Berry - Kangaroo Valley
Statistical Area - sa2

Population growth drivers in Berry - Kangaroo Valley are strong compared to national averages based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Berry Kangaroo Valley's population is around 9,512 as of Aug 2025. This reflects an increase of 23 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 9,489 people. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 9,414 in June 2024 and an additional 117 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 17.7 persons per square kilometer. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on latest population numbers, the area is expected to expand by 1,194 persons to 2041, recording a gain of 11.5% over the 17 years.

Residential development activity is slightly higher than average within Berry - Kangaroo Valley when compared nationally

Kangaroo Valley Berry has seen approximately 73 new homes approved annually. Development approval data is provided by the ABS on a financial year basis, with 367 homes approved over the past five financial years from FY20 to FY25, and 10 approvals so far in FY26. On average, 0.7 new residents arrive per new home each year over these five financial years. The average construction cost value of new dwellings is $855,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

This financial year has seen $47.1 million in commercial development approvals, suggesting strong local business investment. Compared to the rest of NSW, Kangaroo Valley Berry maintains similar development levels per person, keeping market balance consistent with the broader area. New development consists of 74% detached houses and 26% attached dwellings, preserving the area's low density nature and attracting space-seeking buyers.

There are approximately 216 people per dwelling approval in the location. Future projections indicate Kangaroo Valley Berry adding 1,092 residents by 2041, with current development rates comfortably meeting demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially supporting growth beyond current population projections.

Berry - Kangaroo Valley has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 44thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch identified 38 projects likely affecting the area. Notable ones include Berry Lane Estate, Planning and Heritage Investigations for Berry, Berry to Bomaderry Princes Highway Upgrade, and Foxground and Berry Bypass. The following list details those most relevant.

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

The labour market strength in Berry - Kangaroo Valley positions it well ahead of most Australian regions

Kangaroo Valley's workforce is highly educated with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 0.9% as of June 2025, with an employment growth estimate of 3.0% over the previous year.

As of that date, 3,972 residents were employed, compared to Rest of NSW's unemployment rate of 3.7%. Workforce participation in Kangaroo Valley was 48.4%, lower than Rest of NSW's 56.4%. Key industries for employment among residents are health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. The area specializes in professional & technical services, with an employment share 1.6 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance employs only 14.8% of local workers, below Rest of NSW's 16.9%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by Census data comparison between working population and resident population. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 3.0%, labour force grew by 2.6%, leading to a 0.4 percentage point decrease 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. State-level data from Sep-25 shows NSW employment contracted by 0.41% (losing 19,270 jobs), with a state unemployment rate of 4.3%. National unemployment was 4.5%, with national employment growth at 0.26%. Jobs and Skills Australia's forecasts indicate national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Kangaroo Valley's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 6.6%% over five years and 13.6% over ten years, though this is a simplified extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

Income levels sit below national averages according to AreaSearch assessment

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2022 shows median income in Berry - Kangaroo Valley is $47,498 and average income is $73,571. In comparison, Rest of NSW has a median income of $49,459 and an average income of $62,998. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.6% from financial year ending June 2022 to March 2025, estimated median income is approximately $52,533 and average income is around $81,370. According to Census 2021 data, incomes in Berry - Kangaroo Valley rank modestly, between the 31st and 34th percentiles for household, family, and personal incomes. The earnings profile indicates that 26.9% of residents earn $1,500 - 2,999 weekly, similar to the metropolitan region at 29.9%. After housing costs, 86.4% of income remains for other expenses. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Berry - Kangaroo Valley is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

In Berry - Kangaroo Valley, as per the latest Census, 83.1% of dwellings were houses while 16.9% consisted of semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types of dwellings. In comparison, Non-Metro NSW had an 87.8% share of houses and a 12.2% share of other dwellings. Home ownership in Berry - Kangaroo Valley stood at 58.3%, with mortgaged properties accounting for 27.1% and rented ones comprising 14.6%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,167, higher than Non-Metro NSW's average of $1,733. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent figure in Berry - Kangaroo Valley was recorded at $400, compared to Non-Metro NSW's $350. Nationally, Berry - Kangaroo Valley's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Berry - Kangaroo Valley has a typical household mix, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households account for 70.1% of all households, including 21.4% couples with children, 41.2% couples without children, and 6.9% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 29.9%, with lone person households at 27.6% and group households comprising 2.1%. The median household size is 2.3 people, aligning with the Rest of NSW average.

