Berry vs Far Meadow

Berry is the younger of the two, with a median age of 57 against 60 in Far Meadow. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Berry, about half of households are people living alone. In Far Meadow, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Far Meadow: a median of $2.5 million, against $1.61 million in Berry, though rent is higher in Berry. On these figures, Berry tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

Berry

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (8 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (4 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 77/100)
  • But Far Meadow is already more of a family suburb (66% vs 52%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Berry has cheaper houses ($1,607,500 vs $2,500,000)
  • Far Meadow leaves households under less mortgage stress (23% vs 33%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Far Meadow

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (16% vs 35%)
  • has cheaper rent ($300/wk vs $520/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Berry

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (19/100 vs 6/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (123 min vs 130 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (147.3 km vs 153.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Berry

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (19/100 vs 6/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (51/100 vs 77/100)

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

Investors

Berry

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (16.2% vs -2.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Berry Far Meadow
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.

Berry Far Meadow
Walkability 19 / 6
Berry — Walkability: 19/100 Far Meadow — Walkability: 6/100
Safety 49 / 23
Berry — Safety: 49/100 Far Meadow — Safety: 23/100
Low fire risk 47 / 100
Berry — Low fire risk: 47/100 Far Meadow — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Berry has more residents (3,098 vs 209); Berry rents higher ($520/wk vs $300/wk).

Berry Far Meadow
Population 3,098
+93% vs other
 209
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +16.2% -2.8%
Median age 57 60
Median household income $77,740/yr $100,360/yr
+29% vs other
Median weekly rent $520/wk
+42% vs other
 $300/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Berry Far Meadow
0-4 3.7% / 1.4%
Berry — 0-4: 3.7% Far Meadow — 0-4: 1.4%
5-14 10.7% / 5.7%
Berry — 5-14: 10.7% Far Meadow — 5-14: 5.7%
15-19 4.0% / 5.7%
Berry — 15-19: 4.0% Far Meadow — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 2.5% / 4.8%
Berry — 20-24: 2.5% Far Meadow — 20-24: 4.8%
25-34 6.7% / 9.1%
Berry — 25-34: 6.7% Far Meadow — 25-34: 9.1%
35-44 9.3% / 5.7%
Berry — 35-44: 9.3% Far Meadow — 35-44: 5.7%
45-54 10.2% / 6.2%
Berry — 45-54: 10.2% Far Meadow — 45-54: 6.2%
55-64 14.3% / 28.7%
Berry — 55-64: 14.3% Far Meadow — 55-64: 28.7%
65-74 17.8% / 24.9%
Berry — 65-74: 17.8% Far Meadow — 65-74: 24.9%
75-84 13.4% / 9.6%
Berry — 75-84: 13.4% Far Meadow — 75-84: 9.6%
85+ 7.7% / 1.9%
Berry — 85+: 7.7% Far Meadow — 85+: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (28.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Berry 41.2% couple families
Berry — Couple Families: 41.2% Berry — Lone Person: 45.3% Berry — One Parent Families: 11.0% Berry — Group Household: 2.1% Berry — Other Families: 0.4%
Far Meadow 48.8% couple families
Far Meadow — Couple Families: 48.8% Far Meadow — Lone Person: 34.1% Far Meadow — One Parent Families: 17.1% Far Meadow — Group Household: 0.0% Far Meadow — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Berry 14.0% renting
Berry — Owned Outright: 58.6% Berry — Mortgage: 27.4% Berry — Renting: 14.0%
Far Meadow 10.8% renting
Far Meadow — Owned Outright: 61.4% Far Meadow — Mortgage: 27.7% Far Meadow — Renting: 10.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Berry Far Meadow
Bachelor Degree 15.8% / 19.6%
Berry — Bachelor Degree: 15.8% Far Meadow — Bachelor Degree: 19.6%
Certificate III & IV 12.2% / 12.9%
Berry — Certificate III & IV: 12.2% Far Meadow — Certificate III & IV: 12.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 10.7% / 13.4%
Berry — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.7% Far Meadow — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 13.4%
Postgraduate Degree 5.8% / 7.7%
Berry — Postgraduate Degree: 5.8% Far Meadow — Postgraduate Degree: 7.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 1.9%
Berry — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Far Meadow — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.6%).

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.

