# Berala vs Birrong — 2021 Census comparison

Suburb / Locality comparison · about 2.3 km apart

Berala and Birrong are neighbouring areas with distinct living patterns. Berala is very walkable, with 96.7% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries, while Birrong is only somewhat walkable and just 21.5% of its homes have that same access. Berala has a larger overseas-born population at 58.8% and a higher share of flats or apartments. Birrong is more residential in feel, with 83.4% separate houses and a much higher share of homes with three or more bedrooms (79.2%) compared to Berala's 64.6%.

Typical weekly household incomes are almost identical in both places, sitting around $1,550 to $1,575. Both areas are far above the national figure for people born overseas, though this is more pronounced in Berala. While Birrong has more children under 15 and a higher number of schools per child, Berala has a larger population and far more people who can reach a wide range of destinations via transit within 45 minutes.

## Where they differ most

- Separate houses: 22.4 pts higher in Birrong
- Population: 5,426 larger in Berala
- 3+ bedrooms: 14.6 pts higher in Birrong
- Born overseas: 11.6 pts higher in Berala
- Renting: 9.2 pts higher in Berala

## Demographics & Identity

| Statistic | Berala | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Population | 8,757 | 3,331 | 5,426 larger in Berala | gap steady |
| Median age | 37 yrs | 36 yrs | 1 yrs older in Berala | gap narrowing |
| First Nations | 0.3% | 0.5% | 0.2 pts higher in Birrong | gap steady |
| Aged 65+ | 14.5% | 14.4% | 0.1 pts higher in Berala | gap narrowing |
| Under 15 | 15.6% | 19.2% | 3.6 pts higher in Birrong | gap widening |
| De facto | 3.7% | 4.8% | 1.1 pts higher in Birrong | gap steady |

### Age structure

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Young adults (25–44) | 30.9% | 26.2% | +4.7 |
| Older adults (45–64) | 26.1% | 25.8% | +0.3 |
| Children (0–14) | 15.6% | 19.2% | -3.6 |
| Seniors (65+) | 14.5% | 14.4% | +0.1 |
| Youth (15–24) | 13.0% | 14.5% | -1.5 |

### Marital status

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Married | 50.6% | 48.7% | +2.0 |
| Never married | 34.4% | 35.2% | -0.8 |
| Divorced | 7.3% | 8.6% | -1.3 |
| Widowed | 4.6% | 4.1% | +0.5 |
| Separated | 3.0% | 3.5% | -0.5 |

### Age profile

Share of each region's population by age band and sex.

| Age band | Berala male | Berala female | Birrong male | Birrong female |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 0–4 | 2.7% | 2.5% | 3.3% | 3.1% |
| 5–9 | 2.9% | 2.8% | 3.0% | 3.1% |
| 10–14 | 2.4% | 2.3% | 3.5% | 3.3% |
| 15–19 | 2.5% | 2.6% | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| 20–24 | 4.3% | 3.5% | 3.3% | 4.0% |
| 25–29 | 5.1% | 3.7% | 3.3% | 3.5% |
| 30–34 | 5.3% | 4.1% | 3.9% | 3.3% |
| 35–39 | 3.7% | 3.2% | 3.4% | 3.6% |
| 40–44 | 3.2% | 2.5% | 2.7% | 2.5% |
| 45–49 | 3.3% | 2.9% | 3.2% | 2.7% |
| 50–54 | 3.4% | 3.4% | 2.7% | 3.5% |
| 55–59 | 3.5% | 3.4% | 3.9% | 3.1% |
| 60–64 | 2.8% | 3.4% | 2.9% | 3.6% |
| 65–69 | 2.3% | 2.6% | 2.4% | 2.5% |
| 70–74 | 2.0% | 1.9% | 1.6% | 1.5% |
| 75–79 | 1.0% | 1.2% | 1.5% | 1.1% |
| 80–84 | 1.0% | 0.8% | 0.5% | 0.7% |
| 85+ | 0.8% | 1.1% | 0.8% | 1.7% |

## Ancestry & Birthplace

| Statistic | Berala | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Born overseas | 58.8% | 47.2% | 11.6 pts higher in Berala | gap narrowing |