The educational profile of Berry - Kangaroo Valley exceeds national averages, with above-average qualification levels and academic performance metrics

In Berry - Kangaroo Valley, the proportion of residents aged 15 and above with university qualifications is notably higher at 30.5% compared to the broader SA3 area (19.0%) and the Rest of NSW (21.3%). This educational advantage is attributed to a significant number of residents holding bachelor degrees (20.3%), postgraduate qualifications (7.4%), and graduate diplomas (2.8%). Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 38.2% of residents possessing them, including advanced diplomas (13.2%) and certificates (25.0%). The area has a substantial 22.9% of its population actively engaged in formal education, comprising 8.5% in primary, 6.4% in secondary, and 3.0% in tertiary education.

The four schools in Berry - Kangaroo Valley have a combined enrollment of 537 students, with the area demonstrating above-average socio-educational conditions (ICSEA: 1052). Education provision is balanced with three primary and one secondary school serving distinct age groups. However, local school capacity is limited at 5.7 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 12.8, leading many families to travel for schooling.

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

Berry Kangaroo Valley has 265 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These stops are served by 28 routes, collectively providing 2712 weekly passenger trips. The average distance to the nearest stop for residents is 124 meters.

Service frequency averages 387 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 10 weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Berry - Kangaroo Valley is well below average with prevalence of common health conditions notable across both younger and older age cohorts

Berry-Kangaroo Valley faces notable health challenges with high prevalence of common conditions across age groups. Approximately 56% (~5,326 people) have private health cover, compared to 49.3% in Rest of NSW.

The most prevalent conditions are arthritis (12.5%) and mental health issues (6.8%), while 62.3% report no medical ailments, higher than the 59.4% in Rest of NSW. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 37.1% (3,527 people), compared to 27.8% in Rest of NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are strong, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Berry-Kangaroo Valley was found to have below average cultural diversity, with 83.1% of its population born in Australia and 91.9% being citizens. English is spoken exclusively at home by 96.9% of the population. Christianity is the predominant religion, accounting for 52.9% of people in Berry-Kangaroo Valley.

Judaism is notably overrepresented compared to the rest of NSW, comprising 0.2% versus 0.1%. The top three represented ancestry groups are English (35.2%), Australian (27.5%), and Irish (10.8%). Scottish ancestry is overrepresented at 9.9%, Welsh at 0.7%, and French at 0.6%, compared to regional averages of 8.1%, 0.6%, and 0.4% respectively.

Berry - Kangaroo Valley ranks among the oldest 10% of areas nationwide

The median age in Berry - Kangaroo Valley is 56 years, notably exceeding Rest of NSW's average of 43 years and significantly higher than Australia's 38 years. The 65-74 age group shows strong representation at 20.0%, compared to Rest of NSW's 17.9%, while the 25-34 cohort is less prevalent at 6.9%. This concentration in the 65-74 age group is well above the national average of 9.4%. According to the 2021 Census, the 75-84 age group has grown from 11.5% to 12.7%, and the 15-24 cohort increased from 7.1% to 8.2%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort has declined from 17.3% to 15.3%. Looking ahead to 2041, demographic projections reveal significant shifts in Berry - Kangaroo Valley's age structure. The 85+ cohort shows the strongest projected growth at 62%, adding 256 residents to reach 668. However, population declines are projected for the 65-74 and 55-64 cohorts.