Merriwa (NSW)

Merriwa 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 Merriwa (NSW) is around 1,880, reflecting an increase of 55 people since the 2021 Census. This increase represents a 3.0% growth from the previous population of 1,825. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of the resident population at 1,848 in June 2024, based on examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS, and an additional 30 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a population density ratio of 1.0 persons per square kilometer. Over the past decade, Merriwa has demonstrated resilient growth patterns with a compound annual growth rate of 0.6%, outperforming the SA3 area. Natural growth contributed approximately 51.0% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year, for areas covered by this data. For areas not covered, AreaSearch utilises NSW State Government's SA2 level projections, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for years 2032 to 2041. Based on aggregated SA2-level projections, the suburb of Merriwa is expected to grow by 199 persons by 2041, reflecting an increase of 8.9% in total over these 17 years.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development drivers sees a low level of activity in Merriwa, placing the area among the bottom 25% of areas assessed nationally

Merriwa had minimal construction activity from 2016 to 2020 with only 3 new dwellings approved annually on average (a total of 16 approvals). This low development level reflects the rural nature of the area, where housing needs drive development rather than broad market demand. The small number of approvals means individual projects can significantly impact annual growth and relativity statistics.

Compared to Rest of NSW, Merriwa had substantially lower development levels during this period. The development pattern was also below national averages. All new construction consisted of detached dwellings, favoring family homes suited for rural living. There were approximately 524 people per dwelling approval in the area, indicating a quiet development environment.

Population forecasts suggest Merriwa will gain 167 residents by 2041 (AreaSearch quarterly estimate). If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing buyer competition and supporting stronger price growth.

Merriwa has strong levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the top 40% nationally

The performance of a region is significantly influenced by changes in local infrastructure, major projects, and planning initiatives. AreaSearch has identified four projects that are expected to impact the area: Merriwa Town Centre Masterplan, Merriwa Energy Hub, Goulburn River Solar Farm And Battery, and McCullys Gap BESS. The following list details these projects, focusing on those most relevant to the area.

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

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AreaSearch analysis reveals Merriwa recording weaker employment conditions than most comparable areas nationwide

Merriwa has a balanced workforce with both white and blue collar jobs. The unemployment rate is 5.2%, according to AreaSearch data aggregation from statistical areas. As of December 2025816 residents are employed while the unemployment rate is 1.3% higher than Regional NSW's rate of 3.9%.

Workforce participation in Merriwa is lower at 56.7% compared to Regional NSW's 61.3%. A moderate 16.9% of residents work from home, considering potential Covid-19 lockdown impacts. Key industries for employment among residents are agriculture, forestry & fishing, education & training, and health care & social assistance. Merriwa has a significant specialization in agriculture, forestry & fishing with an employment share five times the regional level.

Conversely, health care & social assistance shows lower representation at 8.4% compared to the regional average of 16.9%. The area may have limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the difference between Census working population and resident population. Between December 2024 and December 2025, Merriwa's labour force decreased by 0.8%, with employment decreasing by 0.7%, while unemployment remained essentially unchanged. In contrast, Regional NSW experienced a 1.2% employment decline and a 0.8% labour force decline, with a 0.4 percentage point rise in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 provide insights into potential future demand within Merriwa. These projections estimate national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years. Applying these projections to Merriwa's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 4.7% over five years and 10.8% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes only and does not consider localised population projections.

Income metrics place the area in the bottom 10% of locations nationally according to AreaSearch analysis

AreaSearch's latest postcode level ATO data for financial year 2023 shows Merriwa's median income among taxpayers is $41,343. The average income in the suburb is $58,515. Both figures are below the national averages. Regional NSW has a median income of $52,390 and an average of $65,215. Based on Wage Price Index growth since financial year 2023, current estimates for Merriwa's median income would be approximately $45,006 by September 2025, with the average estimated at $63,699. Census data indicates that household, family and personal incomes in Merriwa fall between the 10th and 13th percentiles nationally. Income distribution shows that 27.7% of individuals in Merriwa earn between $1,500 - $2,999 annually, aligning with the broader area where this cohort represents 29.9%. Despite modest housing costs allowing for 88.0% income retention, total disposable income ranks at just the 18th percentile nationally.

