Berry Park vs Thornton

Thornton is the younger of the two, with a median age of 32 against 61 in Berry Park. In both, most households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Berry Park tends to suit people living alone and older residents, while Thornton suits young adults and families with children.

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

Thornton

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (9 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (3 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • But Berry Park carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 72/100)

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

First-home buyers

Thornton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (20% vs 45%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Thornton

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (35% vs 22%)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (20% vs 27%)
  • But Berry Park has cheaper rent ($307/wk vs $400/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Thornton

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (68/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (115 min vs 126 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (155.7 km vs 161.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Berry Park

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (40% vs 10%)
  • carries lower crime risk (26/100 vs 72/100)
  • But Thornton is more walkable (68/100 vs 0/100)

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

Investors

Berry Park

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (43.3% vs 32.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Berry Park and Thornton 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 Park Thornton
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 Park Thornton
Walkability 0 / 68
Berry Park — Walkability: 0/100 Thornton — Walkability: 68/100
Safety 74 / 28
Berry Park — Safety: 74/100 Thornton — Safety: 28/100
Low fire risk 100 / 80
Berry Park — Low fire risk: 100/100 Thornton — Low fire risk: 80/100

Demographics

Thornton has more residents (10,690 vs 182); Berry Park skews older (61 vs 32).

Berry Park Thornton
Population 182 10,690
+5774% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +43.3% +32.6%
Median age 61 32
Median household income $58,500/yr $106,652/yr
+82% vs other
Median weekly rent $307/wk $400/wk
+30% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Berry Park Thornton
0-4 3.3% / 7.7%
Berry Park — 0-4: 3.3% Thornton — 0-4: 7.7%
5-14 3.3% / 13.9%
Berry Park — 5-14: 3.3% Thornton — 5-14: 13.9%
15-19 2.7% / 6.3%
Berry Park — 15-19: 2.7% Thornton — 15-19: 6.3%
20-24 2.7% / 8.0%
Berry Park — 20-24: 2.7% Thornton — 20-24: 8.0%
25-34 7.7% / 17.7%
Berry Park — 25-34: 7.7% Thornton — 25-34: 17.7%
35-44 5.5% / 13.0%
Berry Park — 35-44: 5.5% Thornton — 35-44: 13.0%
45-54 10.4% / 12.0%
Berry Park — 45-54: 10.4% Thornton — 45-54: 12.0%
55-64 18.1% / 11.0%
Berry Park — 55-64: 18.1% Thornton — 55-64: 11.0%
65-74 20.9% / 6.9%
Berry Park — 65-74: 20.9% Thornton — 65-74: 6.9%
75-84 16.5% / 2.7%
Berry Park — 75-84: 16.5% Thornton — 75-84: 2.7%
85+ 2.2% / 0.6%
Berry Park — 85+: 2.2% Thornton — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Berry Park 50.0% couple families
Berry Park — Couple Families: 50.0% Berry Park — Lone Person: 38.9% Berry Park — One Parent Families: 11.1% Berry Park — Group Household: 0.0% Berry Park — Other Families: 0.0%
Thornton 54.6% couple families
Thornton — Couple Families: 54.6% Thornton — Lone Person: 20.9% Thornton — One Parent Families: 18.5% Thornton — Group Household: 4.6% Thornton — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Berry Park 22.2% renting
Berry Park — Owned Outright: 57.1% Berry Park — Mortgage: 20.6% Berry Park — Renting: 22.2%
Thornton 34.7% renting
Thornton — Owned Outright: 24.0% Thornton — Mortgage: 41.3% Thornton — Renting: 34.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Berry Park Thornton
Certificate III & IV 22.5% / 21.2%
Berry Park — Certificate III & IV: 22.5% Thornton — Certificate III & IV: 21.2%
Bachelor Degree 14.3% / 8.5%
Berry Park — Bachelor Degree: 14.3% Thornton — Bachelor Degree: 8.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.4% / 7.3%
Berry Park — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.4% Thornton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.3%
Postgraduate Degree 3.3% / 1.9%
Berry Park — Postgraduate Degree: 3.3% Thornton — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.2% / 1.1%
Berry Park — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.2% Thornton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.5%).

