Merriwa, NSW: suburb profile

The population of Merriwa NSW is 1,825 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in Merriwa is $593 per week ($30,836 per year). Median rent in Merriwa is $245 per week ($1,062 per month). Merriwa has a median age of 45 years, older than the national median of 38. Merriwa has a population density of 1.0 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in Merriwa is England. The most common religion is Anglican (31.1% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Nepali. The median monthly mortgage repayment in Merriwa is $1,235.

There were 42 recorded offences in Merriwa in 2025-26, a rate of 23 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was other against person (10 offences).

Population
1,825
Census 2021
Median income
$593/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$245/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
45years
Census 2021

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

Merriwa vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in Merriwa is $593 a week, 22% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,780th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $245 a week, $140 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 20.3% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 45, 2 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.
MeasureMerriwaTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$593/wk$765/wk −22%$766/wk
Household income$1,208/wk$1,704/wk −29%$1,637/wk
Rent$245/wk$385/wk −36%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,235/mo$1,965/mo −37%$1,733/mo
Median age4543 +2 yrs42
Rent share of household income20.3%22.6% −2.3 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 Merriwa, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

Merriwa Population

1,825 residents at the 2021 Census.

Merriwa Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$593/wk
$30,836 per year
Ranked 7,193 of 14,663
Median Rent
$245/wk
$1,062 per month
Ranked 6,551 of 14,663
Median Age
45years
7 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,235/mo
Avg household size: 2.4 · 0.7 per bedroom

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

Merriwa Rent Prices & Affordability

20% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $1,208/wk
Median rent $245/wk
Rent to income 20.3%

Rent is under 25% of household income, generally considered affordable.

Median rent in Merriwa against your income

About $5,235 a month
Median rent $245/wk
Left after rent $963/wk
Rent share 20.3%

Merriwa Map

Merriwa, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
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People in Merriwa

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 48.7% (887) Female 51.3% (936)

Population Density

1.0
people per km²
1,825 people · 1900.6 km²

Households

2.4
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$1,471
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
1.5%
New Zealand
1.2%
Nepal
0.5%
Philippines
0.4%
Vietnam
0.4%
India
0.3%
Scotland
0.3%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Nepali
0.3%
Other Indo-Aryan languages
0.3%
Bengali
0.2%
Tamil
0.2%
German
0.2%
Vietnamese
0.2%
Afrikaans
0.0%

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

Ancestry

Australian
46.7%
English
39.5%
Irish
11.1%
Scottish
10.2%
Australian Aboriginal
6.4%
German
3.6%
Italian
1.6%
Dutch
0.8%
Filipino
0.6%
Welsh
0.6%
Vietnamese
0.5%

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

Anglican
31.1%
Catholic
26.8%
No religion
19.5%
Not stated
10.3%
Uniting Church
3.9%
Presbyterian and Reformed
2.3%
Christian (other)
1.7%
Baptist
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

7.5%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
45.3% 665
Separated
3.9% 57
Divorced
11.2% 165
Widowed
8.2% 120
Never married
31.4% 461

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
40.8%
Couple: no children
32.7%
Couple: no children under 15
10.9%
One parent: children under 15
10.7%
One parent: no children under 15
4.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
30.3%
2 persons
36.8%
3 persons
11.1%
4 persons
12.3%
5 persons
5.7%
6+ persons
3.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in Merriwa

Housing Tenure

Of the 664 occupied private dwellings in Merriwa at the 2021 Census, 23.6% were rented, 42.5% owned outright and 25.5% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
5.9% 39 dwellings
Owned outright
42.5% 282 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
25.5% 169 dwellings
Rented
23.6% 157 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
2.4% 16 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
96.9%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
3.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
3.1%
2 bedrooms
15.3%
3 bedrooms
42.8%
4 bedrooms
30.8%
5 bedrooms
7.0%
6+ bedrooms
1.1%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
10.9%
$300-$449/mo
6.8%
$450-$599/mo
2.0%
$600-$799/mo
6.8%
$800-$999/mo
12.9%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
21.8%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
15.0%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
15.0%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
4.8%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
4.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
4.5%
1 vehicle
34.5%
2 vehicles
36.2%
3 vehicles
16.2%
4+ vehicles
8.8%

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

Work, income and education in Merriwa

Employment

Employed full-time
35.3% 443 people
Employed part-time
18.7% 235 people
Unemployed
2.9% 36 people
Not in labour force
43.2% 542 people

