Merewether

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

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Merewether's population is estimated at around 11,903 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 115 people (1.0%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 11,788 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 11,877 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025, and an additional 49 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 1,889 persons per square kilometer, which is above the average seen across national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 86.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch is utilising the NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, as released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are also applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Looking at population projections moving forward, a population increase just below the median of national regional areas is expected, with the suburb expected to grow by 1,164 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 9.6% in total over the 16 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Merewether according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Based on AreaSearch analysis of ABS building approval numbers, allocated from statistical area data, Merewether has averaged approximately 33 new dwelling approvals each year. Between FY-21 and FY-25, an estimated 167 homes were approved, with a further 7 approved so far in FY-26. Over the past five financial years, an average of 0.5 people moved to the area for each dwelling built.

This suggests that new construction is meeting or exceeding demand, providing more options for buyers and enabling population growth that could surpass current expectations. The average expected construction cost value of new dwellings in Merewether is $725,000, indicating a focus on the premium market segment with higher-end properties. In FY-26, there have been $6.2 million in commercial approvals, reflecting the area's residential character. Comparatively, Merewether records roughly half the building activity per person relative to Rest of NSW.

Nationally, it places among the 46th percentile of areas assessed, suggesting more limited choices for buyers and supporting demand for existing dwellings. This is below average nationally, which could reflect the area's maturity or possible planning constraints. New development in Merewether consists of approximately 56.0% detached dwellings and 44.0% medium to high-density housing. This blend offers choices across price ranges, from spacious family homes to more affordable compact options. The location has around 352 people per dwelling approval, indicating an established area. According to the latest AreaSearch quarterly estimate, Merewether is expected to grow by approximately 1,138 residents through to 2041. Construction is maintaining a steady pace with projected growth, although buyers may face increasing competition as population increases.

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

Thirty-three infrastructure projects have been identified by AreaSearch that could impact the area. Key projects include Lake Macquarie Private Hospital Expansion (scheduled for completion in late 2023), Lingard Private Hospital Expansion (expected to finish in mid-2024), The Merewether Residences (slated for completion in early 2025), and 44 Cadaga Road Dual Occupancy Development (due to be finished by the end of 2024). Below is a list detailing projects likely to be most relevant.

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

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

Merewether's workforce is highly educated with strong representation in professional services. The unemployment rate was 1.7% as of December 2025. This rate is 2.2% lower than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Merewether was 72.5%, higher than Regional NSW's 60.5%. According to Census responses, 32.4% of residents worked from home. Employment is concentrated in health care & social assistance, education & training, and professional & technical services. Health care & social assistance employment is at 1.4 times the regional average, while agriculture, forestry & fishing employs only 0.3% of local workers compared to Regional NSW's 5.3%.

Over the year ending December 2025, employment increased by 0.3% and labour force increased by 1.0%, raising the unemployment rate by 0.7 percentage points. In contrast, Regional NSW saw employment decline by 1.2% and labour force decline by 0.8%. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 project a 6.6% increase over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Merewether's employment mix suggests local employment should grow by 7.4% over five years and 15.2% over ten years, though this is a simple extrapolation for illustrative purposes only.

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 2023 shows that median income in Merewether is $64,074 and average income is $105,112. This contrasts with Regional NSW's median income of $52,390 and average income of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 10.32% since financial year 2023, estimated incomes as of March 2026 would be approximately $70,686 (median) and $115,960 (average). Census data reveals that Merewether's household, family and personal incomes rank highly nationally, between the 82nd and 85th percentiles. Income analysis shows that 27.8% of Merewether residents earn between $1,500 - 2,999 per week (3,309 individuals), similar to the surrounding region at 29.9%. The suburb demonstrates affluence with 37.7% earning over $3,000 per week, supporting premium retail and services. Housing accounts for 13.7% of income, and residents rank within the 84th percentile for disposable income. The area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 9th decile.

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

In Merewether, as per the latest Census, 61.0% of dwellings were houses while 38.9% were other types such as semi-detached homes, apartments, and others. This is compared to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Merewether stood at 35.9%, with mortgaged properties at 30.3% and rented ones at 33.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,457, higher than Regional NSW's average of $1,733. The median weekly rent in Merewether was $420, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Merewether's mortgage repayments were significantly higher at $2,457 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and 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 constitute 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 account for 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 aligns with the Regional NSW average.

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

Educational attainment in Merewether is notably higher than broader benchmarks. As of the latest data, 44.1% of residents aged 15 and above hold university qualifications, compared to 21.3% in the rest of New South Wales and 26.1% in the SA4 region. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 29.8%, followed by postgraduate qualifications at 10.5% and graduate diplomas at 3.8%. Vocational credentials are also prevalent, with 28.4% of residents aged 15 and above holding such qualifications – advanced diplomas account for 10.6% and certificates for 17.8%.

Educational participation is 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

Merewether has 105 active public transport stops, all of which are bus services. These stops are served by 22 different routes that collectively facilitate 1,669 weekly passenger trips. The area's transport accessibility is rated excellent, with residents typically living just 119 meters from their nearest stop. As a predominantly residential zone, most locals commute outward using cars (89%), walking (4%), or cycling (3%). On average, there are 1.5 vehicles per household. According to the 2021 Census, a significant proportion of residents work from home (32.4%), which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages at 238 trips daily across all routes, equating to roughly 15 weekly trips per individual stop. The provided map illustrates the locations of the 100 nearest stops relative to Merewether's central point.

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. Mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence were low across both young and old age cohorts. Private health cover was exceptionally high at approximately 68% of the total population (8,134 people), compared to 51.9% across Regional NSW and a national average of 55.7%.

The most common medical conditions were 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 demonstrated better than average health outcomes. The area has 16.7% of residents aged 65 and over (1,987 people), which is lower than the 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors were 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 main religion in Merewether, comprising 49.5% of people. However, Judaism was 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%). Welsh (0.9%) and French (0.7%) were notably overrepresented, while Macedonian (0.6%) was also more prevalent than regionally.

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 matches the national norm of 38. The 25-34 age group constitutes 16.7% of Merewether's population, higher than Regional NSW's percentage. Conversely, the 75-84 cohort makes up 5.0%. According to the 2021 Census, the 25-34 age group has increased from 13.9% to 16.7%, while the 5-14 group has decreased from 12.1% to 10.7% and the 55-64 group has fallen from 13.3% to 11.9%. By 2041, demographic modeling indicates significant changes in Merewether's age profile. The 25-34 group is projected to grow by 25%, reaching 2,492 people from 1,987. Meanwhile, population declines are forecast for the 15-24 and 65-74 cohorts.