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 Park Thornton
England 1.6% / 1.8%
Berry Park — England: 1.6% Thornton — England: 1.8%
Ireland 2.7% / —
Berry Park — Ireland: 2.7% Thornton — Ireland: not among its largest
Germany 1.6% / —
Berry Park — Germany: 1.6% Thornton — Germany: not among its largest
New Zealand — / 1.1%
Berry Park — New Zealand: not among its largest Thornton — New Zealand: 1.1%
India — / 0.8%
Berry Park — India: not among its largest Thornton — India: 0.8%
Philippines — / 0.6%
Berry Park — Philippines: not among its largest Thornton — Philippines: 0.6%
South Africa — / 0.6%
Berry Park — South Africa: not among its largest Thornton — South Africa: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Berry Park 100.0% houses
Berry Park — Houses: 100.0% Berry Park — Townhouses: 0.0% Berry Park — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Thornton 92.8% houses
Thornton — Houses: 92.8% Thornton — Townhouses: 6.2% Thornton — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Berry Park Thornton
Median house price — $860,000
Median unit price — $637,500
Median land price — $760,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 22 days
from 146 sales

Zoning mix

Berry Park has more rural and farming land (94% vs 24%); Thornton has more land zoned for conservation (37% vs 6%).

Berry Park Thornton
Rural and farming 94% 24%
Environmental 6% 37%
Residential 0% 25%
Industrial 0% 9%
Parks and recreation 0% 2%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 2%
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 Park Thornton
New dwellings approved 1,413
across Maitland
same for both
Approvals change year on year +20%
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 Park Thornton
Houses — 4.2%
$660/wk on $822K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Berry Park Thornton
House price — Higher than 36% of NSW
Income Higher than 20% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 43% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
Affordability — Higher than 81% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 57% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 91% of NSW Higher than 92% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 81% of NSW

Liveability

Thornton is more walkable (68 vs 0).

Berry Park Thornton
Grade — C
Score — 47/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10
same for both

Risk profile

Thornton carries more bushfire risk (20 vs 0); Thornton carries more crime risk (72 vs 26).

Berry Park Thornton
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
20/100
Crime Low
26/100
 High
72/100
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
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Berry Park Thornton
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Berry Park

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

Schools in Thornton

  • Thornton Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • Aspect Hunter School Independent · Combined · Special school below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Berry Park Thornton
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 3
Parks & reserves 0 3
Childcare 0 9
Pharmacies 0 2
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 0 3
Waterways 0 9

Mobility

Berry Park sits further from the CBD (161.5 km vs 155.7 km).

Berry Park Thornton
Walkability score 0/100 68/100
Distance to Sydney 161.5 km
+4% vs other
 155.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 126 min 115 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2321
 0.7%
postcode 2322
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 69
postcode 2321
 64
postcode 2322

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 Park Thornton
Car (driver) 68.9% / 72.6%
Berry Park — Car (driver): 68.9% Thornton — Car (driver): 72.6%
Worked from Home 31.1% / 20.6%
Berry Park — Worked from Home: 31.1% Thornton — Worked from Home: 20.6%
Car (passenger) — / 4.6%
Berry Park — Car (passenger): not among its largest Thornton — Car (passenger): 4.6%
Train — / 0.9%
Berry Park — Train: not among its largest Thornton — Train: 0.9%
Walked Only — / 0.9%
Berry Park — Walked Only: not among its largest Thornton — Walked Only: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (72.6%).

Setting

Berry Park Thornton
Elevation 3 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 11 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 14.8 km 14.4 km

NBN connectivity

Berry Park Thornton
Connectivity score 82/100 84/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 74%
220 premises
 70%
4,838 premises

Climate

Berry Park Thornton
Annual rainfall 996 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 7.1°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Berry Park Thornton
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.72 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Berry Park Thornton
Average residential rate $1,908/yr
same for both
Council Maitland
same for both

Federal electorate

Berry Park Thornton
Division Paterson
same for both
Member Meryl Swanson
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Berry Park

Retirees Rural

Thornton

Large Blocks Regional Centre

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Berry Park

Berry Park vs Chisholm Berry Park vs Morpeth Berry Park vs Hinton Berry Park vs Millers Forest Berry Park vs Duckenfield

Other comparisons with Thornton

Thornton vs East Maitland Thornton vs Metford Thornton vs Ashtonfield Thornton vs Chisholm Thornton vs Beresfield Thornton vs Woodberry
Full data on Berry Park Full data on Thornton
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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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