Barton
With 90.8% of dwellings being apartments, Barton is one of Canberra's most intensively urban precincts, sitting 2.15 km2 from Parliament House at a density of 905 people per km2. Household income ranks in the 91.8th percentile nationally, and SEIFA places the suburb at decile 10 on three of four indexes. University qualifications reach 65.1%, which is 35 points above the national average. The suburb grew 64.8% over the past decade, driven by overseas net migration of 35 residents a year, and forecasts project the population climbing from 1,946 today to around 2,578 by 2031.
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
3
Median House
$661K
Estimated from rent (2025)
The estimated median house price for Barton is $661,000, with a monthly mortgage repayment of around $2,015, placing the mortgage-to-income ratio at 18.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold and more affordable than most ACT suburbs at this income level. Stock is overwhelmingly apartments at 90.8%, with just 6.2% separate houses, so competition for detached property is intense. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 41.3% and studio or one-bedroom units at 37.7%, reflecting the compact urban profile. Outright owners account for 23.2% of households, compared to 28.8% on a mortgage and 48.0% renting, an unusually high renter share that skews supply toward the leasehold market rather than owner-occupier resale.
For Buyers
The estimated median house price for Barton is $661,000, with a monthly mortgage repayment of around $2,015, placing the mortgage-to-income ratio at 18.9%, well below the 30% stress threshold and more affordable than most ACT suburbs at this income level. Stock is overwhelmingly apartments at 90.8%, with just 6.2% separate houses, so competition for detached property is intense. Two-bedroom dwellings dominate at 41.3% and studio or one-bedroom units at 37.7%, reflecting the compact urban profile. Outright owners account for 23.2% of households, compared to 28.8% on a mortgage and 48.0% renting, an unusually high renter share that skews supply toward the leasehold market rather than owner-occupier resale.
For Investors
A 48.0% renter share and $525 weekly rent put Barton above typical Canberra averages for rental demand, with Professionals and Managers making up the bulk of the tenant base due to proximity to Commonwealth departments. The vacancy rate of 7.5% is elevated, reflecting the apartment-heavy stock, and investors should weight that against the strong income profile. Net overseas migration of 35 residents per year and a medium forecast of 2,578 residents by 2031 from 1,946 today signal structural demand growth, particularly for compact units near government employment hubs. Development activity is low at 3 applications in 12 months, all lease variations rather than new residential supply, which limits dilution risk for existing stock.
Development Activity
Total DAs
14
Last 12 Months
3
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
+50.0%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in Barton iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Telopea Park School
K-10 · 1586 students
Demographics
The median age of 39 is 1 year below the national figure, and Barton trends younger than its income profile might suggest because public servants and diplomats at career-forming stages cluster here. University qualifications at 65.1% sit 35 points above the national average, placing it among the most educated suburbs in Australia. Overseas-born residents account for 29.2%, which is 7.6 points above national. English and Irish ancestry lead, though a working overseas population brings diversity not fully captured in ancestry data. Couples without children comprise 60.0% of families, while average household size of 1.7 is 0.8 below the national figure, consistent with a suburb of apartment-dwelling professionals rather than growing families.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
6.2%
Houses
3.0%
Townhouse
90.8%
Apartment
Tenure
The tenure split reflects a renter-majority, professionally mobile suburb: 48.0% rent, 28.8% carry a mortgage, and 23.2% own outright, a lower outright-ownership share than most established ACT suburbs. Apartments account for 90.8% of all dwellings, compared to 6.2% separate houses and 3.0% semi-detached, so detached housing is scarce. Bedroom sizes skew small, with studio and one-bedroom units at 37.7% and two-bedrooms at 41.3%, leaving only 17.4% as three-bedroom and 3.6% as four-plus. Weekly rent of $525 and a rent-to-income ratio of 21.3% sit below the 30% stress threshold, meaning tenants are not stretched relative to their incomes. Housing stress flags are clear on both rent and mortgage measures.