### Country of birth

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Australia | 35.6% | 47.5% | -11.9 |
| China | 17.3% | 5.9% | +11.4 |
| Vietnam | 8.6% | 15.7% | -7.2 |
| Philippines | 3.2% | 1.2% | +2.0 |
| India | 1.8% | 0.5% | +1.3 |
| Nepal | 1.7% | 0.2% | +1.5 |
| New Zealand | 0.9% | 0.8% | +0.2 |
| Italy | 0.4% | 0.7% | -0.3 |
| England | 0.4% | 0.5% | -0.1 |
| South Africa | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0 |

### Ancestry

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Chinese | 37.4% | 16.8% | +20.6 |
| Vietnamese | 5.6% | 19.4% | -13.7 |
| Australian | 7.1% | 13.0% | -5.9 |
| English | 8.2% | 9.9% | -1.7 |
| Filipino | 3.9% | 1.8% | +2.1 |
| Irish | 2.2% | 2.6% | -0.4 |
| Italian | 1.4% | 1.9% | -0.5 |
| Indian | 1.7% | 1.3% | +0.4 |
| Scottish | 1.6% | 1.7% | -0.2 |
| German | 0.6% | 1.2% | -0.5 |
| Greek | 0.9% | 0.7% | +0.1 |
| Dutch | 0.1% | 0.2% | -0.2 |

## Language

| Statistic | Berala | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other language | 72.5% | 64.8% | 7.7 pts higher in Berala | gap narrowing |
| Limited English | 24.3% | 16.1% | 8.1 pts higher in Berala | gap narrowing |

### Language used at home

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| English only | 21.3% | 29.2% | -7.9 |
| Vietnamese | 4.8% | 19.8% | -15.0 |
| Arabic | 5.9% | 18.4% | -12.6 |
| Mandarin | 18.0% | 7.4% | +10.6 |
| Cantonese | 14.4% | 4.4% | +10.0 |
| Tagalog | 1.7% | 0.6% | +1.1 |
| Italian | 0.4% | 0.7% | -0.3 |
| Greek | 0.6% | 0.5% | +0.1 |
| Punjabi | 0.6% | 0.3% | +0.3 |
| Hindi | 0.5% | 0.4% | +0.2 |

## Religion

| Statistic | Berala | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No religion | 27.7% | 18.9% | 8.9 pts higher in Berala | gap widening |

### Religious affiliation

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Christianity | 33.5% | 34.8% | -1.3 |
| No religion | 27.7% | 18.9% | +8.9 |
| Islam | 14.8% | 24.9% | -10.1 |
| Buddhism | 12.4% | 13.1% | -0.8 |
| Not stated | 7.3% | 7.3% | +0.0 |
| Hinduism | 3.7% | 0.7% | +2.9 |
| Other religions | 0.6% | 0.2% | +0.3 |
| Judaism | 0.0% | 0.0% | +0.0 |

## Education & Qualifications

| Statistic | Berala | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 60.8% | 60.0% | 0.9 pts higher in Berala | gap narrowing |
| Bachelor+ | 22.3% | 20.8% | 1.5 pts higher in Berala | gap narrowing |
| Schools/1k kids | 0.73 | 4.69 | 3.96 more in Birrong |  |
| Schools ≤3 km | 45 | 38 | 7 more in Berala |  |
| Avg size | 665 | 626 | 38 larger in Berala |  |
| ICSEA | 1,014 | 1,006 | 8 higher in Berala |  |

### Highest year of school

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Year 12 | 60.8% | 60.0% | +0.9 |
| Year 9 or below | 16.8% | 14.9% | +1.9 |
| Year 10 | 11.6% | 14.8% | -3.2 |
| Year 11 | 3.7% | 3.5% | +0.1 |

### Highest qualification level

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bachelor degree | 33.3% | 29.6% | +3.7 |
| Certificate III / IV | 16.5% | 20.0% | -3.6 |
| Advanced diploma / diploma | 15.6% | 17.4% | -1.8 |
| Postgraduate degree | 8.9% | 8.3% | +0.6 |
| Graduate diploma / certificate | 1.9% | 2.6% | -0.7 |
| Certificate I / II | 1.8% | 1.7% | +0.1 |

