Berwick - South West

Berwick - South West lies within the top 10% of areas nationally in terms of population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of short and medium-term trends

Based on AreaSearch's analysis, Berwick - South West's population is around 13,166 as of Feb 2026. This reflects an increase of 1,912 people (17.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,254 people. The change is inferred from the estimated resident population of 12,791 from the ABS as of June 2024 and an additional 489 validated new addresses since the Census date. This population level equates to a density ratio of 2,649 persons per square kilometer, placing it in the upper quartile relative to national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Berwick - South West's 17.0% growth since the 2021 census exceeded the SA3 area (7.0%) and the national average, marking it as a growth leader in the region. Population growth for the area was primarily driven by overseas migration, which contributed approximately 38.5% of overall population gains during recent periods, although all drivers, including interstate migration and natural growth, were positive factors.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the VIC State Government's Regional/LGA projections released in 2023, with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied across all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking at population projections moving forward, a significant population increase in the top quartile of national statistical areas is forecast, with the area expected to grow by 5,224 persons to 2041 based on the latest annual ERP population numbers, reflecting an increase of 36.8% in total over the 17 years.

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

Berwick - South West has seen around 202 new homes approved annually, totalling 1,013 homes over the past 5 financial years. So far in FY-26, 63 approvals have been recorded. At an average of 1.9 new residents per year arriving per new home over the past 5 financial years (between FY-21 and FY-25), the market shows a good balance between supply and demand, supporting stable conditions, while new properties are constructed at an average value of $309,000, in line with regional trends. Additionally, $1.2 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded this financial year, indicating minimal commercial development activity.

When measured against Greater Melbourne, Berwick - South West records 194.0% more construction activity (per person), creating greater choice for buyers, though building activity has slowed in recent years. This is significantly above the national average, indicating robust developer interest in the area. New development consists of 77.0% standalone homes and 23.0% townhouses or apartments, maintaining the area's traditional suburban character with a focus on family homes appealing to those seeking space. This represents a notable shift from the area's existing housing (currently 95.0% houses), indicating decreasing availability of developable sites and reflecting changing lifestyles and the need for more diverse, affordable housing options. The location has approximately 82 people per dwelling approval, indicating an expanding market.

Future projections show Berwick - South West adding 4,849 residents by 2041 (from the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate). Based on current development patterns, new housing supply should readily meet demand, offering good conditions for buyers and potentially facilitating population growth beyond current projections.

Berwick - South West has moderate levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 40thth percentile nationally

Nothing can influence an area's performance as much as changes to local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. In total, 3 projects have been identified by AreaSearch that are likely to have an impact on the area. Key projects include the Berwick South Development Plan, Hunt Club Village Shopping Centre Expansion, Stockland Minta Residential Estate, and Hunt Club Estate, with the list below detailing those likely to be of most relevance.

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

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Berwick - South West has seen below average employment performance when compared to national benchmarks

Berwick - South West features a well-educated workforce, with manufacturing and industrial sectors strongly represented, an unemployment rate of 5.2%, and 3.8% in estimated employment growth over the past year. As of December 2025, 7,327 residents are in work while the unemployment rate is 0.5% above Greater Melbourne's rate of 4.8%, and workforce participation is well beyond standard (78.7% compared to Greater Melbourne's 71.3%). Based on Census responses, a high 27.1% of residents were found to work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Leading employment industries among residents comprise health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. The area demonstrates a particularly notable concentration in manufacturing, with employment levels at 1.3 times the regional average. On the other hand, professional & technical services are under-represented, with only 7.9% of Berwick - South West's workforce compared to 10.1% in Greater Melbourne. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of the Census working population versus the resident population.

Based on AreaSearch analysis of SALM and ABS data, over the 12 months to December 2025, employment increased by 3.8% while the labour force increased by 5.0%, causing the unemployment rate to rise by 1.0 percentage points. This compares to Greater Melbourne, where employment grew by 2.4%, the labour force expanded by 2.8%, and unemployment rose 0.3 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 can offer further insight into potential future demand within Berwick - South West. These projections, covering five and ten-year periods, have been mapped against the local employment profile to estimate growth patterns. While national employment is forecast to expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, growth rates differ significantly between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Berwick - South West's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.6% over ten years (please note this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections).