Mortgage / mo
$2,015
Rent / wk
$525
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
60.0%
Couples, no children
1,057
Total families
Economy & Employment
Public Administration dominates at 55.8% of employed residents (617 workers), a concentration roughly 8 to 10 times the national industry share, reflecting Barton's position as an inner Commonwealth precinct. Professional and Technical Services adds another 14.6% (161 workers), Education 8.2%, and Healthcare 6.3%. By occupation, Professionals lead at 576 workers and Managers follow at 306, together accounting for the majority of the workforce. Unemployment is just 1.8%, well below the national rate, and the full-time employment rate of 83.8% is high. SEIFA places Barton at decile 10 on IRSD, IRSAD, and IEO, the top advantage tier on education and occupational status, consistent with the income ranking at the 91.8th percentile nationally.
Unemployment
0.4%
Labour Force
1,461
Unemployed
6
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
83.8%
Part-time
14.4%
Participation
66.3%
Employed
1,176
Occupations
Top Industries
University
65.1%
Postgraduate
29.2%
Born Overseas
29.2%
Dwellings
944
Transport to Work
A striking 39.0% of residents walk or cycle to work, and 8.1% use public transport, reflecting the suburb's location within walking distance of Parliament House, the National Triangle and key Commonwealth offices. Car dependency at 48.1% is well below national norms. No schools are recorded inside Barton's boundary, so families depend on nearby suburbs such as Manuka and Griffith for schooling. The suburb scores decile 10 on IRSAD nationally, the top advantage tier, and decile 10 on IRSD, meaning very low relative disadvantage. The volunteering rate of 21.7% is above average. Rent-to-income at 21.3% and mortgage-to-income at 18.9% both sit below stress levels, giving residents financial headroom compared to most capital-city inner suburbs.
Drive
48.1%
Public Transport
8.1%
Walk / Cycle
39.0%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+3.12%/yr
(+67 people/yr)
EstablishedBarton's population grew 64.8% over the past decade, from around 1,180 in 2011 to 1,946 by 2025, a rate well above the national average for established inner suburbs. The trend growth rate of 3.12% annually translates to roughly 67 additional residents per year. Overseas net migration of 35 per year is the primary driver, with internal migration balanced. Medium forecasts project 2,578 residents by 2031. The trajectory is aging, with the senior share rising 8.4 points and the working-age share falling 5.2 points over the decade, and the gentrification stage is not gentrifying because the suburb is already at peak advantage. Affordability improved from 35.2% in 2011 to 29.6% in 2021, a meaningful shift lower.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Balanced
Net Overseas / yr
+35
Net Internal / yr
+6
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Accelerating: 18% → 44%
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 scores decile 10 on IRSAD, IEO and IRSD nationally, the top advantage tier on three of four SEIFA indexes, with household income in the 91.8th percentile. University qualifications reach 65.1%, which is 35 points above the national average. The trade-off is a 7.5% vacancy rate and limited detached housing, as 90.8% of dwellings are apartments.
What is the median house price in Barton?
The estimated median house price is $661,000, based on 2025 data. Monthly mortgage repayments average $2,015 and weekly rent is $525. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 18.9% is below the 30% stress threshold, making ownership more accessible relative to incomes than many inner-city suburbs.
What schools are in Barton?
No schools are recorded inside the Barton boundary. Families rely on schools in adjacent suburbs such as Manuka and Griffith. The local population is highly educated, with 65.1% holding university qualifications, which is 35 points above the national average.
Is Barton safe?
Crime statistics at suburb level are not available for Barton in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 10 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, the highest nationally, and only 2.1% of residents (about 35 people) need daily assistance, both consistent with a very low-disadvantage area.
Is Barton good for property investment?
Barton has a 48.0% renter share, $525 weekly rent, and a net overseas migration of 35 residents per year supporting demand. Population is forecast to grow from 1,946 to 2,578 by 2031. The 7.5% vacancy rate is elevated for an ACT suburb, so investors in the apartment market should weigh yield against that risk.
How is Barton's population changing?
Barton grew 64.8% over the past decade, well above national norms for established inner suburbs. The current population of 1,946 is forecast to reach 2,578 by 2031 at a trend rate of 3.12% annually. The main growth driver is overseas net migration at 35 residents per year, while internal migration is balanced.
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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