Statistical Area 2 (SA2) · Area profile
Berala
2 km²
Sitting in the heart of Greater Sydney's west, Berala is a highly diverse community where nearly 60% of residents were born overseas. It is a place of many languages and cultures, though it faces notable economic challenges and a smaller population than many nearby areas. This multicultural character is reflected in a population that is a little younger than the national figure, with a strong presence of families and a significant number of people born in China and Vietnam.
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The typical resident is 37, which is a little younger than the national figure. Berala has a small First Nations population of 0.3%, and the number of children under 15 fell to 15.6% by 2021.
Born overseas, 58.7% of the community hails from abroad, a figure far above the national average. Chinese (37.3%), English (8.1%), and Australian (7.4%) are the most common ancestries.
Language diversity is very high here, with 72.6% of people using a language other than English at home. This is far above the national figure, and about 24.1% of residents speak little or no English.
Religious affiliation is varied, with 33.3% identifying as Christian and 15.2% as Muslim. Those with no religion make up 27.6% of the population, which is far below the national figure.
About 22.4% of adults hold a bachelor degree or higher, which is well below the national average. Most residents have completed Year 12, with 60.6% reaching this level.
Incomes in Berala are generally low; the typical weekly household income is $1,540, which is a little below the national figure. Only 4.9% of people earn $2,000 or more per week, a rate much lower than most areas.
Long-term health conditions are reported by 18.4% of residents, which is well below the national figure. Mental health conditions are also reported at a very low rate of 3.7%.
Participation in unpaid work is low here, with only 6.9% of people volunteering, which is well below the national average. Only 9.4% of residents provide some form of unpaid care.
There are 30 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the area. A high 10.0% of this group speaks a First Nations language, though their typical personal income is much lower than in most other areas.
Homes here tend to be crowded, with an average of 3.0 people per home, which is a little above the national figure. One-parent families make up 15.4% of households.
Renting is common, with 40.3% of households renting, a rate well above the national average. Detached houses are less frequent here than in most areas, making up 60.7% of dwellings.
While 13.3% of homes have no motor vehicle, the area is well-connected; 100% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport. Working from home rose sharply to 26.2% since 2016.
Recent arrivals from overseas make up 16.3% of the population, which is a little above the national average. However, 34.3% of residents moved in the last five years, a rate lower than most areas.
The unemployment rate is 8.9%, which is well above the national figure. Only 47.4% of adults are working or looking for work, a figure far below the national average.
Berala faces significant disadvantage, ranking 1 out of 10 in the most disadvantaged category. Overall advantage is low, with a score of 940 compared to the national average of 1,000.
The area is quite wet, with an average annual rainfall of 1,153mm, which is far above the New South Wales average. Temperatures are typical for the state, with a maximum average of 24.1°C.
Berala is very walkable, with 99.1% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a 'city' setting. Almost all residents can walk to a park, school, or grocery store within 15 minutes.