Barraba, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Barraba NSW is 1,329 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Barraba is $470 per week ($24,440 per year). Median rent in Barraba is $195 per week ($845 per month). Barraba has a median age of 58 years, older than the national median of 38. Barraba has a population density of 2.5 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Barraba is England. The most common religion is Anglican (38.8% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Malayalam. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Barraba is $758.

There were 37 recorded offences in Barraba in 2025-26, a rate of 28 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was assault (9 offences).

Population
1,329
Census 2021
Median income
$470/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$195/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
58years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Barraba vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Barraba is $470 a week, 39% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 2,094th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $195 a week, $190 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 25.1% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 58, 15 years older than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureBarrabaTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$470/wk$765/wk −39%$766/wk
Household income$776/wk$1,704/wk −54%$1,637/wk
Rent$195/wk$385/wk −49%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$758/mo$1,965/mo −61%$1,733/mo
Median age5843 +15 yrs42
Rent share of household income25.1%22.6% +2.5 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Barraba, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Barraba Population

1,329 residents at the 2021 Census.

Barraba Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$470/wk
$24,440 per year
Ranked 8,507 of 14,663
Median Rent
$195/wk
$845 per month
Ranked 7,729 of 14,663
Median Age
58years
20 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$758/mo
Avg household size: 1.9 · 0.6 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Barraba Rent Prices & Affordability

25% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: moderate.

Household income $776/wk
Median rent $195/wk
Rent to income 25.1%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in Barraba against your income

About $3,363 a month
Median rent $195/wk
Left after rent $581/wk
Rent share 25.1%

Barraba Schools

1
schools nearby
1
government
839
avg ICSEA score
161
total students
Barraba Central School Government
Combined · K-12 · 161 students
839
ICSEA

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Barraba, with a map

Barraba Map

Barraba, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Barraba, New South Wales: 30.3863°S, 150.5729°E

Barraba Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (1)

People in Barraba

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.0% (650) Female 51.0% (677)

Population Density

2.5
people per km²
1,329 people · 523.5 km²

Households

1.9
Avg household size
0.6
Persons per bedroom
$1,137
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
2.0%
Philippines
0.8%
Germany
0.6%
New Zealand
0.6%
India
0.5%
Canada
0.4%
South Africa
0.4%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Malayalam
0.6%
Tagalog
0.5%
Filipino
0.4%
German
0.3%
Greek
0.3%
Japanese
0.3%
Afrikaans
0.0%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
45.5%
Australian
42.6%
Australian Aboriginal
11.2%
Irish
11.1%
Scottish
9.9%
German
4.7%
Filipino
1.1%
Indian
0.7%
Chinese
0.6%
Spanish
0.5%
Welsh
0.5%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

Anglican
38.8%
No religion
22.6%
Catholic
18.2%
Not stated
8.4%
Uniting Church
3.1%
Presbyterian and Reformed
2.1%
Salvation Army
1.7%
Christian (other)
1.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

12.6%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
44.1% 511
Separated
4.1% 48
Divorced
14.6% 169
Widowed
11.8% 137
Never married
25.4% 295

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
45.7%
Couple: children under 15
29.0%
One parent: children under 15
10.0%
One parent: no children under 15
7.7%
Couple: no children under 15
7.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
43.0%
2 persons
39.6%
3 persons
8.4%
4 persons
5.3%
5 persons
2.4%
6+ persons
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Barraba

Housing Tenure

Of the 621 occupied private dwellings in Barraba at the 2021 Census, 20.3% were rented, 53.5% owned outright and 19.5% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
4.8% 30 dwellings
Owned outright
53.5% 332 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
19.5% 121 dwellings
Rented
20.3% 126 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
2.6% 16 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
98.7%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
3.5%
2 bedrooms
20.5%
3 bedrooms
55.6%
4 bedrooms
16.8%
5 bedrooms
2.8%
6+ bedrooms
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
16.2%
$300-$449/mo
9.5%
$450-$599/mo
8.6%
$600-$799/mo
22.9%
$800-$999/mo
8.6%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
19.0%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
5.7%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
6.7%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
2.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
8.0%
1 vehicle
44.8%
2 vehicles
29.8%
3 vehicles
11.0%
4+ vehicles
6.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Barraba

