Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila

Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila's population is 14,272 as of November 2025. This figure reflects an increase of 72 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 14,200. The change is inferred from ABS estimated resident population data: 14,226 in June 2024 and an additional 58 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1,139 persons per square kilometer. Overseas migration contributed approximately 62.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch uses ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, NSW State Government's SA2 level projections are used, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on projected demographic shifts, a population increase just below the median of regional areas nationally is expected by 2041, with an increase of 1,778 persons reflecting a total growth of 12.1% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila has averaged approximately 46 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, from FY21 to FY25 inclusive. A total of 232 homes were approved during this period, with an additional 15 approved so far in FY26. The population has been declining recently, indicating that new supply has likely kept pace with demand, providing a good range of options for buyers.

The average construction cost value of new properties is $284,000, which aligns with regional trends. In the current financial year, $2.8 million worth of commercial development approvals have been recorded, suggesting the area's predominantly residential character. Compared to the Rest of NSW, Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila exhibits roughly half the construction activity per person and ranks in the 51st percentile nationally when assessed against other areas. This lower level reflects market maturity and may indicate potential development constraints. New developments consist of an equal split between detached (50.0%) and attached dwellings (50.0%), promoting compact living and offering affordable entry pathways that attract downsizers, investors, and first-time purchasers. This marks a significant shift from the current housing mix, which is predominantly houses (88.0%).

This change can be attributed to reduced availability of development sites and evolving lifestyle demands and affordability needs. With around 326 people per approval, Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila represents a low-density area. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is projected to add approximately 1,729 residents by 2041. Construction activity appears to be maintaining pace with projected population growth, although buyers may face increasing competition as the population continues to rise.

Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 18 projects that could affect the area. Notable ones include Lake Heights Public Preschool, King Street Warrawong Masterplan, Berkeley Shopping Centre Upgrade, and Hooka Creek Road Retirement Village. The following list details those most likely to be relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila face significant challenges, ranking among the bottom 10% of areas assessed nationally

Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. The construction sector is prominent.

As of September 2025, 14.2% of residents are unemployed. This rate is higher than the Rest of NSW's rate of 3.8%. Workforce participation in the area is lower at 49.4%, compared to 56.4% in Rest of NSW. Key industries include health care & social assistance, construction, and retail trade.

The area has a high employment specialization in transport, postal & warehousing (1.7 times the regional level), but agriculture, forestry & fishing is under-represented (0.4% vs 5.3%). Employment opportunities locally appear limited based on Census data. From September 2024 to September 2025, the labour force remained stable while employment declined by 0.2%, increasing unemployment by 0.1 percentage points. In contrast, Rest of NSW had a 0.5% employment decline and a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. State-level data from 25-Nov-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.03%, with an unemployment rate of 3.9%. National forecasts suggest total employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, but growth rates vary between sectors. Applying these projections to Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.3% over five years and 13.3% over ten years.

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

Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila SA2 had a median taxpayer income of $46,060 and an average of $55,082 in the financial year 2022. This was lower than national averages, with Rest of NSW having a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. By September 2025, estimates suggest median incomes could reach approximately $51,868 and average incomes around $62,028, based on Wage Price Index growth of 12.61% since financial year 2022. Census data indicates that household, family, and personal incomes in the area fall between the 7th and 17th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows 29.4% of the population (4,195 individuals) earn within the $1,500 - 2,999 range, similar to surrounding regions at 29.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 80.8% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 14th percentile nationally.

Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 87.8% houses and 12.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares with Non-Metro NSW's figures of 85.5% houses and 14.5% other dwellings. The home ownership rate in Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila was 36.2%, similar to Non-Metro NSW. Mortgaged dwellings accounted for 29.2%, while rented dwellings made up 34.7%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $1,764, below the Non-Metro NSW average of $2,000 and the national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $350, lower than both the Non-Metro NSW figure of $365 and the national average of $375.

Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 70.5% of all households, including 29.3% couples with children, 22.9% couples without children, and 17.2% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 29.5%, with lone person households at 26.0% and group households comprising 3.4%. The median household size is 2.6 people, which aligns with the Rest of NSW average.

Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area's university qualification rate is 13.2%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are most common at 9.0%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (3.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Vocational credentials are prevalent, with 37.0% of residents aged 15+ holding them, including advanced diplomas (8.7%) and certificates (28.3%). Educational participation is high at 28.4%, comprising 10.5% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 3.4% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 28.4% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 10.5% in primary education, 8.0% in secondary education, and 3.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila has 118 active public transport stops. These stops are served by 42 different bus routes. The total number of weekly passenger trips is 1,336.

Residents typically live within 160 meters of the nearest stop. On average, there are 190 trips per day across all routes, which equates to about 11 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila faces significant health challenges, as indicated by its health data. Both younger and older age groups exhibit high prevalence of common health conditions. Only 48% (~6,793 people) have private health cover, compared to 51.4% in the rest of NSW and a national average of 55.3%.

Mental health issues and arthritis are the most prevalent conditions, affecting 9.7% and 9.6% of residents respectively. However, 63.9% claim to be completely free of medical ailments, similar to the 63.9% in the rest of NSW. The area has a senior population (aged 65 and over) of 18.1% (2,583 people), with health outcomes among seniors largely mirroring those of the general population.

The level of cultural diversity witnessed in Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila was found to be above average when compared nationally for a number of language and cultural background related metrics

Berkeley-Lake Heights-Cringila, found in a study dated "2016 Census", had higher cultural diversity than most nearby areas. It had 28.2% of its population born overseas and 29.7% speaking languages other than English at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 55.6%.

However, Islam's representation at 11.4% was significantly higher than NSW's average of 3.3%. In terms of ancestry, Australians made up 22.5%, English 20.0% (lower than regional average), and Other 14.0% (higher than regional average). Notably, Macedonian, Serbian, and Lebanese groups were overrepresented at 6.8%, 1.1%, and 3.4% respectively, compared to regional averages of 3.8%, 0.8%, and 1.0%.

Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

The median age in Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila is 39 years, which is significantly lower than Rest of NSW's average of 43 but essentially aligned with Australia's median age of 38 years. Compared to Rest of NSW, Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila has a higher proportion of residents aged 25-34 (14.4%) but fewer residents aged 65-74 (9.1%). According to the 2021 Census, the age group 25 to 34 increased from 13.2% to 14.4% of the population, while the age group 55 to 64 decreased from 12.5% to 11.7%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant shifts in Berkeley - Lake Heights - Cringila's age structure. The 25 to 34 age group is expected to grow by 32%, reaching 2,705 from 2,052. Conversely, the 65 to 74 and 15 to 24 age groups are projected to experience population declines.