Berala

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

Berala's population was around 8,900 as of February 2026, reflecting an increase of 3.4% since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 8,610 people. This change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 8,864 in June 2024 and an additional 12 validated new addresses since the Census date. The population density ratio was 4,258 persons per square kilometer, placing Berala in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 80.2% of overall population gains during recent periods. AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Berala is expected to grow by 818 persons based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 8.8% 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. Over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25, around 140 homes were approved, with an additional 13 approved so far in FY26. Despite a declining population in recent years, development activity has been adequate relative to other areas.

The average construction value of new properties is $319,000. This year, $4.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating limited focus on commercial development. Compared to Greater Sydney, Berala shows substantially reduced construction, 66.0% below the regional average per person. This constrained new construction typically reinforces demand and pricing for existing homes. When compared nationally, Berala reflects market maturity and possible development constraints.

New development consists of 82.0% detached dwellings and 18.0% medium to high-density housing, preserving the area's suburban nature with an emphasis on detached housing attracting space-seeking buyers. Interestingly, developers are building more traditional houses than the current mix suggests, indicating continued strong demand for family homes despite density pressures. Berala reflects a low-density area, with approximately 276 people per approval. Looking ahead, Berala is expected to grow by around 782 residents through to 2041, according to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. At current development rates, new housing supply should comfortably meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Berala has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 30% nationally

The performance of an area can significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified 18 such projects that could impact this area. Notable projects include Aura by Crown Group, Berala Village Redevelopment, Berala TOD Precinct (Transport Oriented Development), and Lidcombe Town Centre Public Domain Plan. The following list details those most likely to be relevant:.

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

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

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 representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 7.2% as of September 2025. Employment grew by an estimated 1.0% over the past year.

As of September 2025, 4,272 residents were employed while the unemployment rate was 3.0% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Berala lagged at 60.9%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. According to Census responses, 31.4% of residents worked from home. Dominant employment sectors were health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing.

Manufacturing had particularly notable concentration with employment levels at 1.7 times the regional average. However, professional & technical services were under-represented at 7.7%, compared to Greater Sydney's 11.5%. The area appeared to offer limited local employment opportunities based on Census data. Over the year ending September 2025, employment increased by 1.0% while labour force grew by 3.2%, causing unemployment to rise by 2.1 percentage points. In comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1%, labour force growth of 2.4%, and an unemployment increase of 0.2 percentage points. National employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Berala's employment mix, local employment was estimated to increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years.

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

The median taxpayer income in Berala SA2 is $46,338 and the average is $56,340 according to AreaSearch's postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023. This is lower than Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003. By September 2025, estimated incomes would be approximately $50,444 (median) and $61,332 (average), based on an 8.86% growth in wages since financial year 2023. In the 2021 Census, individual incomes ranked at the 11th percentile ($597 weekly) while household income was at the 37th percentile. Income brackets show that 32.1% of Berala's community earns between $1,500 and $2,999 per week (2,856 individuals), similar to regional levels at 30.9%. Housing affordability is severe with only 82.3% of income remaining, ranking at the 36th percentile.

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

As per the latest Census evaluation in Berala, 60.6% of dwellings were houses while 39.3% consisted of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. This differs slightly from Sydney metropolitan areas where 55.9% of dwellings are houses and 44.1% are other types. In Berala, home ownership stood at 33.6%, with mortgaged properties at 24.6% and rented dwellings at 41.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Berala was $2,000, lower than the Sydney metro average of $2,427. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent in Berala was $380, compared to $470 in Sydney metropolitan areas. Nationally, Berala's mortgage repayments exceed the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are 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, which is larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

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 and above, with advanced diplomas at 9.8% and certificates at 13.3%. Educational participation is high, with 30.1% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 8.5% in primary education, 7.3% in tertiary education, and 6.9% pursuing secondary education.

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

Berala has 55 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 18 routes, providing a total of 4,103 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 115 meters to the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward from this primarily residential area. Car remains the dominant mode at 73%, while train accounts for 19%. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 31.4% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 586 trips per day, translating to approximately 74 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

Berala's health outcomes data shows excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Approximately 48% of Berala's total population (~4,227 people) have private health cover, compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9% and the national average of 55.7%.

Diabetes and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 5.4% and 4.7% of residents respectively. 80.1% of Berala residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 74.6%. The area has 16.0% of residents aged 65 and over (1,420 people). Health outcomes among seniors in Berala are strong, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

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 a population where 62.2% were born overseas, and 77.4% speak a language other than English at home. Christianity is the main religion in Berala, comprising 36.0% of its population. Buddhism is notably overrepresented, making up 13.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's average of 4.1%.

The top three ancestry groups are Chinese (34.6%), Other (20.7%), and English (7.5%). Chinese representation is substantially higher than the regional average of 8.4%, while English is notably lower at 19.0%. There are notable divergences in other ethnic groups: Croatian (2.8% vs region's 0.7%), Korean (2.9% vs 1.1%), and Lebanese (4.0% vs 2.6%) are overrepresented in Berala.

Berala's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Berala's median age is 37, matching Greater Sydney's figure of 37 years and closely resembling Australia's median age of 38 years. The 25-34 age group comprises 18.1% of Berala's population compared to Greater Sydney's figure. Meanwhile, the 5-14 cohort makes up only 9.4%. Between 2021 and present day, the proportion of individuals aged 75-84 has increased from 4.0% to 5.0%, while the percentage of those aged 5-14 has decreased from 10.4% to 9.4%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Berala's age structure. Notably, the 45-54 age group is projected to grow by 22%, adding 242 people and reaching a total of 1,328 from its current figure of 1,085. Conversely, both the 0-4 and 5-14 age groups are expected to see reductions in their numbers.