Beresfield - Hexham
Statistical Area - sa2

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

Beresfield-Hexham's population is 8,965 as of Aug 2025, a 4.7% increase from the 2021 Census figure of 8,561 people. This growth is inferred from ABS estimates and validated new addresses since June 2024. The population density is 151 persons per square kilometer. Beresfield-Hexham's growth rate is close to that of non-metro areas (4.7% vs 4.8%). Overseas migration contributed approximately 55.1% of recent population gains. AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022.

For uncovered areas, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from 2032 to 2041. Beresfield-Hexham is projected to increase by 270 persons to 2041, resulting in a total decrease of 0.2% over the 17 years.

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

Beresfield-Hexham has averaged approximately 15 new dwelling approvals annually. The Australian Bureau of Statistics produces development approval data on a financial year basis. Between the financial years 2020 and 2025, 79 dwellings were approved, with 5 more recorded in financial year 2026 so far. Over these five years, an average of 0.5 new residents per new home arrived annually.

This pace of new construction matches or exceeds demand, providing buyers with more options and enabling population growth that may surpass current expectations. The average value of new dwellings is $282,000, which is below regional levels, indicating more affordable housing choices for buyers. In financial year 2026, there have been $57.1 million in commercial approvals, reflecting high local commercial activity. Compared to the rest of New South Wales, Beresfield-Hexham has significantly lower building activity, at 69.0% below the regional average per person, suggesting established nature and potential planning limitations. Recent periods show increasing development activity. New development consists of 75.0% detached dwellings and 25.0% attached dwellings, preserving the area's low density character and catering to space-seeking buyers.

This shift from the current housing pattern of 93.0% houses may indicate diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 527 people, reflecting a quiet development environment. With stable or declining population forecasts, Beresfield-Hexham may experience less housing pressure, creating favourable conditions for buyers.

Beresfield - Hexham has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 20 projects that may impact this region. Notable projects include Beresfield Industrial Park Expansion, Beresfield Residential Precinct, Thornton Rail Bridge Duplication, and North Thornton Estate. The following list details those likely to be most relevant.

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

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

Beresfield-Hexham has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. Manufacturing and industrial sectors are prominent, with an unemployment rate of 7.9% as of June 2025.

There were 3,941 residents employed, which is higher than the Rest of NSW average, making it an employment hub. The area's workforce participation rate is similar to that of Rest of NSW at 56.4%. Key sectors include health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and construction, with manufacturing particularly notable at twice the regional average. Conversely, education & training has lower representation at 5.7% compared to the regional average of 9.6%.

Over the past year, employment grew by 0.7%, while labour force increased by 2.4%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 1.6 percentage points. In comparison, Rest of NSW saw employment fall by 0.1% and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW had an unemployment rate of 4.3%, with employment contracting by 0.41%. National forecasts project employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but local projections based on Beresfield-Hexham's industry mix suggest growth rates of approximately 5.9% over five years and 12.8% over ten years.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's aggregation shows Beresfield - Hexham had a median taxpayer income of $55,616 and an average of $64,656 in financial year 2022. Nationally, the median was $57,835 and the average was $69,046. Rest of NSW had a median of $49,459 and an average of $62,998. By March 2025, adjusting for Wage Price Index growth of 10.6%, estimated incomes would be approximately $61,511 (median) and $71,510 (average). The 2021 Census places Beresfield - Hexham's household, family, and personal incomes between the 16th and 16th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals 30.3% of residents fall within the $1,500-$2,999 income range, similar to the regional percentage of 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 15th percentile.

Beresfield - Hexham is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Beresfield-Hexham's dwelling structure, as recorded in the latest Census, was 93.1% houses and 6.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), contrasting with Non-Metro NSW's 70.5% houses and 29.5% other dwellings. Home ownership in Beresfield-Hexham stood at 35.8%, with mortgaged dwellings at 34.2% and rented ones at 29.9%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,450, lower than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,962. Median weekly rent in Beresfield-Hexham was $340, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $400. Nationally, mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,863 and rents were less than the national figure of $375.

Beresfield - Hexham has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 68.4% of all households, including 23.9% couples with children, 25.3% couples without children, and 17.3% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 31.6%, with lone person households at 28.3% and group households comprising 3.5%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which aligns with the Rest of NSW average.

Beresfield - Hexham faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 9.6%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 7.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.2%) and graduate diplomas (0.8%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 39.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials - advanced diplomas (7.5%) and certificates (31.6%).

Educational participation is high at 26.5%, including primary education (10.0%), secondary education (6.9%), and tertiary education (3.2%). There are seven schools in Beresfield-Hexham educating approximately 1,590 students, with varied educational conditions across the area. The educational mix includes five primary schools, one secondary school, and one K-12 school.

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

Beresfield-Hexham has 100 operational public transport stops offering train and bus services. There are 81 distinct routes serving these stops, facilitating 4,994 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 158 meters to the nearest stop.

The service frequency averages 713 trips daily across all routes, translating to around 49 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Beresfield - Hexham is a key challenge with a range of health conditions having marked impacts on both younger and older age cohorts

Beresfield-Hexham faces significant health challenges, with various conditions affecting both younger and older residents. Private health cover stands at approximately 52% (~4,652 people), compared to Rest of NSW's 55.6%.

The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.5%) and mental health issues (10.9%). About 57.6% report no medical ailments, versus 64.9% in Rest of NSW. Residents aged 65 and over make up 20.4% (1,829 people), higher than the 16.7% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors largely mirror those of the general population.

Beresfield - Hexham is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Beresfield-Hexham had a cultural diversity index below average, with 91.2% of its population born in Australia, 92.2% being citizens, and 94.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 54.6% of people, compared to 47.7% across Rest of NSW. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (33.4%), English (31.5%), and Australian Aboriginal (7.5%).

Notably, Maori representation was higher at 0.7%, Macedonian at 0.2%, and Samoan at 0.2%.

Beresfield - Hexham's population is slightly older than the national pattern

Beresfield-Hexham has a median age of 38, which is lower than Rest of NSW's figure of 43 but matches the national norm of 38. The age group of 25-34 years shows strong representation at 16.2%, higher than Rest of NSW, while the 65-74 cohort is less prevalent at 10.5%. According to the 2021 Census, the 25 to 34 age group has increased from 14.5% to 16.2% of the population, and the 35 to 44 cohort has risen from 10.8% to 12.4%. Conversely, the 45 to 54 cohort has declined from 11.8% to 10.4%, and the 55 to 64 group has dropped from 12.4% to 11.3%. Demographic modeling indicates that Beresfield-Hexham's age profile will change significantly by 2041. Leading this shift, the 25 to 34 age group is projected to grow by 15%, reaching 1,669 from 1,448. Meanwhile, population declines are forecast for the 65 to 74 and 5 to 14 cohorts.