Merrylands

Merrylands lies within the top quartile of areas nationally for population growth performance according to AreaSearch analysis of recent, and medium to long-term trends

The estimated population of Merrylands is around 37,046 as of February 2026. This figure reflects a growth of 4,574 people since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 32,472. The change was inferred from AreaSearch's estimation of Merrylands' resident population at 34,761 in June 2024 and an additional 1,551 validated new addresses since the Census date. This results in a density ratio of 5,504 persons per square kilometer, placing Merrylands in the top 10% of national locations assessed by AreaSearch. Merrylands' population growth of 14.1% since the 2021 Census exceeded both the state's growth rate of 7.8% and that of Greater Sydney. Overseas migration contributed approximately 66.0% of overall population gains during recent periods in Merrylands.

For future projections, AreaSearch adopts ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data, AreaSearch uses NSW State Government's SA2 level projections released in 2022 with a base year of 2021. Growth rates by age group from these aggregations are applied to all areas for the years 2032 to 2041. By 2041, Merrylands' population is forecasted to increase by 11,010 persons, reflecting a total increase of 24.4% over the 17-year period.

AreaSearch assessment of residential development activity positions Merrylands among the top 25% of areas assessed nationwide

Merrylands has seen around 422 dwelling approvals annually based on AreaSearch analysis. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 2,113 homes were approved, with another 77 so far in FY-26. The average population growth per dwelling built over the past five financial years was 1.1 people, indicating balanced supply and demand. However, this intensified to 4.3 people per dwelling over the last two financial years, suggesting growing popularity and potential undersupply.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $378,000. In FY-26, $43.8 million in commercial approvals have been registered, indicating robust local business investment. Recent construction comprises 17.0% detached dwellings and 83.0% attached dwellings, a shift from the current housing pattern of 49.0% houses, possibly due to diminishing developable land availability and evolving lifestyle preferences. Merrylands has approximately 137 people per dwelling approval, suggesting an expanding market.

By 2041, Merrylands is projected to gain 9,020 residents. With current construction levels, housing supply should meet demand adequately, creating favourable conditions for buyers while potentially enabling growth that exceeds current forecasts.

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

Changes to local infrastructure significantly impact an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified 94 projects likely affecting the region. Notable initiatives include The Gladstone Village - Stage 3, Central Quarter Merrylands, Evolve Housing Merrylands Social and Affordable Housing, and Cardinal Gilroy Village Redevelopment - 45 Barcom Street. Relevant projects are listed below.

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 drivers in Merrylands are experiencing difficulties, placing it among the bottom 20% of areas assessed across Australia

Merrylands has a well-educated workforce. Professional services show strong representation in the area. The unemployment rate was 10.5% in September 2025, based on AreaSearch aggregation of statistical area data.

Employment growth over the past year was estimated at 1.4%. As of September 2025, 15,170 residents were in work while the unemployment rate was 6.3%, which is higher than Greater Sydney's rate of 4.2%. Workforce participation in Merrylands lagged significantly at 61.2% compared to Greater Sydney's 70.0%. Census responses indicated that a high 32.8% of residents worked from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered.

Employment among residents was concentrated in health care & social assistance, retail trade, and construction. Retail trade employment levels were notably high at 1.2 times the regional average. In contrast, professional & technical services employed just 7.3% of local workers, below Greater Sydney's 11.5%. The predominantly residential area appeared to offer limited employment opportunities locally, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Between September 2024 and September 2025, employment increased by 1.4%, while labour force increased by 3.5%, resulting in an unemployment rise of 1.9 percentage points. By comparison, Greater Sydney recorded employment growth of 2.1% over the same period. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer further insight into potential future demand within Merrylands. These projections suggest national employment should expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with significant variations between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Merrylands' employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.5% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not take into account localised population projections.

Income figures position the area below 75% of locations analysed nationally by AreaSearch

The suburb of Merrylands has a median taxpayer income of $41,389 and an average income of $51,377 according to the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for the financial year 2023. This is lower than the national average, contrasting with Greater Sydney's median income of $60,817 and average income of $83,003. Based on Wage Price Index growth of 8.86% since financial year 2023, current estimates would be approximately $45,056 (median) and $55,929 (average) as of September 2025. According to Census 2021 income data, individual incomes are at the 12th percentile ($607 weekly), while household income is at the 34th percentile. Income analysis shows that 31.6% of the community earns between $1,500 and $2,999 (11,706 individuals), mirroring the region where 30.9% occupy this bracket. Housing affordability pressures are severe, with only 77.6% of income remaining after housing costs, ranking at the 25th percentile.

