Berala
Statistical Area - sa2

Berala is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Population analysis indicates Berala's population is approximately 8,888 as of Aug 2025. This reflects a rise of 278 individuals, representing a 3.2% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 8,610 people. The change is inferred using ABS estimated resident population data of 8,864 from June 2024 and an additional 11 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 4,252 persons per square kilometer, placing Berala within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch, indicating high demand for land in the area. Overseas migration primarily drove recent population growth, contributing approximately 80.2% of overall population gains.

AreaSearch employs ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections from 2022 with a base year of 2021 are used. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Population projections indicate an increase just below the median of national areas, with Berala expected to grow by 818 persons to 2041 based on latest population numbers, representing an 8.9% total increase over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Berala, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Berala has recorded approximately 28 residential properties granted approval annually. Development approval data is produced by the ABS on a financial year basis. Over the past five financial years, from FY-21 to FY-25, around 140 homes have been approved. In the current financial year, FY-26, three residential properties have received approval so far.

Despite population decline during this period, development activity has been adequate relative to population changes, which is positive for buyers. New homes are being built at an average expected construction cost of $475,000, aligning with regional patterns. This financial year has also seen $4.3 million in commercial approvals, reflecting Berala's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Berala has significantly less development activity, 66.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing dwellings.

Nationally, this is also below average, suggesting possible planning constraints due to the area's maturity. New building activity in Berala shows 82.0% detached dwellings and 18.0% attached dwellings, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. This trend favours detached housing more than current patterns suggest (61.0% at Census), indicating ongoing robust demand for family homes. The location has approximately 276 people per dwelling approval, suggesting a low density market. Population forecasts indicate Berala will gain 794 residents by 2041. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling population growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Berala has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 20% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 15 projects likely affecting this area. Notable projects include Lidcombe Public Domain Plan, Kerrs Road Upgrade, Lidcombe Infrastructure Upgrade, and Regents Park Affordable Rental Housing. Below is a list of those most relevant.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Employment drivers in Berala are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Berala has a well-educated workforce with strong professional services representation. Its unemployment rate is 7.0%, showing an estimated employment growth of 0.7% in the past year.

As of June 2025, there are 4,304 employed residents, with an unemployment rate of 2.8% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation is lower at 47.4%, compared to Greater Sydney's 60.0%. The dominant employment sectors include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing. Manufacturing has notable concentration with levels at 1.7 times the regional average.

However, professional & technical services are under-represented at 7.7% compared to Greater Sydney's 11.5%. Limited local employment opportunities are indicated by the Census working population vs resident population count. In a 12-month period ending June 2025, employment increased by 0.7%, labour force by 3.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 2.3 percentage points. Comparatively, Greater Sydney had employment growth of 2.6% and unemployment rose by 0.3%. State-level data for NSW as of Sep-25 shows employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs) with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, compared to the national rate of 4.5% and national employment growth of 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Berala's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

Berala's median taxpayer income in financial year 2022 was $42,443, with an average of $53,854 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is below Greater Sydney's median income of $56,994 and average income of $80,856 in the same year. By March 2025, estimates based on Wage Price Index growth suggest Berala's median income would be approximately $46,942 and average income around $59,563. The 2021 Census figures indicate individual incomes in Berala are at the 11th percentile ($597 weekly), while household incomes rank at the 38th percentile. The income bracket of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 32.1% of Berala's community (2,853 individuals), similar to regional levels where 30.9% fall into this category. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Berala, with only 82.3% of income remaining, ranking at the 37th percentile.

Berala displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Dwelling structure in Berala, as per the latest Census, consisted of 60.6% houses and 39.3% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Sydney metro's 33.5% houses and 66.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Berala stood at 33.6%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.6% and rented ones at 41.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,000, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,167. Median weekly rent in Berala was $380, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Berala's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Berala features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 74.5% of all households, including 37.7% couples with children, 20.7% couples without children, and 13.3% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 25.5%, with lone person households at 19.4% and group households comprising 6.1%. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.8.

Educational outcomes in Berala fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area's university qualification rate is 27.6%, significantly lower than the SA3 area average of 39.9%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 20.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (5.7%) and graduate diplomas (1.1%). Vocational pathways account for 23.1% of qualifications among those aged 15+. Advanced diplomas make up 9.8% and certificates 13.3%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 8.5% in primary, 7.3% in tertiary, and 6.9% in secondary education. Berala Public School serves the local area, enrolling 697 students as of a recent count. It offers primary education exclusively, with secondary options available nearby. The school's ICSEA score is 973, indicating typical Australian school conditions with balanced educational opportunities. School places per 100 residents stand at 7.8, below the regional average of 10.8, suggesting some students may attend schools in adjacent areas.

Transport servicing is high compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Berala has 56 active public transport stops. These stops offer a mix of train and bus services, with 20 different routes operating in total. Each week, these routes facilitate 3,482 passenger trips.

Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 113 meters to the nearest stop. Daily service frequency across all routes averages 497 trips, equating to approximately 62 weekly trips per individual stop.

Berala's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups

Health outcomes data shows excellent results across Berala, with very low prevalence of common health conditions across all age groups. The rate of private health cover is found to be very low at approximately 47% of the total population (~4,177 people), compared to the national average of 55.3%.

The most common medical conditions in the area are diabetes and arthritis, affecting 5.4 and 4.7% of residents respectively, while 80.1% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 83.5% across Greater Sydney. Berala has 15.6% of residents aged 65 and over (1,390 people), which is higher than the 11.1% in Greater Sydney. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line with the general population's health profile.

Berala is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Berala has one of the highest levels of cultural diversity in Australia, with 62.2% of its population born overseas and 77.4% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Berala, representing 36.0% of the population. However, Buddhism is significantly overrepresented, making up 13.3%, compared to the Greater Sydney average of 7.5%.

The top three ancestral groups are Chinese (34.6%), Other (20.7%), and English (7.5%). Notably, Croatian (2.8%) and Korean (2.9%) are overrepresented compared to regional averages of 0.7% and 7.7%, respectively, while Vietnamese (5.0%) is also higher than the regional average of 2.6%.

Berala's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Berala's median age is 37, matching Greater Sydney's figure and closely comparable to Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group constitutes 18.5% of Berala's population, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort makes up only 9.5%. From 2021 to present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 4.0% to 4.8% of the population, while the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 10.4% to 9.5%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Berala's age structure. Notably, the 45-54 group is projected to grow by 24%, adding 255 people to reach a total of 1,328 from 1,072. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 51% of the projected growth. Conversely, the 0-4 and 5-14 age groups are expected to experience population declines.