Merriwa
Overseas-born residents account for 36.5% of Merriwa's population, 14.9 percentage points above the national figure, adding a strong migrant dimension to an established northern corridor suburb. The area has 5,587 residents across 2.29 square kilometres, producing a high density of 2,437.6 people per square kilometre. Housing is firmly mortgage-belt oriented, with 42.7% of households paying a mortgage and 76.0% living in separate houses. Compared with newer growth pockets around Butler and Clarkson, Merriwa has an older median age of 40 and a more settled household profile. Household income sits at the 27.9th percentile, which helps explain the suburb's focus on practical, family-sized housing.
Population
5,587
Median Age
40.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$1,255/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
0
Merriwa suits buyers seeking established, family-sized housing rather than apartment stock. Separate houses account for 76.0% of dwellings, while 50.8% contain four or more bedrooms and 34.7% contain three bedrooms. A monthly mortgage benchmark of $1,500 sits alongside a weekly rent of $330, while mortgage costs equal 27.6% of household income and are not flagged as stressed. Compared with the 24.5% renter share, the 42.7% mortgage share points to a strong owner-occupier base. Buyers should compare individual sales carefully because a current suburb-wide median house price is not available.
For Buyers
Merriwa suits buyers seeking established, family-sized housing rather than apartment stock. Separate houses account for 76.0% of dwellings, while 50.8% contain four or more bedrooms and 34.7% contain three bedrooms. A monthly mortgage benchmark of $1,500 sits alongside a weekly rent of $330, while mortgage costs equal 27.6% of household income and are not flagged as stressed. Compared with the 24.5% renter share, the 42.7% mortgage share points to a strong owner-occupier base. Buyers should compare individual sales carefully because a current suburb-wide median house price is not available.
For Investors
Merriwa presents a mixed investment picture. Weekly rent is $330, the rental share is 24.5%, and vacancy is 8.0%, so leasing conditions may be less competitive than in a tighter market. The suburb has 76.0% separate houses and 23.7% semi-detached dwellings, creating a practical family rental profile, while 50.8% of homes have four or more bedrooms. Compared with the 42.7% mortgage share, the renter base is smaller, which can reduce depth of tenant demand. No new development activity was recorded over 12 months. The broader forecast points to 2.2% annual growth driven by overseas migration, but rent growth is currently -2.9%, so investors should prioritise property condition, tenant appeal and purchase price.
Schools in Merriwa
Open-register school locations for education access. This is not a school-quality ranking.
MERRIWA EDUCATION SUPPORT CENTRE
ALKIMOS BAPTIST COLLEGE
MERRIWA PRIMARY SCHOOL
Demographics
Merriwa's median age is 40, exactly matching the national comparison, but its education profile is lower: 13.3% of residents hold university qualifications, 16.8 percentage points below the national figure. The overseas-born share is 36.5%, 14.9 points above national levels, helping explain the presence of Afrikaans, Italian and Khmer among recorded household languages. English ancestry is the largest response at 2,458 people, followed by Other at 625, Scottish at 484 and Irish at 479. No religion is recorded for 2,538 residents, compared with 2,321 identifying with Christianity. Compared with newer Butler and Clarkson, Merriwa's age profile and 2.5-person average household size reflect a more established community structure.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
76.0%
Houses
23.7%
Townhouse
0.3%
Apartment
Tenure
Merriwa has a distinctly detached housing form. Separate houses make up 76.0% of dwellings, semi-detached homes 23.7% and apartments just 0.3%. The bedroom mix is also family-oriented, with 50.8% of homes containing four or more bedrooms and 34.7% containing three. Tenure is split between 42.7% paying a mortgage, 15.9% owning outright, 24.5% renting and 16.9% in other tenure categories. Compared with apartment-oriented options around larger centres such as Clarkson and Butler, Merriwa offers a more house-led market. Mortgage costs represent 27.6% of household income, while rent represents 26.3%, and neither measure is flagged as stressed. Household income is at the 27.9th percentile, reinforcing the importance of value and ongoing costs.
Mortgage / mo
$1,500
Rent / wkiABS Census 2021 median across all dwelling types. Current market rents are typically higher.
