Berwick - South East

Berwick - South East lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

Berwick - South East's population is around 20,803 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 3,043 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 17,760 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 20,765 from the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 1,101 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 2,105 persons per square kilometer. Berwick - South East's growth rate of 17.1% since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (6.2%) and the state average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth was primarily driven by interstate migration, contributing approximately 48.4% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch utilises VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, adjusted employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group are applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on demographic trends and the latest annual ERP population numbers, exceptional growth is predicted over the period with the area expected to expand by 9,495 persons to 2041, reflecting a gain of 45.5% in total over the 16 years.

The level of residential development activity in Berwick - South East was found to be higher than 90% of real estate markets across the country

Over the past five financial years, Berwick - South East has seen approximately 280 new homes approved annually, totalling around 1,400 homes. As of FY-26140 approvals have been recorded. On average, 1.5 new residents arrive per year for each new home constructed between FY-21 and FY-25, indicating a balanced supply and demand market that supports stable conditions.

The average construction value of new properties is $348,000. Compared to Greater Melbourne, Berwick - South East has 148.0% more building activity per person, offering buyers ample choice. This level is notably higher than the national average, suggesting strong developer confidence in the location. Recent construction comprises 91.0% standalone homes and 9.0% medium and high-density housing, preserving the area's suburban nature while attracting space-seeking buyers. With around 73 people per dwelling approval, Berwick - South East exhibits characteristics of a growth area.

According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, Berwick - South East is projected to add approximately 9,457 residents by 2041. Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, providing good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Berwick - South East has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 31stth percentile nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly affect an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 14 projects that could impact this region. Notable ones include Beaconsfield Primary School Modernisation, Berwick Waters, Arena Berwick (Stage 3 Expansion), and Olio Residential Development. 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 Berwick - South East demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Berwick - South East has a well-educated workforce with significant representation in essential services sectors. The unemployment rate was 3.3% as of December 2025, which is below Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 4.3%.

As of December 2025, 11,770 residents were employed, with a workforce participation rate of 75.1%, higher than Greater Melbourne's 69.9%. A notable 28.6% of residents worked from home according to Census responses, potentially influenced by Covid-19 lockdowns. Key employment industries include health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction.

However, the professional & technical sector was under-represented at 7.5%, compared to Greater Melbourne's 10.1%. Employment opportunities locally may be limited as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, employment increased by 4.3% while labour force grew by 5.0%, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 0.6 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Melbourne experienced employment growth of 2.4% and labour force growth of 2.8%, with a 0.3 percentage point increase in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 suggest potential future demand within Berwick - South East. Over five years, national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6%, and over ten years by 13.7%. Applying these projections to Berwick - South East's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, though this extrapolation does not account for localised population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

As per AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data released on 30 June 2023, Berwick - South East SA2's median income among taxpayers is $58,800. The average income for the area is $78,671. This is above the national average and compares to Greater Melbourne's median of $57,688 and average of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 9.62% since financial year 2023, current estimates for Berwick - South East SA2 are approximately $64,457 (median) and $86,239 (average) as of March 2026. According to the 2021 Census figures, household incomes rank at the 86th percentile ($2,361 weekly). In terms of income distribution, 37.5% of individuals in Berwick - South East SA2 earn between $1,500 and $2,999 per week (7,801 individuals), reflecting regional patterns where 32.8% also fall within this range. Economic strength is evident with 35.0% of households achieving high weekly earnings exceeding $3,000, supporting elevated consumer spending. High housing costs consume 15.7% of income, yet strong earnings place disposable income at the 85th percentile. Berwick - South East SA2's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 7th decile.

Berwick - South East is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with ownership patterns similar to the broader region

The dwelling structure in Berwick - South East, as per the latest Census, consisted of 96.5% houses and 3.5% other dwellings such as semi-detached properties, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Melbourne metro's figures of 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Berwick - South East stood at 21.0%, with mortgaged dwellings making up 57.0% and rented ones accounting for 22.0%. The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,100, exceeding Melbourne metro's average of $2,000. The median weekly rent figure in Berwick - South East was recorded at $430, compared to Melbourne metro's $390. Nationally, mortgage repayments in Berwick - South East were significantly higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Berwick - South East features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households constitute 88.0% of all households, including 56.3% couples with children, 19.4% couples without children, and 11.7% single parent families. Non-family households comprise the remaining 12.0%, with lone person households at 10.5% and group households making up 1.5%. The median household size is 3.3 people, larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

Berwick - South East shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

In Berwick, as of the South East trail regional benchmarks, 31.0% of residents aged 15 and above hold university degrees, compared to 37.0% in Greater Melbourne. The most common educational qualifications are bachelor's degrees, held by 20.1% of residents, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 8.3%, and graduate diplomas at 2.6%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 31.9% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (12.5%) and certificates (19.4%). Educational participation is high, with 36.7% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 12.9% in primary education, 11.6% in secondary education, and 5.5% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Berwick - South East has 67 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by nine different routes that collectively facilitate 1,485 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport services is rated as excellent, with residents typically living within 194 meters of the nearest stop. In this predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transportation for 91% of residents, while trains are used by 5%. On average, there are 1.8 vehicles per dwelling, which is higher than the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, a significant proportion of residents, specifically 28.6%, work from home, potentially due to COVID-19 conditions. The service frequency across all routes averages 212 trips per day, equating to approximately 22 weekly trips per individual stop.

Berwick - South East's residents boast exceedingly positive health performance metrics with younger cohorts in particular seeing very low prevalence of common health conditions

Health outcomes data shows Berwick - South East has excellent results based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence.

Younger cohorts particularly have very low prevalence of common health conditions. Private health cover is high at approximately 58% of the total population (~12,148 people). The most prevalent medical conditions are asthma (7.3%) and mental health issues (6.5%). 76.0% of residents declare no medical ailments, compared to 72.6% in Greater Melbourne. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. 10.1% of residents are aged 65 and over (2,109 people), lower than Greater Melbourne's 15.0%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average but rank lower nationally compared to the broader population.

Berwick - South East is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Berwick-South East has a high cultural diversity, with 39.2% of its population born overseas and 35.6% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Berwick-South East, comprising 43.3% of its population. Buddhism is notably overrepresented, making up 6.8% compared to Greater Melbourne's 4.2%.

The top three ancestry groups are English (19.8%), Australian (19.7%), and Other (16.5%). Some ethnic groups have notable divergences: Sri Lankan at 3.1% vs regional 0.8%, Hungarian at 0.5% vs regional 0.3%, and Indian at 8.1% vs regional 4.2%.

Berwick - South East's population is younger than the national pattern

Berwick's median age of 35 years is slightly younger than Greater Melbourne's 37 and the national average of 38. The 5-14 age group comprises 16.6% of Berwick's population compared to Greater Melbourne. The 25-34 cohort makes up 9.7%. Between 2021 and present, the 15-24 age group has increased from 15.1% to 16.5%, while the 5-14 cohort has decreased from 18.1% to 16.6%. By 2041, population forecasts indicate significant demographic changes for Berwick - South East, with the 45-54 age group projected to rise substantially by 1,810 people (56%), from 3,205 to 5,016.