Merriwa is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Merriwa's dwelling structure, as per the latest Census, consisted of 95.8% houses and 4.2% other dwellings. This compares to Regional NSW's 82.6% houses and 17.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Merriwa was at 45.7%, with mortgaged dwellings at 28.0% and rented ones at 26.3%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,235, below Regional NSW's average of $1,733. Median weekly rent in Merriwa was $245, compared to Regional NSW's $330. Nationally, Merriwa's mortgage repayments were significantly lower than the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were substantially below the national figure of $375.

Merriwa features high concentrations of lone person households, with a fairly typical median household size

Family households constitute 67.3% of all households, including 24.8% couples with children, 31.1% couples without children, and 10.7% single parent families. Non-family households account for the remaining 32.7%, with lone person households at 30.4% and group households comprising 2.1%. The median household size is 2.4 people, aligning with the Regional NSW average.

Merriwa faces educational challenges, with performance metrics placing it in the bottom quartile of areas assessed nationally

The area has university qualification rates at 13.6%, significantly lower than the NSW average of 32.2%. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (1.3%) and graduate diplomas (0.9%). Vocational credentials are prominent, with 40.3% of residents aged 15+ holding them - advanced diplomas account for 8.2% and certificates for 32.1%. Educational participation is high, with 30.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education, including 13.3% in primary, 9.6% in secondary, and 2.0% in tertiary education.

Educational participation is notably high, with 30.2% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.3% in primary education, 9.6% in secondary education, and 2.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Merriwa has 63 active public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by eight different routes that collectively provide 80 weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these transport services is rated as good, with residents typically living 376 meters from the nearest stop. In this predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward and cars remain the primary mode of transportation at 86%, while 11% walk. On average, there are 1.6 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 16.9% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions.

The service frequency averages 11 trips per day across all routes, equating to approximately one weekly trip per individual stop.

Health performance in Merriwa is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across the board, though to a slightly higher degree among older age cohorts

Merriwa faces significant health challenges as assessed by AreaSearch through mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are somewhat prevalent across all age groups but more so among older cohorts.

Approximately 50% of Merriwa's total population (~942 people) has private health cover, lower than the national average of 55.7%. The most common medical conditions are arthritis (affecting 9.9% of residents) and asthma (9.8%), while 62.6% of residents report being completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 63.3% across Regional NSW. Health outcomes among the working-age population in Merriwa are broadly typical. The area has a higher proportion of seniors aged 65 and over at 26.8% (503 people), compared to 23.4% in Regional NSW. Health outcomes among seniors present some challenges, ranking lower nationally than the broader population.

The latest Census data sees Merriwa placing among the least culturally diverse areas in the country when compared across a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Merriwa's cultural diversity was found to be below average. Its population comprised 88.0% citizens, with 92.5% born in Australia and 97.9% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Merriwa, accounting for 76.5%, compared to 55.9% across Regional NSW.

The top three ancestry groups were Australian (36.8%), English (31.1%), and Irish (8.7%). Notably, Australian Aboriginal was overrepresented at 5.1%, matching the regional average of 4.6%. Scottish representation stood at 8.0%, equal to the regional figure. Welsh representation was also equal to the regional average at 0.5%.

Merriwa hosts a notably older demographic compared to the national average

Merriwa's median age is 45 years, which is slightly higher than Regional NSW's median age of 43 years and considerably older than the national norm of 38 years. Compared to the Regional NSW average, Merriwa has a notably higher proportion of people aged 65-74 (14.5% locally) while those aged 25-34 are under-represented (10.0%). This concentration of people aged 65-74 is well above the national average of 9.5%. Between 2021 and present, the proportion of people aged 75 to 84 has increased from 7.2% to 8.4%. Conversely, the proportion of people aged 55 to 64 has declined from 13.7% to 12.5%. By 2041, demographic modeling suggests that Merriwa's age profile will significantly evolve. The 75 to 84 age cohort is projected to expand by 67 people (42%) from 157 to 225. Notably, the combined age groups of 65 and above will account for 63% of total population growth, reflecting the area's aging demographic profile. In contrast, population declines are projected for the age cohorts of 5 to 14 and 15 to 24.