$330
Census 2021
HH Size
2.5
Personal Income / wk
$636
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
8.0%
Unoccupied
178
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
26.3%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
27.6%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
35.7%
Couples with children
37.9%
Couples, no children
24.5%
Single parent
1,445
Total families
Economy & Employment
Healthcare is Merriwa's largest employment industry at 17.5%, or 213 workers, followed by construction at 13.0% and 158 workers, education at 10.6% and 129, retail at 8.9% and 108, and mining at 6.7% and 82. The occupational mix is practical, led by trades at 383 people, labourers at 327 and community or personal services at 295. Labour-force participation is 50.7%, with 2,277 people in the labour force and an unemployment rate of 8.5%; 1,235 workers are full time and 716 part time. These industries and occupations support a commuter and service-based economy because employment is concentrated in care, construction, education and hands-on roles. SEIFA results are uneven: IEO and IRSD are both in decile 3, IRSAD is decile 3, while IER reaches decile 5, indicating disadvantage below the national midpoint but more moderate resource outcomes.
Unemployment
8.5%
Labour Force
2,277
Unemployed
193
Source: ABS Census 2021
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
59.3%
Part-time
34.4%
Participation
50.7%
Employed
2,084
Full-time and part-time are shares of the employed. Source: ABS Census 2021
Occupations
Top Industries
University
13.3%
Postgraduate
2.1%
Born Overseas
36.5%
Dwellings
2,041
Transport to Work
Merriwa is strongly car dependent: 79.9% of residents drive, compared with 4.9% using public transport, 2.0% walking or cycling and 6.3% working from home. That pattern makes access to daily services and regional connections more important than walkability. Three local schools span a government education support centre, a government primary school and a non-government college; families should check enrolment zones against the exact address. Safety decisions should use current WA Police information for the relevant streets, as the median age of 40 and car-driver share of 79.9% do not indicate crime conditions. Compared with the IER decile 5 result, Merriwa's IRSAD and IRSD scores both sit in decile 3, so household resources and disadvantage remain important livability considerations.
Drive
79.9%
Public Transport
4.9%
Walk / Cycle
2.0%
Work from Home
6.3%
Population Forecast
+2.2%/yr
(+571 people/yr)
EstablishedMerriwa's annual growth trend is 2.2%, higher than its -2.9% rent growth, suggesting population momentum has not yet translated into stronger rents. Overseas migration is the primary growth driver, while the wider area's population change is 23.2% over ten years. The shift trajectory is labelled Declining young, with the young share down 5.3 percentage points and the senior share up 2.8 points, indicating an ageing household profile. Affordability improved from 55.5 in 2011 to 46.6 in 2021, although real income growth was -5.9%. The gentrification score is 20 and the stage is Early signs, pointing to gradual change rather than a completed transformation. Growth should therefore be read alongside demographic ageing and subdued rent performance.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+352
Net Internal / yr
-130
Gentrification Signal
Early signs
Population +29% since 2011, Net internal outflow -130/yr, Strong overseas inflow +352/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How Merriwa compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Merriwa a good suburb to live in?
Merriwa can suit households wanting established, family-sized housing, with 76.0% separate houses and 50.8% of homes containing four or more bedrooms. Compared with apartment-oriented areas, it is more car dependent, with 79.9% driving, so buyers should value access to services and transport links.
What is the median house price in Merriwa?
A current median house price cannot be stated reliably for Merriwa. The housing profile is still clear: 76.0% of dwellings are separate houses, 50.8% have four or more bedrooms and a monthly mortgage benchmark is $1,500. Compare recent sales by land size, condition and bedroom count.
What schools are in Merriwa?
Merriwa has 3 local school listings covering a government education support centre, a government primary school and a non-government college. Families should check the exact enrolment zone and travel route because school access can differ between streets and nearby suburbs.
Is Merriwa safe?
There is not enough local crime information to give a confident yes or no. Merriwa has a median age of 40 and 79.9% of residents drive, but those figures are not safety measures. Check current WA Police incident information for the exact address and compare nearby streets before deciding.
Is Merriwa good for property investment?
Merriwa may suit investors seeking family-oriented rental stock, with weekly rent at $330, 24.5% renting and 50.8% of homes offering four or more bedrooms. Compared with a tighter rental market, the 8.0% vacancy rate may require sharper pricing. Growth is forecast at 2.2% annually, driven by overseas migration.
How is Merriwa's population changing?
Merriwa has 5,587 residents today, while population change across the wider area is 23.2% over ten years and the annual growth trend is 2.2%. Overseas migration is the main driver, but the trajectory is Declining young, with the young share down 5.3 percentage points and the senior share up 2.8 points.
What languages are spoken in Merriwa?
Merriwa has an overseas-born share of 36.5%, above the national comparison by 14.9 percentage points. Recorded languages include Afrikaans, spoken by 25 people, Italian by 12 and Khmer by 11. English ancestry remains the largest ancestry response at 2,458 people.
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 education open registers (school locations), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
Explore Merriwa on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map