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

As of Feb 2026, the population of Berala is estimated at around 9,055, reflecting an increase of 298 people since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 8,757. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimate of the resident population as 9,017 following examination of ABS' latest ERP data release in June 2024 and an additional 11 validated new addresses since the Census date. The suburb's population equates to a density ratio of 4,251 persons per square kilometer, placing it within the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 81.0% of overall population gains in Berala during recent periods. AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area as released in 2024 with a base year of 2022, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections for areas not covered by this data, 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. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, Berala is expected to grow by 886 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 9.4% in total over the 17 years.

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

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Berala has seen around 28 new homes approved per year over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 140 homes. As of FY-26, 13 approvals have been recorded. Despite population decline in the area, housing supply has remained adequate relative to demand, creating a balanced market with good buyer choice. New properties are constructed at an average value of $475,000, indicating a focus on the premium segment with upmarket properties.

In FY-26, $4.3 million in commercial approvals have been registered, reflecting Berala's primarily residential nature. Compared to Greater Sydney, Berala has significantly less development activity, which is 67.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity of new dwellings typically strengthens demand and prices for existing properties. Additionally, it is under the national average, suggesting the area's established nature and potential planning limitations. New building activity shows 81.0% standalone homes and 19.0% attached dwellings, preserving Berala'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. With around 276 people per dwelling approval, Berala shows characteristics of a low-density area. Future projections show Berala adding 848 residents by 2041, based on the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate. With current construction levels, housing supply should adequately meet demand, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

Berala has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 18 projects likely to affect the area. Notable projects include Aura by Crown Group, Lidcombe Town Centre Public Domain Plan, The Concourse at Lidcombe - DOOLEYS Regeneration Project, and Lidcombe Infrastructure Upgrade. Below is a list of those most 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.

AreaSearch assessment indicates Berala faces employment challenges relative to the majority of Australian markets

Berala has an educated workforce with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 6.9% in the past year, with estimated employment growth of 3.2%. As of December 2025, 4,393 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 7.1%, which is 2.7% higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%.

Workforce participation was at 61.3%, compared to Greater Sydney's 70.2%. A high proportion of residents, 31.6%, worked from home according to Census responses. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and manufacturing, with notable concentration in manufacturing at 1.7 times the regional average. Conversely, professional & technical services show lower representation at 7.7%.

The area offers limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of working population versus resident population. In the 12-month period ending December 2025, employment increased by 3.2% while labour force grew by 4.2%, leading to a rise in unemployment rate by 0.9 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these projections to Berala's employment mix indicates local employment should 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

According to AreaSearch's aggregation of ATO data released on June 1st, 2023, Berala had a median taxpayer income of $42,262 and an average income of $53,625. These figures are lower than the national averages of $60,817 and $83,003 respectively for Greater Sydney. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since June 2023, current estimates suggest a median income of approximately $46,006 and an average income of $58,376 as of September 2025. The 2021 Census data indicates individual incomes at the 11th percentile ($595 weekly) and household incomes at the 38th percentile. Income analysis shows that 32.3% of Berala's population (2,924 individuals) fall within the $1,500 to $2,999 income range, similar to the regional average of 30.9%. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 82.5% of income remaining, ranking at the 37th percentile.

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

In Berala, as per the latest Census evaluation, 61.1% of dwellings were houses, with the remaining 38.9% comprising semi-detached homes, apartments, and other types. In comparison, Sydney metropolitan area had 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Berala's home ownership rate was higher at 33.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 24.9% and rented ones at 41.4%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Berala was $2,000, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Berala was $380, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Berala's mortgage repayments exceeded the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were higher than the national figure of $375.

Berala features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 74.3% of all households, including 37.6% couples with children, 20.8% couples without children, and 13.4% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 25.7%, with lone person households at 19.4% and group households comprising 6.2%. 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 (5.6%) and graduate diplomas (1.2%). Among those aged 15+, vocational pathways account for 23.1% of qualifications, with advanced diplomas at 9.7% and certificates at 13.4%. 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 stops are served by 20 routes, collectively facilitating 4,113 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically located 116 meters from the nearest stop. Most residents commute outward due to Berala's residential nature. Cars remain the dominant mode at 73%, while 19% use trains. Vehicle ownership averages 1.1 per dwelling.

According to the 2021 Census, a high 31.6% of residents work from home, potentially reflecting COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency averages 587 trips daily across all routes, equating 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 show excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence are very low across all age groups. Private health cover is found to be very low at approximately 48% of the total population (~4,364 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9%.

Nationally, it stands at 55.7%. Diabetes and arthritis are the most common medical conditions in the area, affecting 5.4% and 4.7% of residents respectively. 80.2% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to Greater Sydney's 74.6%. Berala has 16.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,466 people). Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, broadly in line 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 one of the most culturally diverse populations in the country, with 62.3% of its residents born overseas and 77.3% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Berala, comprising 36.2% of the population. However, Buddhism is notably overrepresented, making up 13.4%, which is significantly higher than the Greater Sydney average of 4.1%.

In terms of ancestry, the top three groups in Berala are Chinese at 34.6%, Other at 20.5%, and English at 7.6%. The Chinese representation is substantially higher than the regional average of 8.4%, while English is notably lower than the regional average of 19.0%. There are also notable divergences in the representation of Croatian, Korean, and Vietnamese ethnic groups: Croatian at 2.8% (vs 0.7% regionally), Korean at 3.1% (vs 1.1%), and Vietnamese at 5.2% (vs 1.8%).

Berala's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

Berala's median age is 37, matching Greater Sydney's figure and closely resembling Australia's median age of 38. The 55-64 age group comprises 12.7% of Berala's population, higher than Greater Sydney's percentage. Conversely, the 5-14 cohort makes up 9.4%, lower than Greater Sydney's figure. Between 2021 and present, the 75-84 age group has increased from 3.9% to 5.0%. Meanwhile, the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 10.4% to 9.4%. By 2041, projections indicate significant shifts in Berala's age structure. Notably, the 45-54 group is expected to grow by 22%, reaching 1,353 people from 1,104. The aging population trend is evident, with those aged 65 and above accounting for 50% of projected growth. Conversely, the 0-4 and 5-14 age groups are predicted to experience population declines.