Merewether

Merewether has seen population growth performance typically on par with national averages when looking at short and medium term trends

As of Feb 2026, the estimated population of the suburb of Merewether is around 11,831, reflecting an increase of 43 people since the 2021 Census. The ABS reported a population of 11,788 in the 2021 Census. This change is inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 11,791 following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS (June 2024), and an additional 45 validated new addresses since the Census date. The current population density ratio is 1,877 persons per square kilometer, above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Overseas migration contributed approximately 86.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

For projections until 2041, AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections released in 2024 with a base year of 2022 for covered SA2 areas, and NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021 for uncovered areas. Growth rates by age group are applied to all areas from these aggregations for the years 2032 to 2041. Considering these projections, the suburb is expected to increase its population by just below the median rate of locations outside capital cities, with an anticipated growth of 1,284 persons by 2041, reflecting a total gain of 10.5% over the 17 years.

AreaSearch analysis of residential development drivers sees Merewether recording a relatively average level of approval activity when compared to local markets analysed countrywide

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Merewether averaged approximately 33 new dwelling approvals annually over the past five financial years, totalling an estimated 167 homes. As of FY26, six approvals have been recorded. Between FY21 and FY25, an average of 1.9 people moved to the area per year for each dwelling built, indicating a balanced market with stable conditions. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings is $725,000, suggesting developers focus on the premium market.

This financial year has seen $6.2 million in commercial approvals, reflecting Merewether's residential character. Compared to Rest of NSW, Merewether records roughly half the building activity per person and ranks among the 46th percentile nationally, offering limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing homes. This level is below the national average, suggesting an established area with potential planning limitations. New development consists of 56% detached dwellings and 44% attached dwellings, providing options across price ranges.

With around 358 people per approval, Merewether indicates a mature market. According to AreaSearch's latest quarterly estimate, the area is expected to grow by 1,244 residents through to 2041, with building activity keeping pace with growth projections. However, increased competition among buyers is anticipated as the population grows.

Merewether has very high levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 10% nationally

Changes in local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 35 projects that could affect this region. Notable initiatives include Lingard Private Hospital Expansion, Lake Macquarie Private Hospital Expansion, The Merewether Residences, and 44 Cadaga Road Dual Occupancy Development.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

Denotes AI-based impression for illustrative purposes only, not to be taken as definitive under any circumstances. Please follow links and conduct other investigations from the project's source for actual imagery. Developers and project owners wishing us to use original imagery please Contact Us and we will do so.

Employment performance in Merewether ranks among the strongest 15% of areas evaluated nationally

Merewether has a highly educated workforce with strong representation in professional services. Its unemployment rate was 1.8% as of December 2025. Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 0.7%.

Residents' unemployment rate is 2.1% below Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%, and participation is high at 74.8%. A significant proportion, 32.4%, work from home. Dominant sectors include health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Health care & social assistance has notable concentration, with employment levels at 1.4 times the regional average.

Conversely, agriculture, forestry & fishing shows lower representation at 0.3%. Employment opportunities appear limited locally as indicated by Census data. During the year to December 2025, employment levels increased by 0.7% and labour force by 1.5%, causing unemployment rate to rise by 0.7 percentage points. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Merewether's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 7.4% over five years and 15.2% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not consider localised population projections.

Income metrics indicate excellent economic conditions, with the area achieving higher performance than 75% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year ending June 2023 shows median income in Merewether suburb is $64,074 and average income is $105,112. This compares to Regional NSW's median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth rate of 8.86% from July 2023 to September 2025, estimated median income in Merewether would be approximately $69,751 and average income $114,425 by that date. Census data from 2021 ranks Merewether's household, family, and personal incomes between the 82nd and 85th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows 27.8% of Merewether residents (3,289 individuals) earn between $1,500 to $2,999 weekly, similar to metropolitan regions at 29.9%. High earners make up 37.7% of the population, indicating strong economic capacity. Housing expenses consume 13.7% of income. Residents rank in the 84th percentile for disposable income and the suburb's SEIFA income ranking is in the 9th decile.

