Berwick vs Harkaway

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Harkaway: a median of $1.32 million, against $910,000 in Berwick, though rent is higher in Berwick. On these figures, Berwick tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Harkaway suits couples.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Berwick has more childcare (35 vs 1)
  • Harkaway carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 68/100)

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

First-home buyers

Berwick

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($910,000 vs $1,322,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Berwick has a bigger rental market to choose from (23% vs 6%)
  • Harkaway leaves renters under less rental stress (13% vs 19%)

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

Commuting to the city

Berwick

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (91/100 vs 13/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (44 min vs 50 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Berwick

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (15 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (91/100 vs 13/100)
  • But Harkaway carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 68/100)

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

Investors

Harkaway

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (19.1% vs 5.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Berwick Harkaway
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.

Berwick Harkaway
Walkability 91 / 13
Berwick — Walkability: 91/100 Harkaway — Walkability: 13/100
Safety 32 / 66
Berwick — Safety: 32/100 Harkaway — Safety: 66/100
Low fire risk 34 / 23
Berwick — Low fire risk: 34/100 Harkaway — Low fire risk: 23/100
Low flood risk 46 / 65
Berwick — Low flood risk: 46/100 Harkaway — Low flood risk: 65/100

Demographics

Berwick has more residents (50,298 vs 1,011); Harkaway has higher household incomes ($145,860 vs $109,876).

Berwick Harkaway
Population 50,298
+98% vs other
 1,011
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.5% +19.1%
Median age 38 40
Median household income $109,876/yr $145,860/yr
+33% vs other
Median weekly rent $400/wk
+6% vs other
 $375/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Berwick Harkaway
0-4 5.5% / 4.6%
Berwick — 0-4: 5.5% Harkaway — 0-4: 4.6%
5-14 15.2% / 16.7%
Berwick — 5-14: 15.2% Harkaway — 5-14: 16.7%
15-19 7.2% / 7.9%
Berwick — 15-19: 7.2% Harkaway — 15-19: 7.9%
20-24 6.2% / 7.4%
Berwick — 20-24: 6.2% Harkaway — 20-24: 7.4%
25-34 10.8% / 7.3%
Berwick — 25-34: 10.8% Harkaway — 25-34: 7.3%
35-44 15.2% / 11.9%
Berwick — 35-44: 15.2% Harkaway — 35-44: 11.9%
45-54 14.8% / 16.0%
Berwick — 45-54: 14.8% Harkaway — 45-54: 16.0%
55-64 10.9% / 13.7%
Berwick — 55-64: 10.9% Harkaway — 55-64: 13.7%
65-74 7.4% / 9.2%
Berwick — 65-74: 7.4% Harkaway — 65-74: 9.2%
75-84 4.8% / 4.7%
Berwick — 75-84: 4.8% Harkaway — 75-84: 4.7%
85+ 2.0% / 1.0%
Berwick — 85+: 2.0% Harkaway — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Berwick 59.6% couple families
Berwick — Couple Families: 59.6% Berwick — Lone Person: 22.6% Berwick — One Parent Families: 14.6% Berwick — Group Household: 2.3% Berwick — Other Families: 0.9%
Harkaway 72.4% couple families
Harkaway — Couple Families: 72.4% Harkaway — Lone Person: 13.1% Harkaway — One Parent Families: 13.1% Harkaway — Group Household: 1.4% Harkaway — 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.

Berwick 22.7% renting
Berwick — Owned Outright: 29.5% Berwick — Mortgage: 47.8% Berwick — Renting: 22.7%
Harkaway 6.3% renting
Harkaway — Owned Outright: 47.9% Harkaway — Mortgage: 45.8% Harkaway — Renting: 6.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Berwick Harkaway
Bachelor Degree 13.8% / 15.0%
Berwick — Bachelor Degree: 13.8% Harkaway — Bachelor Degree: 15.0%
Certificate III & IV 12.6% / 13.6%
Berwick — Certificate III & IV: 12.6% Harkaway — Certificate III & IV: 13.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.0% / 8.7%
Berwick — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0% Harkaway — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7%
Postgraduate Degree 5.4% / 4.2%
Berwick — Postgraduate Degree: 5.4% Harkaway — Postgraduate Degree: 4.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.0% / 2.4%
Berwick — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0% Harkaway — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.0%).

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.

Berwick Harkaway
England 3.7% / 3.6%
Berwick — England: 3.7% Harkaway — England: 3.6%
India 6.1% / 0.7%
Berwick — India: 6.1% Harkaway — India: 0.7%
Sri Lanka 3.9% / —
Berwick — Sri Lanka: 3.9% Harkaway — Sri Lanka: not among its largest
China 2.9% / 0.7%
Berwick — China: 2.9% Harkaway — China: 0.7%
South Africa 1.1% / 0.9%
Berwick — South Africa: 1.1% Harkaway — South Africa: 0.9%
Afghanistan 0.8% / 0.9%
Berwick — Afghanistan: 0.8% Harkaway — Afghanistan: 0.9%
New Zealand 1.7% / —
Berwick — New Zealand: 1.7% Harkaway — New Zealand: not among its largest
Singapore — / 0.8%
Berwick — Singapore: not among its largest Harkaway — Singapore: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Berwick 89.0% houses
Berwick — Houses: 89.0% Berwick — Townhouses: 10.5% Berwick — Flats / Apartments: 0.4%
Harkaway 100.3% houses
Harkaway — Houses: 100.3% Harkaway — Townhouses: 0.0% Harkaway — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Berwick Harkaway
Median house price $910,000 $1,322,500
Median unit price $671,000 —
Median land price $860,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 29 days
from 708 sales
 70 days
from 4 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Berwick Harkaway
3 bed $800K / $1.12M
Berwick — 3 bed: $800K (439 sales) Harkaway — 3 bed: $1.12M (9 sales)

