Berkeley vs Brownsville

Berkeley is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 44 in Brownsville. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Brownsville, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Brownsville tends to suit people living alone.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Berkeley

ahead on 5 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (4 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 2)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Brownsville

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper units ($517,500 vs $867,500)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Berkeley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($290/wk vs $320/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Berkeley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (70/100 vs 44/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (92.4 km vs 94.4 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Brownsville

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (43% vs 11%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 18%)
  • But Berkeley is more walkable (70/100 vs 44/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Berkeley and Brownsville drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Berkeley Brownsville
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Berkeley Brownsville
Walkability 70 / 44
Berkeley — Walkability: 70/100 Brownsville — Walkability: 44/100
Safety 22 / 18
Berkeley — Safety: 22/100 Brownsville — Safety: 18/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Berkeley — Low fire risk: 100/100 Brownsville — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Berkeley has more residents (7,798 vs 524); Brownsville rents higher ($320/wk vs $290/wk).

Berkeley Brownsville
Population 7,798
+93% vs other
 524
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.5% -1.9%
Median age 40 44
Median household income $63,284/yr
+5% vs other
 $60,320/yr
Median weekly rent $290/wk $320/wk
+10% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Berkeley Brownsville
0-4 5.6% / 4.4%
Berkeley — 0-4: 5.6% Brownsville — 0-4: 4.4%
5-14 13.3% / 10.5%
Berkeley — 5-14: 13.3% Brownsville — 5-14: 10.5%
15-19 5.9% / 5.0%
Berkeley — 15-19: 5.9% Brownsville — 15-19: 5.0%
20-24 6.2% / 5.7%
Berkeley — 20-24: 6.2% Brownsville — 20-24: 5.7%
25-34 12.5% / 13.0%
Berkeley — 25-34: 12.5% Brownsville — 25-34: 13.0%
35-44 11.8% / 11.6%
Berkeley — 35-44: 11.8% Brownsville — 35-44: 11.6%
45-54 12.7% / 11.1%
Berkeley — 45-54: 12.7% Brownsville — 45-54: 11.1%
55-64 13.7% / 14.5%
Berkeley — 55-64: 13.7% Brownsville — 55-64: 14.5%
65-74 9.8% / 11.5%
Berkeley — 65-74: 9.8% Brownsville — 65-74: 11.5%
75-84 5.5% / 10.5%
Berkeley — 75-84: 5.5% Brownsville — 75-84: 10.5%
85+ 2.8% / 1.9%
Berkeley — 85+: 2.8% Brownsville — 85+: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Berkeley 35.4% lone person
Berkeley — Lone Person: 35.4% Berkeley — Couple Families: 35.7% Berkeley — One Parent Families: 23.8% Berkeley — Group Household: 3.9% Berkeley — Other Families: 1.2%
Brownsville 50.8% lone person
Brownsville — Lone Person: 50.8% Brownsville — Couple Families: 22.6% Brownsville — One Parent Families: 22.6% Brownsville — Group Household: 1.7% Brownsville — Other Families: 2.3%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Berkeley 39.2% renting
Berkeley — Owned Outright: 32.6% Berkeley — Mortgage: 28.2% Berkeley — Renting: 39.2%
Brownsville 36.8% renting
Brownsville — Owned Outright: 28.2% Brownsville — Mortgage: 35.0% Brownsville — Renting: 36.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Berkeley Brownsville
Certificate III & IV 16.6% / 20.0%
Berkeley — Certificate III & IV: 16.6% Brownsville — Certificate III & IV: 20.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.6% / 7.8%
Berkeley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.6% Brownsville — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8%
Bachelor Degree 5.9% / 5.3%
Berkeley — Bachelor Degree: 5.9% Brownsville — Bachelor Degree: 5.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.0% / 0.8%
Berkeley — Postgraduate Degree: 2.0% Brownsville — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.8% / 1.1%
Berkeley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8% Brownsville — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.0%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Berkeley Brownsville
England 3.1% / 7.1%
Berkeley — England: 3.1% Brownsville — England: 7.1%
Scotland 0.7% / 1.9%
Berkeley — Scotland: 0.7% Brownsville — Scotland: 1.9%
New Zealand 0.9% / 1.1%
Berkeley — New Zealand: 0.9% Brownsville — New Zealand: 1.1%
Philippines 0.9% / 1.0%
Berkeley — Philippines: 0.9% Brownsville — Philippines: 1.0%
Thailand — / 1.1%
Berkeley — Thailand: not among its largest Brownsville — Thailand: 1.1%
Lebanon 1.0% / —
Berkeley — Lebanon: 1.0% Brownsville — Lebanon: not among its largest
Vietnam 0.9% / —
Berkeley — Vietnam: 0.9% Brownsville — Vietnam: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Berkeley 88.8% houses
Berkeley — Houses: 88.8% Berkeley — Flats / Apartments: 8.5% Berkeley — Townhouses: 2.7%
Brownsville 57.0% houses
Brownsville — Houses: 57.0% Brownsville — Flats / Apartments: 26.9% Brownsville — Townhouses: 16.1%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Berkeley Brownsville
Median house price $857,500 $841,500
Median unit price $867,500 $517,500
Median land price $256,800 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 19 days
from 45 sales
 54 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

