Barmera, SA: suburb profile

The population of Barmera SA is 2,884 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Barmera is $578 per week ($30,056 per year). Median rent in Barmera is $200 per week ($867 per month). Barmera has a median age of 49 years, older than the national median of 38. Barmera has a population density of 37 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Barmera is England. The most common religion is No religion (48.6% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Greek. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Barmera is $1,028.

There were 66 recorded offences in Barmera in 2025-26, a rate of 23 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (20 offences).

Population
2,884
Census 2021
Median income
$578/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$200/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
49years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from SA Government Open Data (data.sa.gov.au), 2025-26.

Barmera vs the typical SA suburb

The median personal income in Barmera is $578 a week, 24% below the typical SA suburb ($759). That ranks 587th of 710 SA suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $200 a week, $100 less than the typical SA suburb. Rent takes 19.3% of the median household income here, against 19.5% in the typical SA suburb. The median resident is 49, 6 years older than in the typical SA suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureBarmeraTypical SADifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$578/wk$759/wk −24%$766/wk
Household income$1,037/wk$1,494/wk −31%$1,637/wk
Rent$200/wk$300/wk −33%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,028/mo$1,534/mo −33%$1,733/mo
Median age4943 +6 yrs42
Rent share of household income19.3%19.5% −0.2 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 Barmera, the typical SA suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Barmera Population

2,884 residents at the 2021 Census.

Barmera Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$578/wk
$30,056 per year
Ranked 7,404 of 14,663
Median Rent
$200/wk
$867 per month
Ranked 7,374 of 14,663
Median Age
49years
11 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,028/mo
Avg household size: 2.1 · 0.7 per bedroom

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

Barmera Rent Prices & Affordability

19% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,037/wk
Median rent $200/wk
Rent to income 19.3%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Barmera against your income

About $4,494 a month
Median rent $200/wk
Left after rent $837/wk
Rent share 19.3%

Barmera Schools

2
schools nearby
1
government
941
avg ICSEA score
199
total students
St Joseph's School Catholic
Primary · R-6 · 67 students
957
ICSEA
Barmera Primary School Government
Primary · R-6 · 132 students
925
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 Barmera, with a map

Barmera Map

Barmera, South Australia Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

People in Barmera

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 49.2% (1,419) Female 50.8% (1,463)

Population Density

37
people per km²
2,884 people · 77.5 km²

Households

2.1
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$1,388
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
3.1%
Greece
2.2%
India
1.7%
Philippines
1.4%
Italy
0.7%
New Zealand
0.7%
Scotland
0.6%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Greek
4.4%
Punjabi
1.1%
Filipino
1.0%
Italian
0.6%
Tagalog
0.5%
French
0.2%
Australian Indigenous Languages
0.1%

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

Ancestry

English
41.2%
Australian
38.5%
German
10.7%
Scottish
6.7%
Greek
6.2%
Irish
5.6%
Australian Aboriginal
5.5%
Italian
3.0%
Filipino
1.8%
Dutch
1.6%
Indian
1.1%

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

No religion
48.6%
Catholic
9.7%
Anglican
8.3%
Uniting Church
7.7%
Eastern Orthodox
7.0%
Not stated
6.6%
Lutheran
3.7%
Christian (other)
2.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

5.5%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
42.3% 1,033
Separated
4.7% 115
Divorced
10.1% 246
Widowed
10.2% 250
Never married
32.6% 796

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
36.2%
Couple: children under 15
32.4%
Couple: no children under 15
10.9%
One parent: children under 15
10.8%
One parent: no children under 15
9.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
36.3%
2 persons
37.3%
3 persons
11.5%
4 persons
8.7%
5 persons
3.5%
6+ persons
2.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Barmera

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,241 occupied private dwellings in Barmera at the 2021 Census, 28.4% were rented, 36.9% owned outright and 28.1% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
4.0% 50 dwellings
Owned outright
36.9% 458 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
28.1% 349 dwellings
Rented
28.4% 352 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
2.9% 36 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
86.3%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
13.0%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
0.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
3.0%
2 bedrooms
24.4%
3 bedrooms
51.7%
4 bedrooms
18.6%
5 bedrooms
1.9%
6+ bedrooms
0.4%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
4.7%
$300-$449/mo
4.7%
$450-$599/mo
6.2%
$600-$799/mo
13.1%
$800-$999/mo
17.5%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
26.4%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
13.6%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
8.0%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
2.7%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
3.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
7.1%
1 vehicle
39.0%
2 vehicles
32.9%
3 vehicles
13.3%
4+ vehicles
7.7%

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

Work, income and education in Barmera

Employment

Employed full-time
28.2% 625 people
Employed part-time
18.3% 406 people
Unemployed
3.0% 66 people
Not in labour force
50.6% 1,123 people