### Field of qualification

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Management & commerce | 23.0% | 23.7% | -0.7 |
| Engineering & related | 11.5% | 13.5% | -2.0 |
| Society & culture | 10.4% | 9.9% | +0.5 |
| Health | 8.9% | 7.5% | +1.4 |
| Education | 5.8% | 6.5% | -0.7 |
| Information technology | 6.1% | 4.7% | +1.4 |
| Architecture & building | 4.0% | 5.4% | -1.4 |
| Food, hospitality & personal services | 4.5% | 5.2% | -0.8 |
| Natural & physical sciences | 3.4% | 3.8% | -0.5 |
| Creative arts | 3.2% | 2.4% | +0.8 |
| Agriculture & environment | 0.6% | 0.8% | -0.2 |

## Income

| Statistic | Berala | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Personal income | $595 | $548 | $47 higher in Berala | gap widening |
| Household income | $1,552 | $1,575 | $23 higher in Birrong | gap narrowing |
| Family income | $1,620 | $1,639 | $19 higher in Birrong | gap narrowing |
| High earners | 4.9% | 4.9% |  | gap steady |
| High-income homes | 17.9% | 20.1% | 2.2 pts higher in Birrong | gap steady |

### Household income distribution

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 30.2% | 29.4% | +0.8 |
| $650–$1,499 | 28.0% | 28.6% | -0.6 |
| Under $650 | 17.5% | 16.1% | +1.4 |
| $3,000–$3,999 | 8.5% | 10.5% | -2.0 |
| $4,000 or more | 9.4% | 9.6% | -0.2 |

### Personal income distribution

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Under $650 | 49.1% | 51.1% | -2.0 |
| $650–$1,499 | 31.4% | 29.3% | +2.1 |
| $1,500–$2,999 | 10.8% | 10.8% | +0.1 |
| $3,000 or more | 1.3% | 1.3% | +0.0 |

## Health & Disability

| Statistic | Berala | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health condition | 18.3% | 22.4% | 4.1 pts higher in Birrong |  |
| Mental health | 3.6% | 5.1% | 1.5 pts higher in Birrong |  |
| Needs assistance | 5.8% | 6.8% | 1.0 pts higher in Birrong | gap steady |

### Long-term health conditions reported

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other condition | 6.8% | 7.7% | -0.9 |
| Asthma | 4.4% | 6.6% | -2.2 |
| Arthritis | 4.8% | 6.2% | -1.4 |
| Diabetes | 5.6% | 5.9% | -0.4 |
| Mental health | 3.6% | 5.1% | -1.5 |
| Heart disease | 2.6% | 2.9% | -0.2 |
| Cancer | 1.8% | 2.4% | -0.7 |
| Lung condition | 0.9% | 0.8% | +0.1 |
| Stroke | 0.6% | 0.7% | -0.2 |
| Dementia | 0.5% | 0.5% | +0.1 |

### Number of long-term health conditions

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| None | 74.2% | 69.2% | +5.1 |
| One condition | 13.3% | 15.8% | -2.4 |
| Two conditions | 3.3% | 4.6% | -1.3 |
| Three or more | 1.7% | 2.1% | -0.4 |

## Community Participation

| Statistic | Berala | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Volunteering | 7.0% | 6.6% | 0.3 pts higher in Berala | gap steady |
| Unpaid carers | 9.5% | 12.7% | 3.2 pts higher in Birrong | gap widening |
| Unpaid child care | 18.3% | 20.5% | 2.2 pts higher in Birrong | gap widening |
| Defence service | 0.5% | 1.1% | 0.6 pts higher in Birrong |  |
| Housework 15h+ | 17.1% | 19.8% | 2.6 pts higher in Birrong | gap steady |

## First Nations

| Statistic | Berala | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 30 | 18 | 12 larger in Berala |  |
| Median age | 24 yrs | 31 yrs | 7 yrs older in Birrong |  |
| Median income | $420 | $900 | $480 higher in Birrong |  |
| Household income | $1,125 | $1,656 | $531 higher in Birrong |  |
| Indigenous language | 10.0% | — |  |  |