Income analysis reveals strong economic positioning, with the area outperforming 60% of locations assessed nationally by AreaSearch

The Berwick - South West SA2 shows a median taxpayer income of $58,152 and an average of $76,835 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for FY-23. This is very high nationally, contrasting with Greater Melbourne's median income of $57,688 and average income of $75,164. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.25% since FY-23, current estimates would be approximately $62,950 (median) and $83,174 (average) as of September 2025. Census data reveals household, family and personal incomes in Berwick - South West cluster around the 70th percentile nationally. The earnings profile shows the $1,500 - 2,999 bracket dominates with 42.8% of residents (5,635 people), reflecting patterns seen at regional levels where 32.8% similarly occupy this range. High housing costs consume 16.8% of income, though strong earnings still place disposable income at the 75th percentile and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Berwick - South West is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Dwelling structure within Berwick - South West, as evaluated at the latest Census, comprised 94.8% houses and 5.2% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings), in comparison to Melbourne metro's 67.9% houses and 32.1% other dwellings. Meanwhile, the level of home ownership within Berwick - South West was lagging that of Melbourne metro, at 16.2%, with the remainder of dwellings either mortgaged (51.7%) or rented (32.0%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was in line with the Melbourne metro average at $2,000, while the median weekly rent figure was recorded at $400, compared to Melbourne metro's $2,000 and $390. Nationally, Berwick - South West's mortgage repayments are higher than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents are exceeding the national figure of $375.

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

Family households dominate at 85.1% of all households, comprising 53.5% couples with children, 18.8% couples without children, and 11.9% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 14.9%, with lone person households at 12.4% and group households comprising 2.4% of the total. The median household size of 3.1 people is larger than the Greater Melbourne average of 2.6.

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

The area's educational profile stands out regionally, with university qualification rates (32.4% of residents aged 15+) exceeding the SA3 area average of 25.7%, reflecting the community's emphasis on higher education. Bachelor degrees lead at 20.1%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (9.6%) and graduate diplomas (2.7%). Trade and technical skills feature prominently, with 33.1% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials, including advanced diplomas (12.5%) and certificates (20.6%).

Educational participation is notably high, with 35.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 12.9% in primary education, 9.1% in secondary education, and 5.4% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Public transport analysis reveals 27 active transport stops operating within Berwick - South West, comprising a mix of buses. These stops are serviced by 8 individual routes, collectively providing 1,339 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is rated as good, with residents typically located 328 meters from the nearest transport stop. As a primarily residential area, most residents commute outward; the car remains the dominant mode at 91%, with 6% by train. Vehicle ownership averages 1.7 per dwelling, which is above the regional average. A high 27.1% of residents work from home (2021 Census; may reflect COVID-19 conditions).

Service frequency averages 191 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 49 weekly trips per individual stop.

Berwick - South West's residents are extremely healthy with prevalence of common health conditions low among the general population though higher than the nation's average across older, at risk cohorts

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Berwick - South West, based on AreaSearch's assessment of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. The prevalence of common health conditions is low among the general population, though higher than the national average across older, at-risk cohorts, and the rate of private health cover is very high at approximately 57% of the total population (~7,504 people).

The most common medical conditions in the area were found to be asthma and mental health issues, impacting 8.0 and 7.0% of residents, respectively, while 75.8% declared themselves as completely clear of medical ailments compared to 72.6% across Greater Melbourne. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 9.0% of residents aged 65 and over (1,187 people), which is lower than the 15.1% in Greater Melbourne. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, though they rank lower nationally than the broader population.

Berwick - South West 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 West scores highly on cultural diversity, with 42.3% of its population born overseas and 42.4% speaking a language other than English at home. The main religion in Berwick - South West is Christianity, which makes up 39.5% of the people. However, the most apparent overrepresentation is in Buddhism, which comprises 7.0% of the population, compared to 4.2% across Greater Melbourne.

In terms of ancestry (country of birth of parents), the top three represented groups in Berwick - South West are Other, comprising 20.5% of the population, which is substantially higher than the regional average of 14.6%, Australian, comprising 18.5% of the population, and English, comprising 18.3% of the population. Additionally, there are notable divergences in the representation of certain other ethnic groups: Sri Lankan is notably overrepresented at 3.3% of the population (vs 0.8% regionally), Indian at 8.7% (vs 4.2%) and Hungarian at 0.5% (vs 0.3%).

Berwick - South West hosts a young demographic, positioning it in the bottom quartile nationwide

Berwick - South West's median age of 35 years is slightly younger than Greater Melbourne's 37 and somewhat younger than the 38-year national average. The 5 - 14 age group shows strong representation at 16.4% compared to Greater Melbourne, whereas the 25 - 34 cohort is less prevalent at 12.8%. Since 2021, the 65 to 74 age group has grown from 4.6% to 5.7% of the population, while the 55 to 64 cohort increased from 8.4% to 9.4%. Conversely, the 35 to 44 cohort has declined from 18.9% to 17.7% and the 25 to 34 group dropped from 13.8% to 12.8%. Population forecasts for 2041 indicate substantial demographic changes for Berwick - South West. The 45 to 54 age cohort is projected to rise substantially, expanding by 1,020 people (54%) from 1,882 to 2,903.