Merredin
A $275,000 median house price and a 19.2% vacancy rate define Merredin's dual identity as one of Western Australia's more affordable regional towns and one with real supply-demand tension. Located in the WA Wheatbelt roughly 260 km east of Perth, the town of 2,604 people has a SEIFA disadvantage decile of 4, below the national median, while household income sits at the 39.9th percentile nationally. What makes Merredin distinctive is how cheap entry is compared to the WA state median: rent at $220 a week and a mortgage-to-income ratio of just 17.8% leave most households well below the financial stress threshold that applies to the average Australian borrower.
Population
2,604
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,396/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Median House
$275K
Estimated from rent (2025)
At $275,000, the median house price is far below the WA state median, making entry accessible for buyers priced out of Perth. Mortgage repayments average $1,074 a month, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 17.8%, well below the 30% stress threshold that many metropolitan buyers exceed. Separate houses dominate at 94.5% of dwellings, which means genuine house-and-land purchases are the norm rather than a premium. Three-bedroom homes account for 49.1% of stock and four-plus bedroom dwellings a further 31.8%, making the market well suited to families. Outright ownership (32.5%) roughly mirrors the mortgage-holder share (33.7%), pointing to a mature community with significant paid-off housing stock rather than a churn of new entrants.
For Buyers
At $275,000, the median house price is far below the WA state median, making entry accessible for buyers priced out of Perth. Mortgage repayments average $1,074 a month, and the mortgage-to-income ratio sits at 17.8%, well below the 30% stress threshold that many metropolitan buyers exceed. Separate houses dominate at 94.5% of dwellings, which means genuine house-and-land purchases are the norm rather than a premium. Three-bedroom homes account for 49.1% of stock and four-plus bedroom dwellings a further 31.8%, making the market well suited to families. Outright ownership (32.5%) roughly mirrors the mortgage-holder share (33.7%), pointing to a mature community with significant paid-off housing stock rather than a churn of new entrants.
For Investors
Merredin's investment case is yield-led rather than growth-driven. Weekly rent of $220 against a $275,000 median implies a gross yield around 4.2%, higher than most Perth suburbs can offer. The challenge is the 19.2% vacancy rate, which is elevated and suggests more supply than active tenant demand at any given time. Net overseas migration averages plus 53 people a year, which offsets an internal outflow of minus 16, but the resulting population trend is a slow decline of minus 0.11% annually. Rent growth over the period reached 53.8%, well above income growth of 14.5% in real terms, meaning landlords who held through the cycle captured strong rent escalation even as population drifted lower. New development is essentially absent at 0 applications in 12 months, so future supply is not a risk.
Schools in Merredin iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
St Mary's School
PP-6 · 118 students
Merredin College
K-12 · 542 students
Demographics
The median age of 40 matches the national figure precisely, though the trajectory is aging: the senior share rose 6.5 points and the young-adult share fell 2.9 points over the decade, pointing to structural outflow of younger residents. Overseas-born residents make up 13.6% of the population, which is 8.0 points below the national figure, reflecting a predominantly locally-rooted community. Ancestry is led by English (1,058 residents), followed by Scottish (235) and Irish (198). University qualifications reach only 15.5%, which is 14.6 points below the national average, consistent with the economy's reliance on trade, agricultural, and community-services roles rather than knowledge-intensive industries. Average household size is 2.3, slightly below the national average.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
94.5%
Houses
4.4%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Tenure splits almost evenly across three groups: 32.5% own outright, 33.7% carry a mortgage and 33.8% rent, an unusually balanced distribution. The dominance of separate houses at 94.5% of dwellings means stock variety is low, with semi-detached at 4.4% and apartments at just 0.3%. Three-bedroom homes are the plurality at 49.1% and four-plus bedroom dwellings account for 31.8%, making this a family-scale market by structure. Rent-to-income sits at 15.8%, comfortably below the 30% stress threshold, and mortgage-to-income at 17.8% is similarly affordable compared to most Australian towns. The median house price of $275,000 reflects genuine affordability rather than a distressed market, with the price estimated from 2025 rent data.