Employment

Employed full-time
23.8% 243 people
Employed part-time
15.1% 154 people
Unemployed
3.3% 34 people
Not in labour force
57.9% 592 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Managers
21.3%
Professionals
19.3%
Community & Personal Service
15.6%
Technicians & Trade Workers
13.5%
Labourers
11.9%
Clerical & Administrative
6.6%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
6.1%
Sales Workers
5.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
3.8%
$1-$149/wk
1.6%
$150-$299/wk
1.6%
$300-$399/wk
7.3%
$400-$499/wk
17.5%
$500-$649/wk
6.3%
$650-$799/wk
14.5%
$800-$999/wk
11.2%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.0%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
3.3%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.4%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
6.5%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
3.0%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.1%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
1.0%
$4,000+/wk
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
10.5%
$1-$149/wk
4.8%
$150-$299/wk
8.2%
$300-$399/wk
13.5%
$400-$499/wk
11.4%
$500-$649/wk
5.3%
$650-$799/wk
10.3%
$800-$999/wk
11.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
7.6%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
4.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.2%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.4%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
3.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.4%
$3,500+/wk
0.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
69.0%
Walked only
11.7%
Did not go to work
10.9%
Car (passenger)
3.1%
Truck
2.2%
Motorbike/Scooter
2.0%
Other
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 10 or equivalent
38.9%
Year 12 or equivalent
36.1%
Year 9 or equivalent
16.3%
Year 11 or equivalent
8.7%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
52.1%
Bachelor Degree
19.4%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
17.6%
Certificate I/II
5.9%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.5%
Postgraduate Degree
1.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Health
18.2%
Management & Commerce
16.1%
Engineering
14.9%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
9.9%
Society & Culture
9.9%
Education
9.5%
Agriculture & Environment
8.7%
Architecture & Building
6.6%
Creative Arts
3.3%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
31.4%
Secondary: Government
25.0%
Pre-school
14.0%
Vocational Education
12.2%
Primary: Catholic
11.6%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
3.5%
Secondary: Catholic
2.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
79.9%
Has need for assistance
11.9%
Need for assistance not stated
7.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
166
Arthritis
110
Heart disease
76
Lung condition
76
Diabetes
59
Asthma
57
Kidney disease
49
Cancer
37
Stroke
33
Dementia
11

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
16.1% 169
Did not provide
83.9% 882

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
24.4% 261
Not a volunteer
75.6% 808

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
4.1% 44
Never served
95.9% 1,024

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
18.6%
1 child
15.7%
2 children
26.2%
3 children
24.1%
4 children
10.8%
5+ children
4.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

1951: 1960
12
1961: 1970
15
1971: 1980
10
1981: 1990
10
1991: 2000
8
2001: 2010
4
2011: 2015
8
2017
3
2019
3
2020
5

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

12.6%
moved in the last year
34.1%
moved in the last 5 years
8.5%
unemployment rate (Census)
40.7%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,034
Moved: same area (SA2)
69
Moved from NSW
68
Moved from QLD
11

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
14.1%
5: 14 hours
26.6%
15: 29 hours
13.0%
30+ hours
12.2%
Did not do domestic work
34.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
91.1%
Blended family: no other children
5.1%
Step family: no other children
3.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Barraba Crime Statistics

37 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Assault
9
Theft
8
Other Against Person
7
Other Against Property
6
Property Damage
4
Sexual Offences
1
Drug Offences
1
Weapons
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Grasmere
Income: $543/wk Rent: $116/wk $79/wk less rent
Daceyville
Income: $450/wk Rent: $130/wk $65/wk less rent
Mathoura
Income: $546/wk Rent: $180/wk $15/wk less rent
Peak Hill (NSW)
Income: $503/wk Rent: $185/wk $10/wk less rent
Bowenfels
Income: $497/wk Rent: $185/wk $10/wk less rent
Boggabilla
Income: $486/wk Rent: $155/wk $40/wk less rent
Windale
Income: $462/wk Rent: $186/wk $9/wk less rent

Compare Barraba

Frequently Asked Questions About Barraba

What is the population of Barraba NSW?

The population of Barraba NSW is 1,329 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 2.5 people per km². Barraba is ranked #3,563 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Barraba?

The median personal income in Barraba NSW is $470 per week, or $24,440 per year. The median household income is $776 per week. Family income is $1,137 per week. Barraba is ranked #8,507 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Barraba?

Median rent in Barraba NSW is $195 per week ($845 per month). Rent represents 25.1% of household income, which is considered moderate. Barraba ranks #7,729 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Barraba?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Barraba NSW is $758. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Barraba?

The median age in Barraba NSW is 58 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Barraba a good suburb to live in?

Barraba is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 1,329. The median income is $470/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (25.1% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 10207. All dollar figures in AUD.