Beresfield - Hexham

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 approximately 8,980 as of November 2025. This figure represents an increase of 419 people since the 2021 Census, which recorded a population of 8,561. The change is inferred from ABS estimates: 8,680 in June 2024 and an additional 150 validated new addresses post-Census. This results in a density ratio of 151 persons per square kilometer. Beresfield-Hexham's growth rate of 4.9% since the Census is close to the non-metro area's 5.1%, indicating competitive fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 55.1% of population gains in recent periods.

AreaSearch uses 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 released in 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. Based on projected demographic shifts, lower quartile growth is anticipated for Australia's non-metropolitan areas. Beresfield-Hexham is expected to increase by 270 persons by 2041, reflecting a decrease of 0.3% in total 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 over the past five financial years, totalling 78 homes. As of FY26, 8 approvals have been recorded. On average, 0.5 new residents per year per dwelling constructed were recorded between FY21 and FY25. This suggests that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and enabling population growth.

The average construction cost value of new properties is $282,000, which is below regional norms, indicating more affordable housing options. In FY26, $57.1 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting high levels of local commercial activity. Compared to the rest of NSW, Beresfield-Hexham has significantly less development activity, with 67% below the regional average per person. This scarcity typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties, although recent periods show increased development activity. The area's new building activity comprises 75% standalone homes and 25% attached dwellings, preserving its low-density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers. This shift from the area's current housing composition (93% houses) indicates decreasing availability of developable sites and reflects changing lifestyles' need for diverse, affordable housing options.

The estimated population per dwelling approval is 527 people, reflecting a quiet, low-activity development environment. Given 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 30% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 18 projects likely to impact the area. Key projects include Beresfield Industrial Park Expansion, M1 Pacific Motorway Extension to Raymond Terrace, Beresfield Residential Precinct, and Thornton Rail Bridge Duplication. The following list details those most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Beresfield - Hexham face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Beresfield-Hexham has a diverse workforce with both white and blue collar jobs, prominent manufacturing and industrial sectors, an unemployment rate of 7.9% as of June 2025, and employment growth of 0.7% in the past year. There are 3,941 residents employed, with an unemployment rate of 4.3%, higher than Rest of NSW's 3.7%.

Workforce participation is similar to Rest of NSW at 56.4%. Key employment sectors include health care & social assistance, manufacturing, and construction. Manufacturing stands out with employment levels twice the regional average. Education & training, however, is under-represented at 5.7% compared to 9.6% in Rest of NSW.

The area functions as an employment hub with 1.0 worker per resident, attracting workers from nearby regions. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment increased by 0.7%, labour force grew by 2.4%, leading to a 1.6 percentage point rise in unemployment. In contrast, Rest of NSW saw employment contract by 0.1%, labour force grow by 0.3%, and unemployment rise by 0.4 percentage points. Statewide, NSW's employment contracted by 0.03% (losing 2,260 jobs) as of Nov-25, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. Nationally, the unemployment rate is 4.3%. Jobs and Skills Australia forecasts national employment growth at 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Beresfield-Hexham's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 5.9% over five years and 12.8% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

Beresfield - Hexham SA2's median income among taxpayers was $55,616 in financial year 2022. The average income stood at $64,656 during the same period. These figures are compared to Rest of NSW's median and average incomes of $49,459 and $62,998 respectively. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022, estimated current incomes as of September 2025 would be approximately $62,629 (median) and $72,809 (average). According to the 2021 Census, household, family, and personal incomes in Beresfield - Hexham all fall between the 16th and 16th percentiles nationally. Income analysis reveals that the $1,500 - $2,999 bracket dominates with 30.3% of residents (2,720 people), aligning with the surrounding region where this cohort likewise represents 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe in Beresfield - Hexham, with only 82.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 15th percentile nationally.

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

The dwelling structure in Beresfield-Hexham, as per the latest Census, consisted of 93.1% houses and 6.9% other dwellings such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This is compared to Non-Metro NSW's figures of 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. The median weekly rent in Beresfield-Hexham was recorded as $340, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $400. Nationally, Beresfield-Hexham's mortgage repayments were significantly lower at $1,450 than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were less at $340 than the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 68.4% of all households, consisting of 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% of the total. The median household size is 2.4 people, which matches the average for the Rest of NSW.

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 disparity presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 7.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.2%) and graduate diplomas (0.8%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 39.1% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (7.5%) and certificates (31.6%).

Educational participation is high, with 26.5% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.0% in primary education, 6.9% in secondary education, and 3.2% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Beresfield-Hexham has 100 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 81 routes, facilitating 4,994 weekly passenger trips in total. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average proximity of 158 meters to the nearest stop.

On average, there are 713 trips daily across all routes, translating to about 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%, compared to the average SA2 area's rate of around 48%.

This is slightly lower than Rest of NSW's rate of 55.6%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis (11.5%) and mental health issues (10.9%). However, 57.6% of residents claim to be free from any medical ailments, compared to 64.9% in Rest of NSW. As of 2021, 20.4% of the population is aged 65 and over (1,832 people), higher than Rest of NSW's 16.7%. Health outcomes among seniors generally align with those of the broader 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, as per the 2016 Census, had a low cultural diversity with 91.2% of residents born in Australia, 92.2% being Australian citizens, and 94.9% speaking only English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, accounting for 54.6%, compared to the regional average of 47.7%. The top three ancestry groups were Australian (33.4%), English (31.5%), and Australian Aboriginal (7.5%).

Notably, Maori (0.7% vs 0.3%), Macedonian (0.2% vs 0.8%), and Samoan (0.2% vs 0.1%) groups were overrepresented compared to the regional averages.

Beresfield - Hexham's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Beresfield - Hexham is 38, which is lower than the Rest of NSW figure at 43 but equivalent to the national norm also at 38. The 25-34 age group constitutes 16.2% of the population, higher than the Rest of NSW percentage, while the 65-74 cohort makes up 10.5%, lower than the Rest of NSW figure. According to data from the 2021 Census, the 25-34 age group grew from 14.5% to 16.2% of the population between 2016 and 2021. During this period, the 35-44 cohort also increased from 10.8% to 12.4%. Conversely, the 45-54 age group declined from 11.8% to 10.4%, and the 55-64 group decreased from 12.4% to 11.3%. Demographic modeling suggests significant changes in Beresfield - Hexham's age profile by 2041. The 25-34 age group is projected to grow by 15%, adding 217 people, reaching a total of 1,669 from the current figure of 1,451. Meanwhile, population declines are forecast for the 65-74 and 5-14 age cohorts.