439 vs 9 sales

5 bed $1.27M / $2.85M
Berwick — 5 bed: $1.27M (111 sales) Harkaway — 5 bed: $2.85M (5 sales)

111 vs 5 sales

Zoning mix

Harkaway has more rural and farming land (93% vs 9%).

Berwick Harkaway
Rural and farming 9% 93%
Residential 68% 4%
Parks and recreation 9% 1%
Infrastructure and transport 9% 2%
Other and special use 3% 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

Berwick Harkaway
New dwellings approved 3,412
across Casey
same for both
Approvals change year on year -15%
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.

Berwick Harkaway
Houses 3.5%
$635/wk on $945K
 —
Units 3.9%
$510/wk on $682K
 —

Ranking within VIC

Berwick Harkaway
House price Higher than 63% of VIC —
Income Higher than 82% of VIC Higher than 98% of VIC
Schools Higher than 63% of VIC —
Walkability Higher than 97% of VIC Higher than 75% of VIC
Affordability Higher than 65% of VIC —
EV adoption Higher than 92% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 85% of VIC Higher than 72% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 36% of VIC —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 7% of VIC —

Liveability

Berwick is more walkable (91 vs 13).

Berwick Harkaway
Grade B
same for both
Score 55/100 56/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

Berwick carries more crime risk (68 vs 34); Berwick carries more flood risk (54 vs 35).

Berwick Harkaway
Bushfire Moderate
66/100
 High
77/100
Crime Moderate
68/100
 Low
34/100
Flood Moderate
54/100
 Low
35/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Berwick Harkaway
Inside the suburb 17 1
Rated above peers 5 0
Rated at peers 7 0
Rated below peers 0 1
Universities within 10 km 1
Federation University Berwick, 0.0 km
 1
Federation University Berwick, 5.2 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.7% 2.9%

Schools in Berwick

  • Berwick Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Brentwood Park Primary School Government · Primary above peers
  • Kambrya College Government · Secondary above peers
  • Nossal High School Government · Secondary above peers
  • St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar Independent · Combined above peers
  • Berwick Chase Primary School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Harkaway

  • Harkaway Primary School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Berwick Harkaway
Supermarkets 6 0
Cafes & restaurants 31 0
Parks & reserves 70 4
Childcare 35 1
GPs 15 0
Pharmacies 7 0
Hospitals 2 0
Banks & Bank@Post 5 1
Fuel stations 4 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 19 6

Mobility

Berwick Harkaway
Walkability score 91/100 13/100
Distance to Melbourne 46.9 km
same for both
Drive time (normal traffic) 44 min 50 min
Electric vehicle share 1.8%
postcode 3806
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 50
postcode 3806
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.

Berwick Harkaway
Car (driver) 63.1% / 63.5%
Berwick — Car (driver): 63.1% Harkaway — Car (driver): 63.5%
Worked from Home 29.0% / 29.3%
Berwick — Worked from Home: 29.0% Harkaway — Worked from Home: 29.3%
Car (passenger) 4.3% / 4.7%
Berwick — Car (passenger): 4.3% Harkaway — Car (passenger): 4.7%
Train 2.4% / 1.1%
Berwick — Train: 2.4% Harkaway — Train: 1.1%
Walked Only 0.7% / 0.6%
Berwick — Walked Only: 0.7% Harkaway — Walked Only: 0.6%
Bus 0.3% / 0.9%
Berwick — Bus: 0.3% Harkaway — Bus: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (63.5%).

Setting

Berwick Harkaway
Elevation 60 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 199 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 19.4 km 22.6 km

NBN connectivity

Berwick Harkaway
Connectivity score 76/100 34/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 53%
19,113 premises
 7%
269 premises

Climate

Berwick Harkaway
Annual rainfall 781 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Berwick Harkaway
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 20.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.98 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Berwick Harkaway
Average residential rate $1,767/yr
same for both
Council Casey
same for both

Federal electorate

Berwick Harkaway
Division Bruce
same for both
Member Julian Hill
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Berwick Harkaway
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Berwick

Large Blocks Outer Parks Village Feel

Harkaway

Acreage Outer Premium

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Berwick

Berwick vs Clyde North Berwick vs Narre Warren South Berwick vs Narre Warren Berwick vs Cranbourne North Berwick vs Officer Berwick vs Narre Warren North

Other comparisons with Harkaway

Harkaway vs Narre Warren North Harkaway vs Beaconsfield Upper Harkaway vs Narre Warren East Harkaway vs Guys Hill
Full data on Berwick Full data on Harkaway
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or