Merimbula, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Merimbula NSW is 3,821 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Merimbula is $708 per week ($36,816 per year). Median rent in Merimbula is $310 per week ($1,343 per month). Merimbula has a median age of 54 years, older than the national median of 38. Merimbula has a population density of 212 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Merimbula is England. The most common religion is No religion (47.2% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Thai. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Merimbula is $1,517.

There were 67 recorded offences in Merimbula in 2025-26, a rate of 18 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (30 offences).

Population
3,821
Census 2021
Median income
$708/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$310/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
54years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

Merimbula vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Merimbula is $708 a week, 7% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,346th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $310 a week, $75 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 27.1% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 54, 11 years older than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureMerimbulaTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$708/wk$765/wk −7%$766/wk
Household income$1,146/wk$1,704/wk −33%$1,637/wk
Rent$310/wk$385/wk −19%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,517/mo$1,965/mo −23%$1,733/mo
Median age5443 +11 yrs42
Rent share of household income27.1%22.6% +4.5 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in Merimbula, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Merimbula Population

3,821 residents at the 2021 Census.

Merimbula Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$708/wk
$36,816 per year
Ranked 5,343 of 14,663
Median Rent
$310/wk
$1,343 per month
Ranked 4,328 of 14,663
Median Age
54years
16 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,517/mo
Avg household size: 2 · 0.7 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

Merimbula Rent Prices & Affordability

27% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: moderate.

Household income $1,146/wk
Median rent $310/wk
Rent to income 27.1%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in Merimbula against your income

About $4,966 a month
Median rent $310/wk
Left after rent $836/wk
Rent share 27.1%

Merimbula Schools

1
schools nearby
1
government
1001
avg ICSEA score
428
total students
Merimbula Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 428 students
1001
ICSEA

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near Merimbula, with a map

Merimbula Map

Merimbula, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

Merimbula, New South Wales: 36.8961°S, 149.9042°E

Merimbula Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (1)

People in Merimbula

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 46.7% (1,785) Female 53.3% (2,035)

Population Density

212
people per km²
3,821 people · 18.1 km²

Households

2
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$1,727
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
5.6%
New Zealand
1.2%
Netherlands
0.8%
Germany
0.7%
India
0.7%
Thailand
0.7%
South Africa
0.7%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Thai
0.6%
Nepali
0.4%
German
0.3%
Hindi
0.3%
Punjabi
0.3%
Italian
0.3%
Spanish
0.2%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

English
46.1%
Australian
35.3%
Irish
13.6%
Scottish
11.5%
German
4.6%
Italian
2.7%
Dutch
2.6%
Australian Aboriginal
2.0%
Chinese
1.0%
Welsh
0.9%
Polish
0.8%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
47.2%
Catholic
16.1%
Anglican
15.5%
Not stated
7.3%
Uniting Church
3.1%
Presbyterian and Reformed
2.3%
Christian (other)
1.7%
Buddhism
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

2.2%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
40.7% 1,372
Separated
3.5% 118
Divorced
14.8% 501
Widowed
9.8% 332
Never married
31.1% 1,051

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: no children
46.5%
Couple: children under 15
28.7%
Couple: no children under 15
9.6%
One parent: children under 15
8.6%
One parent: no children under 15
6.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
40.8%
2 persons
38.7%
3 persons
9.9%
4 persons
6.5%
5 persons
2.6%
6+ persons
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Merimbula

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,717 occupied private dwellings in Merimbula at the 2021 Census, 31.6% were rented, 40.8% owned outright and 22.2% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
3.7% 64 dwellings
Owned outright
40.8% 701 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
22.2% 382 dwellings
Rented
31.6% 542 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
1.6% 27 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
77.6%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
12.0%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
10.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
8.5%
2 bedrooms
31.4%
3 bedrooms
38.5%
4 bedrooms
16.3%
5 bedrooms
4.1%
6+ bedrooms
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
7.4%
$300-$449/mo
3.4%
$450-$599/mo
2.6%
$600-$799/mo
6.3%
$800-$999/mo
8.0%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
19.2%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
17.2%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
22.1%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
8.3%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
5.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
6.9%
1 vehicle
47.6%
2 vehicles
33.1%
3 vehicles
8.4%
4+ vehicles
4.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in Merimbula