## Family & Households

| Statistic | Berala | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Household size | 3.0 | 3.2 | 0.2 larger in Birrong | gap widening |
| One-parent | 15.6% | 16.5% | 1.0 pts higher in Birrong | gap narrowing |
| Living alone | 19.4% | 18.1% | 1.3 pts higher in Berala | gap narrowing |

### Family composition

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Couples with children | 62.3% | 65.3% | -2.9 |
| Couples without children | 19.8% | 16.6% | +3.2 |
| One-parent families | 15.6% | 16.5% | -1.0 |
| Other families | 2.3% | 1.5% | +0.8 |

### Household size

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2 people | 26.1% | 24.2% | +1.8 |
| 1 person | 19.4% | 18.1% | +1.3 |
| 3 people | 19.4% | 18.1% | +1.2 |
| 4 people | 17.2% | 18.4% | -1.2 |
| 6 or more | 9.4% | 11.8% | -2.4 |
| 5 people | 8.5% | 9.7% | -1.2 |

## Housing & Dwellings

| Statistic | Berala | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rent | $380 | $440 | $60 higher in Birrong | gap widening |
| Mortgage | $2,000 | $2,033 | $33 higher in Birrong | gap narrowing |
| People / bedroom | 1.00 | 1.00 |  | gap narrowing |
| Renting | 40.1% | 30.9% | 9.2 pts higher in Berala | gap narrowing |
| Owned outright | 32.6% | 37.5% | 4.9 pts higher in Birrong | gap narrowing |
| Separate houses | 61.0% | 83.4% | 22.4 pts higher in Birrong | gap narrowing |
| 3+ bedrooms | 64.6% | 79.2% | 14.6 pts higher in Birrong | gap narrowing |

### How homes are owned or rented

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Rented | 40.1% | 30.9% | +9.2 |
| Owned outright | 32.6% | 37.5% | -4.9 |
| Owned with a mortgage | 23.8% | 28.5% | -4.7 |
| Not stated | 2.0% | 1.8% | +0.3 |
| Other tenure | 1.6% | 1.5% | +0.1 |

### Types of homes

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Separate house | 61.0% | 83.4% | -22.4 |
| Flat or apartment | 25.5% | 5.5% | +20.0 |
| Townhouse / semi-detached | 12.1% | 10.8% | +1.3 |
| Other dwelling | 1.3% | 0.0% | +1.3 |

### Bedrooms per home

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 3 bedrooms | 35.7% | 43.5% | -7.9 |
| 2 bedrooms | 29.2% | 14.6% | +14.6 |
| 4 bedrooms | 18.3% | 25.8% | -7.5 |
| 5 or more | 10.6% | 9.8% | +0.8 |
| 1 bedroom | 3.9% | 1.9% | +2.0 |
| Studio / none | 0.7% | 1.6% | -0.9 |

### Weekly rent distribution

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $350–$549 | 45.0% | 47.3% | -2.3 |
| $200–$349 | 30.3% | 11.7% | +18.5 |
| $550–$749 | 10.2% | 16.4% | -6.2 |
| Under $200 | 8.1% | 14.1% | -6.0 |
| $750 or more | 2.0% | 1.0% | +1.0 |

### Monthly mortgage distribution

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| $1,800–$2,999 | 25.7% | 30.5% | -4.9 |
| $3,000 or more | 23.8% | 22.2% | +1.7 |
| $1,000–$1,799 | 19.5% | 22.2% | -2.6 |
| Under $1,000 | 20.0% | 13.1% | +6.9 |

## Transport & Vehicles

| Statistic | Berala | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| No car | 13.2% | 8.6% | 4.7 pts higher in Berala | gap steady |
| Work from home | 26.3% | 29.4% | 3.1 pts higher in Birrong | gap widening |
| PT commute | 6.8% | 3.9% | 2.9 pts higher in Berala | gap narrowing |
| PT stops | 35 | 18 | 17 more in Berala |  |
| Stops/1k | 4.00 | 5.40 | 1.41 more in Birrong |  |
| Departures/1k | 520.8 | 733.4 | 212.6 more in Birrong |  |
| PT routes | 7 | 4 | 3 more in Berala |  |
| Stop walk | 3 | 5 | 2 longer in Birrong |  |
| Drive to city | 20 | 21 | 1 longer in Birrong |  |
| Reach 30 min | 55,787 | 27,622 | 28,165 more in Berala |  |
| Reach 45 min | 327,399 | 122,546 | 204,853 more in Berala |  |
| Transit to city | 57 | 73 | 16 longer in Birrong |  |

