, and population change across the wider area is 64.8% over 10 years, with Balanced migration as the primary driver rather than a single inflow source. The shift profile records an 8.4-point rise in senior share, alongside a 5.2-point fall in working share and a 0.8-point decline in young share, so growth is likely to occur alongside a changing age mix. Affordability is labelled Improving, moving from 35.2% in 2011 to 29.6% in 2021, while rent growth is 1.0%. Gentrification remains Not gentrifying, with a score of 15, even though one signal accelerates from 18% to 44%. Compared with a youth-led redevelopment story, Barton’s outlook is growth through established demand and demographic turnover.
Population trend: Unincorporated ACT council area
Barton sits in the Unincorporated ACT council area. These are the council area's residents, not Barton's.
Residents 2025
484,630
Growth, 5 yr average
+1.7%/yr
2020 to 2025
Growth, last year
+1.3%
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 Barton compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Barton a good suburb to live in?
Barton can suit residents who value central access, apartments and walkability. The suburb has 1,946 people, a 33.6% walked or cycled commute share and 90.8% apartments. Household income sits at the 91.8th percentile, but 47.3% rent, so the experience differs between owners and tenants compared with lower-density suburbs.
What is the median house price in Barton?
A current median house price is not available because only 6.2% of dwellings are separate houses and 90.8% are apartments. For a realistic comparison, examine apartment sales by bedroom and building; Barton has 41.3% two-bedroom and 37.7% studio or one-bedroom stock, with weekly rent at $525.
What schools are in Barton?
Telopea Park School is the local government school, listed across High and Other types. Families should compare enrolment zones and year-level availability against the exact address, because school access can differ even within 2.15 sq km. Barton’s 1.7-person average household is lower than the national average, so local demand may differ from family-dominated suburbs.
Is Barton safe?
Safety should be checked at the exact address and at different times of day, particularly around apartment entries, offices and major routes. Barton has 1,946 residents, with 33.6% walking or cycling and 7.0% using public transport. Compare recent ACT Police figures for Barton with nearby Kingston and Griffith before making a decision.
Is Barton good for property investment?
Barton can suit investors targeting apartments, with 47.3% of households renting, weekly rent of $525 and 90.8% apartment supply. However, the 7.5% vacancy rate gives tenants more choice than a tight market. Only 2 development matters were recorded in 12 months, while annual growth is forecast at 3.12%, so building quality and body corporate costs remain important.
How is Barton's population changing?
Population change across the wider area is forecast at 64.8% over 10 years, while annual growth is 3.12% and migration is labelled Balanced. Barton itself has 1,946 residents today. The trajectory is Aging, with senior share up 8.4 percentage points and working share down 5.2 points, so growth is occurring alongside an older age profile rather than a youth-led shift.
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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