Employment

Employed full-time
28.6% 873 people
Employed part-time
22.4% 684 people
Unemployed
2.1% 63 people
Not in labour force
46.9% 1,428 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Professionals
25.2%
Technicians & Trade Workers
17.2%
Community & Personal Service
14.1%
Managers
14.0%
Clerical & Administrative
10.0%
Sales Workers
9.7%
Labourers
6.4%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.4%
$1-$149/wk
1.3%
$150-$299/wk
1.7%
$300-$399/wk
3.5%
$400-$499/wk
10.1%
$500-$649/wk
9.2%
$650-$799/wk
8.5%
$800-$999/wk
8.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.1%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.2%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.3%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
6.4%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
9.8%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
5.7%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.3%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
1.6%
$4,000+/wk
5.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
6.0%
$1-$149/wk
4.2%
$150-$299/wk
5.0%
$300-$399/wk
5.2%
$400-$499/wk
6.1%
$500-$649/wk
6.3%
$650-$799/wk
11.6%
$800-$999/wk
13.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
14.0%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.4%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.6%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.7%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
6.3%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.9%
$3,500+/wk
2.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
71.2%
Did not go to work
13.3%
Walked only
7.1%
Car (passenger)
4.7%
Other
1.2%
Truck
0.9%
Bicycle
0.6%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.5%
Bus
0.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
54.5%
Year 10 or equivalent
26.6%
Year 11 or equivalent
12.3%
Year 9 or equivalent
6.6%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
39.0%
Bachelor Degree
26.3%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
19.7%
Postgraduate Degree
7.2%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
5.1%
Certificate I/II
2.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
16.0%
Health
15.2%
Society & Culture
13.7%
Engineering
13.2%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
10.7%
Architecture & Building
10.6%
Education
9.2%
Creative Arts
4.5%
Agriculture & Environment
3.4%
Natural & Physical Sciences
2.0%
Information Technology
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
31.4%
Secondary: Catholic
17.0%
Vocational Education
16.2%
Secondary: Government
14.3%
Pre-school
10.6%
Primary: Catholic
6.6%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
2.1%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
1.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
87.2%
Has need for assistance
6.8%
Need for assistance not stated
5.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
396
Arthritis
185
Heart disease
151
Asthma
130
Lung condition
117
Diabetes
115
Cancer
84
Kidney disease
74
Stroke
63
Dementia
25

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
12.1% 379
Did not provide
87.9% 2,757

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
22.0% 691
Not a volunteer
78.0% 2,455

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Reserves
0.1% 3
Previously served
4.2% 132
Never served
95.7% 3,019

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
29.1%
1 child
11.8%
2 children
33.6%
3 children
18.4%
4 children
6.0%
5+ children
1.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
32
1951: 1960
81
1961: 1970
114
1971: 1980
93
1981: 1990
69
1991: 2000
47
2001: 2010
80
2011: 2015
49
2016
9
2017
12
2018
8
2019
17
2020
8

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

18.4%
moved in the last year
49.8%
moved in the last 5 years
3.8%
unemployment rate (Census)
51.4%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
2,884
Moved: same area (SA2)
290
Moved from NSW
247
Moved from VIC
51
Moved from QLD
29
Moved from ACT
17
Moved from SA
10
Moved from TAS
5
Moved from WA
5
Moved from overseas
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
20.6%
5: 14 hours
32.6%
15: 29 hours
14.4%
30+ hours
8.6%
Did not do domestic work
23.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
80.3%
Step family: no other children
16.8%
Blended family: no other children
1.7%
Other couple: children only
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Merimbula Crime Statistics

67 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
30
Other Against Property
19
Assault
6
Sexual Offences
4
Other Against Person
4
Property Damage
4

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Berrigan
Income: $586/wk Rent: $173/wk $137/wk less rent
Mulwala
Income: $638/wk Rent: $270/wk $40/wk less rent
Eden
Income: $577/wk Rent: $270/wk $40/wk less rent
Corowa
Income: $634/wk Rent: $230/wk $80/wk less rent
Crookwell
Income: $639/wk Rent: $280/wk $30/wk less rent
Moruya
Income: $592/wk Rent: $300/wk $10/wk less rent
Dungog
Income: $582/wk Rent: $300/wk $10/wk less rent
Finley
Income: $636/wk Rent: $175/wk $135/wk less rent

Suburbs near Merimbula

The closest suburb to Merimbula is Tura Beach, 4.4 km away.

Tura Beach
4.4 km away · income $659/wk · rent $420/wk
Pambula
4.5 km away · income $507/wk · rent $313/wk
Eden
13.7 km away · income $577/wk · rent $270/wk

Compare Merimbula

Frequently Asked Questions About Merimbula

What is the population of Merimbula NSW?

The population of Merimbula NSW is 3,821 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 212 people per km². Merimbula is ranked #1,996 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Merimbula?

The median personal income in Merimbula NSW is $708 per week, or $36,816 per year. The median household income is $1,146 per week. Family income is $1,727 per week. Merimbula is ranked #5,343 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Merimbula?

Median rent in Merimbula NSW is $310 per week ($1,343 per month). Rent represents 27.1% of household income, which is considered moderate. Merimbula ranks #4,328 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Merimbula?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Merimbula NSW is $1,517. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Merimbula?

The median age in Merimbula NSW is 54 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Merimbula a good suburb to live in?

Merimbula is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 3,821. The median income is $708/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (27.1% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 12586. All dollar figures in AUD.