Berry Far Meadow
England 6.9% / 4.3%
Berry — England: 6.9% Far Meadow — England: 4.3%
New Zealand 1.5% / 2.4%
Berry — New Zealand: 1.5% Far Meadow — New Zealand: 2.4%
Scotland 0.7% / 1.9%
Berry — Scotland: 0.7% Far Meadow — Scotland: 1.9%
China — / 1.9%
Berry — China: not among its largest Far Meadow — China: 1.9%
Germany 0.6% / —
Berry — Germany: 0.6% Far Meadow — Germany: not among its largest
Ireland 0.5% / —
Berry — Ireland: 0.5% Far Meadow — Ireland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Berry 84.8% houses
Berry — Houses: 84.8% Berry — Townhouses: 14.0% Berry — Flats / Apartments: 1.2%
Far Meadow 100.0% houses
Far Meadow — Houses: 100.0% Far Meadow — Townhouses: 0.0% Far Meadow — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Berry Far Meadow
Median house price $1,607,500 $2,500,000
Median unit price $1,000,000 —
Median land price $887,500 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 64 days
from 53 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Far Meadow has more rural and farming land (80% vs 60%); Berry has more land zoned for conservation (30% vs 19%).

Berry Far Meadow
Rural and farming 60% 80%
Environmental 30% 19%
Residential 5% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 1%
Planning zones cover 99% of Berry and 100% of Far Meadow. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Berry Far Meadow
New dwellings approved 854
across Shoalhaven
same for both
Approvals change year on year -10%
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.

Berry Far Meadow
Houses 2.4%
$855/wk on $1.82M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Berry Far Meadow
House price Higher than 78% of NSW Higher than 90% of NSW
Income Higher than 45% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 69% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 16% of NSW Higher than 9% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 87% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 59% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 6% of NSW —

Liveability

Berry is more walkable (19 vs 6).

Berry Far Meadow
Grade C —
Score 46/100 —
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Berry carries more bushfire risk (53 vs 0); Far Meadow carries more crime risk (77 vs 51).

Berry Far Meadow
Bushfire Moderate
53/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
51/100
 High
77/100
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 1
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Berry Far Meadow
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Berry

  • Berry Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Far Meadow

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

Amenities in the suburb

Berry Far Meadow
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 19 0
Parks & reserves 8 1
Childcare 4 0
GPs 3 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 1 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 21 1

Mobility

Far Meadow sits further from the CBD (153.3 km vs 147.3 km).

Berry Far Meadow
Walkability score 19/100 6/100
Distance to Sydney 147.3 km 153.3 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 123 min 130 min
Electric vehicle share 1.4%
postcode 2535
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2535
same for both

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.

Berry Far Meadow
Car (driver) 57.6% / 75.6%
Berry — Car (driver): 57.6% Far Meadow — Car (driver): 75.6%
Worked from Home 33.8% / 19.2%
Berry — Worked from Home: 33.8% Far Meadow — Worked from Home: 19.2%
Car (passenger) 3.2% / 5.1%
Berry — Car (passenger): 3.2% Far Meadow — Car (passenger): 5.1%
Walked Only 5.0% / —
Berry — Walked Only: 5.0% Far Meadow — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bicycle 0.4% / —
Berry — Bicycle: 0.4% Far Meadow — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.6%).

Setting

Berry Far Meadow
Elevation 50 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.2 km 4.9 km

NBN connectivity

Berry Far Meadow
Connectivity score 73/100 30/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 38%
1,794 premises
 0%
104 premises

Climate

Berry Far Meadow
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Berry Far Meadow
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.37 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Berry Far Meadow
Average residential rate $1,501/yr
same for both
Council Shoalhaven
same for both

Federal electorate

Berry Far Meadow
Division Gilmore
same for both
Member Fiona Phillips
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Berry Far Meadow
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Berry

Retirees Rural

Far Meadow

Premium Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Berry

Berry vs Shoalhaven Heads Berry vs Gerroa Berry vs Jaspers Brush Berry vs Coolangatta Berry vs Broughton Vale Berry vs Toolijooa

Other comparisons with Far Meadow

Far Meadow vs Jaspers Brush Far Meadow vs Coolangatta Far Meadow vs Back Forest
Full data on Berry Full data on Far Meadow
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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