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

Occupation

Managers
23.4%
Professionals
15.0%
Technicians & Trade Workers
13.7%
Community & Personal Service
13.0%
Clerical & Administrative
10.9%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
10.6%
Labourers
9.7%
Sales Workers
3.7%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
3.0%
$1-$149/wk
2.3%
$150-$299/wk
1.8%
$300-$399/wk
3.5%
$400-$499/wk
10.4%
$500-$649/wk
6.1%
$650-$799/wk
7.8%
$800-$999/wk
7.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.0%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.5%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.6%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.6%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
11.6%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
5.8%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
3.8%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
2.3%
$4,000+/wk
5.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
11.2%
$1-$149/wk
5.4%
$150-$299/wk
8.1%
$300-$399/wk
6.4%
$400-$499/wk
6.6%
$500-$649/wk
4.2%
$650-$799/wk
8.3%
$800-$999/wk
10.8%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
12.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
5.4%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.2%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
7.1%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
1.5%
$3,500+/wk
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
68.2%
Did not go to work
13.8%
Walked only
9.2%
Car (passenger)
5.2%
Other
1.8%
Truck
1.2%
Bus
0.7%

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

Education Level

Year 10 or equivalent
41.0%
Year 12 or equivalent
40.6%
Year 9 or equivalent
11.3%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.1%

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
53.0%
Bachelor Degree
23.0%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
15.1%
Certificate I/II
5.0%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
2.0%
Postgraduate Degree
1.8%

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

Field of Study

Engineering
22.5%
Management & Commerce
14.7%
Agriculture & Environment
13.7%
Health
13.0%
Society & Culture
10.3%
Education
10.0%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
7.6%
Architecture & Building
6.1%
Creative Arts
2.2%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
28.2%
Secondary: Government
18.7%
Primary: Catholic
11.5%
Secondary: Catholic
10.1%
Pre-school
9.8%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
7.8%
Vocational Education
7.8%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
6.1%

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
83.4%
Has need for assistance
6.7%
Need for assistance not stated
10.2%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
158
Asthma
93
Arthritis
81
Heart disease
62
Diabetes
62
Lung condition
55
Cancer
28
Stroke
25
Kidney disease
24
Dementia
13

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
12.8% 165
Did not provide
87.2% 1,125

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
25.0% 323
Not a volunteer
75.0% 971

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
2.4% 31
Never served
97.6% 1,269

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
25.3%
1 child
11.0%
2 children
24.7%
3 children
20.6%
4 children
13.9%
5+ children
4.5%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
5
1951: 1960
15
1961: 1970
12
1971: 1980
23
1981: 1990
17
1991: 2000
4
2001: 2010
16
2011: 2015
5
2016
5
2019
5
2020
5
2021
3

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

Population Mobility

16.7%
moved in the last year
38.2%
moved in the last 5 years
4.8%
unemployment rate (Census)
52.7%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,346
Moved: same area (SA2)
139
Moved from NSW
104
Moved from QLD
11
Moved from overseas
5
Moved from NT
4

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
17.6%
5: 14 hours
30.2%
15: 29 hours
13.3%
30+ hours
11.8%
Did not do domestic work
27.2%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
85.7%
Blended family: no other children
7.1%
Intact family: other children present
3.0%
Step family: no other children
2.4%
Step family: other children present
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

Merriwa Crime Statistics

42 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Other Against Person
10
Assault
8
Theft
6
Property Damage
6
Other Against Property
5
Weapons
4
Sexual Offences
1
Domestic Violence
1
Drug Offences
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Frequently Asked Questions About Merriwa

What is the population of Merriwa NSW?

The population of Merriwa NSW is 1,825 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 1.0 people per km². Merriwa is ranked #3,155 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in Merriwa?

The median personal income in Merriwa NSW is $593 per week, or $30,836 per year. The median household income is $1,208 per week. Family income is $1,471 per week. Merriwa is ranked #7,193 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in Merriwa?

Median rent in Merriwa NSW is $245 per week ($1,062 per month). Rent represents 20.3% of household income, which is considered affordable. Merriwa ranks #6,551 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in Merriwa?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in Merriwa NSW is $1,235. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in Merriwa?

The median age in Merriwa NSW is 45 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is Merriwa a good suburb to live in?

Merriwa is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 1,825. The median income is $593/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as affordable (20.3% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 12596. All dollar figures in AUD.