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

Occupation

Professionals
19.1%
Community & Personal Service
17.4%
Technicians & Trade Workers
16.0%
Managers
14.5%
Labourers
12.6%
Clerical & Administrative
10.0%
Sales Workers
5.9%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
4.5%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.8%
$1-$149/wk
0.7%
$150-$299/wk
1.6%
$300-$399/wk
3.8%
$400-$499/wk
12.7%
$500-$649/wk
7.8%
$650-$799/wk
9.8%
$800-$999/wk
9.5%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.1%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.8%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.7%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.1%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
8.6%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
5.5%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.6%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
1.7%
$4,000+/wk
3.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
9.0%
$1-$149/wk
3.5%
$150-$299/wk
7.9%
$300-$399/wk
7.1%
$400-$499/wk
9.5%
$500-$649/wk
5.4%
$650-$799/wk
11.8%
$800-$999/wk
12.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
12.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.0%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.8%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
2.9%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.7%
$3,500+/wk
1.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
80.4%
Did not go to work
9.0%
Car (passenger)
4.8%
Walked only
4.7%
Other
0.7%
Truck
0.5%

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

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
43.7%
Year 10 or equivalent
25.1%
Year 11 or equivalent
22.0%
Year 9 or equivalent
9.1%

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
52.2%
Bachelor Degree
20.5%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
16.9%
Certificate I/II
4.6%
Postgraduate Degree
3.9%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
1.9%

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

Field of Study

Engineering
18.1%
Management & Commerce
16.3%
Health
14.9%
Society & Culture
14.2%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
11.2%
Education
8.1%
Agriculture & Environment
5.8%
Natural & Physical Sciences
4.3%
Architecture & Building
3.8%
Information Technology
2.2%
Creative Arts
1.1%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
34.4%
Secondary: Government
26.5%
Primary: Catholic
16.7%
Vocational Education
9.4%
Pre-school
7.5%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
2.4%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
2.2%
Secondary: Catholic
0.9%

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
83.8%
Has need for assistance
10.9%
Need for assistance not stated
5.4%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
368
Arthritis
190
Asthma
151
Diabetes
133
Lung condition
125
Heart disease
120
Cancer
62
Kidney disease
40
Stroke
36
Dementia
24

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
14.7% 332
Did not provide
85.3% 1,929

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
18.7% 426
Not a volunteer
81.3% 1,855

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
3.8% 88
Never served
96.2% 2,206

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
24.3%
1 child
12.5%
2 children
30.3%
3 children
19.8%
4 children
9.9%
5+ children
3.2%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
11
1951: 1960
68
1961: 1970
87
1971: 1980
18
1981: 1990
35
1991: 2000
14
2001: 2010
47
2011: 2015
33
2016
8
2017
4
2018
9
2019
10
2020
8
2021
3

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

Population Mobility

12.4%
moved in the last year
35.4%
moved in the last 5 years
5.6%
unemployment rate (Census)
47.9%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
2,350
Moved from SA
172
Moved: same area (SA2)
110
Moved from QLD
16
Moved from VIC
11
Moved from NSW
10
Moved from overseas
7
Moved from TAS
3

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
17.4%
5: 14 hours
27.8%
15: 29 hours
14.0%
30+ hours
10.4%
Did not do domestic work
30.4%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
81.5%
Step family: no other children
10.1%
Blended family: no other children
7.1%
Other couple: children only
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Barmera Crime Statistics

66 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
20
Assault
19
Property Damage
16
Break & Enter
7
Fraud
2
Other Against Person
2

Total offences by year

2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: SA Government Open Data (data.sa.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Suburbs near Barmera

The closest suburb to Barmera is Monash (SA), 9.5 km away.

Monash (SA)
9.5 km away · income $755/wk · rent $230/wk
Berri
12.9 km away · income $610/wk · rent $215/wk

Frequently Asked Questions About Barmera

What is the population of Barmera SA?

The population of Barmera SA is 2,884 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 37 people per km². Barmera is ranked #2,476 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Barmera?

The median personal income in Barmera SA is $578 per week, or $30,056 per year. The median household income is $1,037 per week. Family income is $1,388 per week. Barmera is ranked #7,404 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Barmera?

Median rent in Barmera SA is $200 per week ($867 per month). Rent represents 19.3% of household income, which is considered affordable. Barmera ranks #7,374 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Barmera?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Barmera SA is $1,028. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Barmera?

The median age in Barmera SA is 49 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Barmera a good suburb to live in?

Barmera is a suburb in South Australia with a population of 2,884. The median income is $578/wk, which is below the typical SA suburb ($759/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (19.3% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 40073. All dollar figures in AUD.