State Electorate · Area profile
Barkly
455,627 km²
A steady population of about 8,400 people defines Barkly, which has seen a rise in the typical age and a shift toward more diverse home languages since 2011. This is a young community where the typical resident is only 30, and about 65% of people are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Large families are common, which is reflected in high numbers of children and crowded households. The area is mostly car-dependent and faces significant economic challenges compared to the rest of the country.
Families are well catered for: 18 schools serve Barkly.
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Barkly has a very young population, with the typical resident aged 30 and 23.5% of people under 15, which is well above the national figure. About 64.5% of residents are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, a much higher proportion than in the Northern Territory or Australia.
Most residents were born in Australia (82.0%), and the area has one of the lowest proportions of overseas-born people at 8.2%, though this has risen slightly since 2011.
Language diversity is high, with 45.0% of people using another language at home, a figure that rose nearly 10 points since 2011 and is far above the national average.
About half of the community identifies as Christian, while 31.8% have no religion, which is well below the national and territory figures.
Educational attainment is low, with only 26.9% of residents completing Year 12 and 9.1% holding a bachelor degree or higher, both far below the national average.
The area is economically disadvantaged; typical weekly family income is just $993, and only 12.0% of households earn $3,000 or more per week, far below the national figure.
Long-term health conditions are less common here than elsewhere, with only 17.7% of people reporting one, compared to 27.7% nationally.
Caregiving is a significant part of local life, as 35.5% of people provide unpaid childcare, which is well above the national average.
Homes are typically large, averaging 3.2 people, and there is a high rate of one-parent families at 27.0%, well above the territory and national figures.
Renters make up 57.2% of households, far above the national average, while typical weekly rents are very low at $99.
The community is heavily reliant on cars, as 33.4% of homes have no motor vehicle, one of the highest rates for its level.
Local residents are less likely to have moved in the last five years than most Australians, although 25.7% of the population are recent arrivals from overseas.
While 71.7% of workers are employed full-time, only 43.3% of adults are working or looking for work, and the unemployment rate is high at 11.7%.
The area is mostly car-dependent with a walkability score of 3.5, though many homes are within a 15-minute walk of schools and health services.