### How people get to work

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Car (driver) | 38.6% | 40.1% | -1.6 |
| Worked at home | 26.3% | 29.4% | -3.1 |
| Train | 6.6% | 3.6% | +3.0 |
| Car (passenger) | 4.7% | 2.9% | +1.8 |
| Walked | 1.7% | 1.1% | +0.6 |
| Bicycle | 0.3% | 0.0% | +0.3 |
| Bus | 0.2% | 0.3% | -0.1 |

### Motor vehicles per home

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 vehicle | 40.1% | 38.4% | +1.6 |
| 2 vehicles | 31.0% | 34.2% | -3.2 |
| No vehicle | 13.2% | 8.6% | +4.7 |
| 3 vehicles | 10.3% | 12.3% | -2.0 |
| 4 or more | 5.0% | 7.1% | -2.1 |

## Migration & Movement

| Statistic | Berala | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Recent movers | 34.2% | 28.5% | 5.7 pts higher in Berala | gap narrowing |
| Recent arrivals | 16.1% | 11.4% | 4.8 pts higher in Berala | gap narrowing |

## Jobs & Industry

| Statistic | Berala | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Unemployment | 9.2% | 9.1% | 0.1 pts higher in Berala | gap steady |
| Participation | 47.7% | 45.1% | 2.6 pts higher in Berala | gap steady |
| Full-time | 51.4% | 52.5% | 1.1 pts higher in Birrong | gap narrowing |

### Industries people work in

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Health care & social assistance | 14.0% | 13.1% | +0.8 |
| Retail trade | 9.1% | 9.7% | -0.6 |
| Manufacturing | 8.6% | 8.3% | +0.3 |
| Construction | 8.2% | 6.8% | +1.5 |
| Transport & warehousing | 7.4% | 8.2% | -0.9 |
| Education & training | 6.1% | 7.4% | -1.3 |
| Professional & technical | 7.0% | 6.4% | +0.5 |
| Finance & insurance | 5.1% | 6.6% | -1.5 |
| Accommodation & food | 5.2% | 5.6% | -0.4 |
| Public administration & safety | 4.2% | 5.2% | -0.9 |
| Wholesale trade | 4.7% | 3.2% | +1.5 |
| Administrative & support | 3.6% | 4.3% | -0.8 |

### Occupations people work in

| Category | Berala % | Birrong % | Gap (pts) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Professionals | 21.5% | 24.0% | -2.5 |
| Clerical & administrative | 12.8% | 15.3% | -2.5 |
| Labourers | 15.3% | 12.0% | +3.2 |
| Technicians & trades | 11.1% | 11.7% | -0.5 |
| Machinery operators & drivers | 10.2% | 9.6% | +0.6 |
| Community & personal service | 10.1% | 9.7% | +0.5 |
| Managers | 8.1% | 7.6% | +0.4 |
| Sales workers | 6.8% | 7.5% | -0.7 |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Berala | Birrong | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 7.4 | 5.3 | 2.1 higher in Berala |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 7.2 | 5.2 | 2.0 more in Berala |  |
| 15-min city | 99.1% | 91.6% | 7.5 pts higher in Berala |  |
| Walk to shops | 96.7% | 21.5% | 75.3 pts higher in Berala |  |
| Walk to transit | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to school | 96.7% | 100.0% | 3.3 pts higher in Birrong |  |
| Walk to a park | 100.0% | 100.0% |  |  |
| Walk to health | 35.9% | 0.9% | 35.0 pts higher in Berala |  |
| Amenities/1k | 6.7 | 10.2 | 3.5 more in Birrong |  |
| Intersections/km² | 195 | 187 | 8 higher in Berala |  |
| Mean slope | 4.6% | 4.6% |  |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/sal/SAL10299/berala/vs/SAL10378/birrong