Merewether displays a diverse mix of dwelling types, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

The dwelling structure in Merewether, as per the latest Census, consisted of 61.0% houses and 38.9% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Merewether was at 35.9%, with the rest being mortgaged (30.3%) or rented (33.8%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $2,457, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent figure was recorded at $420, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Merewether's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,457 compared to the Australian average of $1,863, while rents were substantially above the national figure of $375.

Merewether features high concentrations of group households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households comprise 65.6% of all households, including 29.3% couples with children, 27.8% couples without children, and 7.4% single parent families. Non-family households make up the remaining 34.4%, with lone person households at 27.2% and group households comprising 7.1%. The median household size is 2.4 people, which matches the Regional NSW average.

Merewether shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

In Merewether, 44.1% of residents aged 15 and above have university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the rest of NSW and 26.1% in the SA4 region. The area's educational attainment is significantly higher than broader benchmarks, with bachelor degrees being the most prevalent at 29.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (10.5%) and graduate diplomas (3.8%). Vocational credentials are also common, with 28.4% of residents holding such qualifications, including advanced diplomas (10.6%) and certificates (17.8%). Educational participation is notably high, with 30.8% of residents currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes 8.8% in primary education, 8.7% in tertiary education, and 7.9% pursuing secondary education.

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

The analysis of public transport in Merewether indicates that there are 105 active transport stops operating within the area. These stops primarily service buses, with a total of 22 individual routes providing weekly passenger trips amounting to 1,669. The accessibility of these transport services is rated as excellent, with residents typically residing approximately 119 meters from their nearest transport stop. As a predominantly residential area, most residents commute outward for work or other purposes. The dominant mode of transportation remains the car at an average rate of 89%, while walking and cycling account for 4% and 3% respectively. On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per dwelling in Merewether.

According to the 2021 Census data, which may reflect conditions influenced by COVID-19, a high proportion of residents work from home at a rate of 32.4%. The service frequency averages 238 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately 15 weekly trips per individual stop. A map accompanies the analysis, illustrating the locations of the 100 nearest transport stops to the area's centrepoint.

Merewether's residents are extremely healthy with both young and old age cohorts seeing low prevalence of common health conditions

Analysis of health metrics shows strong performance throughout Merewether. AreaSearch's assessment indicates low prevalence of common health conditions among both young and old age cohorts. The rate of private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 68% of the total population (8,085 people), compared to 51.9% across Regional NSW, which stands at 55.7% nationally.

The most common medical conditions in the area are mental health issues and asthma, impacting 8.4 and 7.5% of residents respectively. 70.9% of residents declared themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. The under-65 population demonstrates better than average health outcomes. The area has 16.2% of residents aged 65 and over (1,916 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, with national rankings broadly in line with the general population.

Merewether is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Merewether's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 87.4% of its population born in Australia, 93.3% being citizens, and 93.7% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion, comprising 49.5% of Merewether's population. However, Judaism was notably overrepresented at 0.2%, compared to Regional NSW's 0.1%.

The top three ancestry groups were English (30.9%), Australian (27.5%), and Irish (10.4%). Notable divergences existed for Welsh (0.9% vs regional 0.5%), French (0.7% vs regional 0.4%), and Macedonian (0.6% vs regional 0.4%) groups.

Merewether's population aligns closely with national norms in age terms

Merewether's median age is 38, which is lower than Regional NSW's figure of 43 but equivalent to Australia's national norm of 38. The 25-34 age group constitutes 16.6% of Merewether's population, higher than Regional NSW's percentage, while the 75-84 cohort makes up 5.0%. Post the 2021 Census, the 25-34 age group grew from 13.9% to 16.6%, and the 15-24 cohort increased from 14.1% to 15.2%. Conversely, the 55-64 cohort decreased from 13.3% to 11.8%, and the 5-14 group dropped from 12.1% to 10.8%. By 2041, demographic modeling projects significant changes in Merewether's age profile. The 25-34 group is expected to grow by 26% (515 people), reaching 2,479 from 1,963. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 15-24 and 65-74 cohorts.