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

In Merrylands, as per the latest Census evaluation, 49.0% of dwellings were houses while 51.0% were other types such as semi-detached, apartments, and 'other' dwellings. This contrasts with Sydney metro's dwelling structure of 55.9% houses and 44.1% other dwellings. Home ownership in Merrylands stood at 23.4%, with mortgaged dwellings at 27.7% and rented ones at 48.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $2,100, lower than Sydney metro's average of $2,427. The median weekly rent in Merrylands was $400, compared to Sydney metro's $470. Nationally, Merrylands' mortgage repayments were higher at $2,100 versus the Australian average of $1,863, and rents were also higher at $400 compared to the national figure of $375.

Merrylands features high concentrations of group households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households comprise 71.7% of all households, including 39.3% couples with children, 16.9% couples without children, and 13.3% single parent families. The remaining 28.3% are non-family households, made up of 22.7% lone person households and 5.6% group households. The median household size is 3.0 people, larger than the Greater Sydney average of 2.7.

Merrylands shows below-average educational performance compared to national benchmarks, though pockets of achievement exist

The area has university qualification rates at 28.4%, significantly lower than the SA4 region average of 39.1%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are most common at 19.4%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (7.5%) and graduate diplomas (1.5%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 27.3% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas (11.6%) and certificates (15.7%).

Educational participation is notably high at 35.3%, including 10.7% in primary education, 8.5% in secondary education, and 7.0% pursuing tertiary education.

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

Merrylands has 171 active public transport stops offering a mix of train and bus services. These are served by 71 routes, facilitating 6,600 weekly passenger trips. Residents enjoy excellent transport accessibility, with an average distance of 138 meters to the nearest stop. Predominantly residential, most residents commute outward using cars (72%), followed by train (18%) and bus (5%). On average, there are 1.1 vehicles per dwelling. According to the 2021 Census, 32.8% of residents work from home, which may reflect COVID-19 conditions.

Service frequency averages 942 trips daily across all routes, translating to approximately 38 weekly trips per individual stop. The provided map displays the 100 nearest stops to the location's centrepoint.

The level of general health in Merrylands is notably higher than the national average with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Merrylands shows superior health outcomes based on AreaSearch's evaluation of mortality rates and chronic condition prevalence. Common health conditions are seen at a standard level across both young and old age groups. Private health cover is low at approximately 47% (~17,530 people), compared to Greater Sydney's 59.9%.

Nationally, it stands at 55.7%. The most prevalent medical conditions are arthritis and diabetes, affecting 5.2% and 5.2% respectively. 79.3% of residents report no medical ailments, compared to 74.6% in Greater Sydney. Working-age residents have low chronic condition prevalence. As of June 20XX (exact date), 12.9% of Merrylands' population is aged 65 and over (4,778 people), lower than Greater Sydney's 15.4%. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, aligning with national rankings for the general population.

Merrylands is among the most culturally diverse areas in the country based on AreaSearch assessment of a range of language and cultural background related metrics

Merrylands has one of the most culturally diverse populations in Australia, with 55.1% of its residents born overseas and 70.9% speaking a language other than English at home. Christianity is the predominant religion in Merrylands, accounting for 43.9% of the population. However, Islam is significantly overrepresented compared to the Greater Sydney average, comprising 30.8% of Merrylands' population.

The top three ancestry groups in Merrylands are Other (34.8%), Lebanese (17.3%), and Australian (10.4%). Notably, Other is substantially higher than the regional average of 16.0%, while Lebanese is significantly higher than the regional average of 2.6%. Conversely, Australian is notably lower than the regional average of 17.8%. Additionally, certain ethnic groups are overrepresented in Merrylands compared to regional averages: Croatian (1.2% vs 0.7%), Samoan (0.7% vs 0.5%), and Serbian (0.5% vs 0.5%).

Merrylands's young demographic places it in the bottom 15% of areas nationwide

Merrylands has a median age of 33, which is younger than Greater Sydney's figure of 37 and Australia's national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Sydney, Merrylands has a higher proportion of residents aged 0-4 years at 8.0%, but fewer residents aged 45-54 years at 10.9%. Between the 2021 Census and now, the population of those aged 75-84 years has increased from 3.5% to 4.4%. Conversely, the proportion of residents aged 25-34 years has decreased from 18.7% to 17.2%. By 2041, demographic projections indicate significant changes in Merrylands' population. The 45-54 age group is expected to grow by 42%, adding 1,690 residents and reaching a total of 5,729. Meanwhile, the 0-4 age cohort is projected to grow by a modest 6%, with an increase of 171 people.