Mortgage / mo
$1,074
Rent / wk
$220
HH Size
2.3
Personal Income / wk
$756
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
19.2%
Unoccupied
233
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
15.8%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
17.8%
Community Profile
Ancestry
Household Composition
31.6%
Couples, no children
1,749
Total families
Economy & Employment
Education is the largest employing sector at 14.8% of the local workforce (97 workers), followed closely by Healthcare at 13.8% (90 workers) and Public Administration at 7.8% (51 workers), a pattern typical of regional service hubs. The top occupations are Machinery and Drivers (149 workers) and Managers (148), with Professionals (141) and Community and Personal roles (140) close behind, showing a mix of manual, management and care-sector employment. The unemployment rate of 4.6% is close to national norms. SEIFA scores place Merredin at decile 4 on both IRSD and IRSAD, below the national median, though the IER score of decile 4 indicates modest but not extreme resource constraints. Real income growth of 14.5% over the decade is positive but modest compared to faster-growing urban centres.
Unemployment
2.8%
Labour Force
2,862
Unemployed
81
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
66.1%
Part-time
29.3%
Participation
54.2%
Employed
1,088
Occupations
Top Industries
University
15.5%
Postgraduate
3.2%
Born Overseas
13.6%
Dwellings
981
Transport to Work
Car dependence is high at 85.6% of commuters driving, while public transport accounts for just 1.0%, both consistent with a remote regional town rather than a transit-connected area. Walking and cycling at 8.4% is above what might be expected and reflects the compact settlement within a 249.85 km2 local area boundary. No schools are recorded in the suburb dataset, though Merredin has educational facilities that the broader local government area includes. The IRSAD decile of 4 places Merredin below the national median on relative advantage and disadvantage, meaning residents face above-average levels of disadvantage on aggregate measures. Volunteering is notably high at 23.3%, well above typical metropolitan rates, indicating strong community engagement. Housing stress is low: rent-to-income at 15.8% and mortgage-to-income at 17.8% both sit comfortably below the 30% stress marker.
Drive
85.6%
Public Transport
1.0%
Walk / Cycle
8.4%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
-0.11%/yr
(-6 people/yr)
EstablishedPopulation has trended downward at minus 0.11% a year, with a 10-year decline of 3.5%. The medium forecast holds the broader SA2 area at around 5,114 to 5,143 people through 2031, essentially flat. Internal migration runs at a net minus 16 per year, the common pattern for regional WA towns that lose residents to Perth. Overseas migration adds a net 53 people annually, preventing steeper decline. The gentrification score of 38 reflects early signs rather than any active upgrading of the housing stock or resident profile, so capital growth from gentrification is not a realistic near-term driver. Affordability as a share of income edged from 23.0% in 2011 to 25.1% in 2021, a gradual worsening trend despite the low nominal price.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+53
Net Internal / yr
-16
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Merredin compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Merredin a good suburb to live in?
Merredin suits buyers and families who prioritise affordability over urban amenity. The median house price is $275,000, far below the WA state median, and housing costs are low: mortgage-to-income at 17.8% and rent-to-income at 15.8% are both well below the 30% stress threshold. The SEIFA disadvantage decile of 4 indicates below-average advantage by national standards, but volunteering at 23.3% reflects a strongly engaged local community.
What is the median house price in Merredin?
The median house price in Merredin is $275,000 (estimated from 2025 rent data). Weekly rent averages $220 and monthly mortgage repayments run about $1,074. The mortgage-to-income ratio of 17.8% is well below the 30% stress threshold, making Merredin one of WA's more financially accessible regional markets.
What schools are in Merredin?
No schools are recorded within the Merredin suburb boundary in this dataset. Merredin is a regional service centre that includes educational facilities in the broader local government area. The local university qualification rate is 15.5%, which is 14.6 points below the national figure, reflecting the trade and services character of the local economy.
Is Merredin safe?
Detailed crime rate data is not available for Merredin in this dataset. As an indirect indicator, the suburb scores decile 4 on the IRSD index of relative disadvantage, below the national median, meaning some above-average socioeconomic pressures exist. The volunteering rate of 23.3% and a balanced community structure with 2,604 residents suggest a functional and engaged town.
Is Merredin good for property investment?
The yield case is reasonable: weekly rent of $220 against a $275,000 median implies a gross yield near 4.2%, higher than most Perth suburbs. Rent grew 53.8% over the period. The risk factor is the 19.2% vacancy rate, which points to intermittent tenant demand. Population is declining at minus 0.11% annually, so capital growth depends on affordability-driven demand rather than population-driven scarcity.
How is Merredin's population changing?
Merredin's population has declined 3.5% over the past decade, with an annual trend of minus 0.11% or about 6 fewer residents a year. Internal migration runs at a net minus 16 per year, offset partially by overseas arrivals averaging plus 53. Medium forecasts hold the broader area at around 5,114 to 5,143 people through 2031, suggesting slow but continuing modest decline.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
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