Brownsville has more land zoned for conservation (57% vs 33%).

Berkeley Brownsville
Environmental 33% 57%
Residential 38% 20%
Parks and recreation 18% 10%
Infrastructure and transport 8% 10%
Rural and farming 0% 3%
Industrial 2% 0%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Berkeley Brownsville
New dwellings approved 1,476
across Wollongong
same for both
Approvals change year on year -31%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Berkeley Brownsville
Houses 4.1%
$690/wk on $875K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Berkeley Brownsville
House price Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 43% of NSW
Income Higher than 26% of NSW Higher than 22% of NSW
Schools Higher than 63% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 34% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 32% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 100% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 78% of NSW —

Liveability

Berkeley is more walkable (70 vs 44); Berkeley scores higher overall (49 vs 39).

Berkeley Brownsville
Grade B C
Score 49/100 39/100
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Berkeley Brownsville
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
78/100
 High
82/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 14
within 5 km
 8
within 5 km

Schools

Berkeley Brownsville
Inside the suburb 3 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 2 0
Universities within 10 km 1
UOW Wollongong, 7.3 km
 1
UOW Wollongong, 9.7 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.1% 1.3%

Schools in Berkeley

  • Berkeley West Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Berkeley Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Illawarra Sports High School Government · Secondary below peers

Schools in Brownsville

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Berkeley Brownsville
Parks & reserves 5 2
Childcare 4 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1
same for both
Waterways 5 0

Mobility

Brownsville sits further from the CBD (94.4 km vs 92.4 km).

Berkeley Brownsville
Walkability score 70/100 44/100
Distance to Sydney 92.4 km 94.4 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 85 min
same for both
Public transport score 78/100
Bus
 36/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 155.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 6.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 2506
 0.7%
postcode 2530
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 31
postcode 2506
 54
postcode 2530

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Berkeley Brownsville
Car (driver) 73.3% / 63.5%
Berkeley — Car (driver): 73.3% Brownsville — Car (driver): 63.5%
Worked from Home 17.4% / 25.3%
Berkeley — Worked from Home: 17.4% Brownsville — Worked from Home: 25.3%
Car (passenger) 5.7% / 5.1%
Berkeley — Car (passenger): 5.7% Brownsville — Car (passenger): 5.1%
Walked Only 0.8% / 6.2%
Berkeley — Walked Only: 0.8% Brownsville — Walked Only: 6.2%
Bus 1.5% / —
Berkeley — Bus: 1.5% Brownsville — Bus: not among its largest
Train 1.1% / —
Berkeley — Train: 1.1% Brownsville — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.3%).

Setting

Berkeley Brownsville
Elevation 31 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.7 km 7.5 km

NBN connectivity

Berkeley Brownsville
Connectivity score 74/100 100/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 53%
3,328 premises
 100%
286 premises

Climate

Berkeley Brownsville
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Berkeley Brownsville
PM2.5 5.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 19.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.45 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Berkeley Brownsville
Average residential rate $1,751/yr
same for both
Council Wollongong
same for both

Federal electorate

Berkeley Brownsville
Division Cunningham Whitlam
Member Alison Byrnes Carol Berry
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Berkeley Brownsville
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Berkeley

Large Blocks

Brownsville

Quiet

More comparisons

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Other comparisons with Brownsville

Brownsville vs Dapto Brownsville vs Kanahooka Brownsville vs Kembla Grange
Full data on Berkeley Full data on Brownsville
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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