Merredin
Statistical Area - sa2

Merredin is positioned among the lower quartile of areas assessed nationally for population growth based on AreaSearch's assessment of recent, and medium term trends

Merredin's population was approximately 5,297 as of November 2025. This represented an increase of 404 people, or 8.3%, since the 2021 Census which reported a population of 4,893. The change was inferred from the estimated resident population of 5,249 in June 2024 and an additional 25 validated new addresses since the Census date. This resulted in a population density ratio of 0.50 persons per square kilometer. Merredin's growth rate of 8.3% since the census was within 0.6 percentage points of the national average of 8.9%, indicating competitive growth fundamentals. Overseas migration contributed approximately 81.1% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch adopted ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, released in 2024 with a base year of 2022. For areas not covered by this data and to estimate growth post-2032, AreaSearch used growth rates by age cohort provided by the ABS in its latest Greater Capital Region projections, released in 2023 based on 2022 data. Demographic trends projected an above median population growth for Australia's non-metropolitan areas, with Merredin expected to expand by 823 persons to 2041, recording a total gain of 14.6% over the 17 years.

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

Merredin has seen approximately five new home approvals each year over the past five financial years, totalling 26 homes. As of FY-26, one approval has been recorded. On average, 5.8 new residents have arrived annually per dwelling constructed between FY-21 and FY-25. This demand outpaces supply, potentially putting upward pressure on prices and increasing competition among buyers.

New properties are constructed at an average expected cost of $287,000. In FY-26, $16.7 million in commercial development approvals have been recorded, indicating balanced commercial activity. Compared to the Rest of WA, Merredin has significantly less development activity, 83.0% below the regional average per person. This scarcity can strengthen demand and prices for existing properties. Building activity has accelerated recently but remains lower than nationally, suggesting market maturity and potential development constraints.

Recent activity consists solely of standalone homes, maintaining the area's traditional low density character with a focus on family homes. The estimated population per dwelling approval is 804 people. Looking ahead, Merredin is projected to grow by 775 residents by 2041. If current development rates continue, housing supply may not keep pace with population growth, potentially increasing competition among buyers and supporting stronger price growth.

Merredin has emerging levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 25thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely to impact the area: Moon Village, Great Eastern Highway Upgrades, Walgoolan to Southern Cross, Western Australia Agricultural Supply Chain Improvements, and King Rocks Wind Farm. The following details those most relevant.

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

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Employment conditions in Merredin demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Merredin's workforce is balanced across white and blue-collar jobs with diverse sector representation. Its unemployment rate was 1.8% in June 2025, lower than the Rest of WA's 3.2%.

Employment grew by an estimated 0.6% over the past year. As of June 2025, 2,863 residents were employed, with an unemployment rate of 1.4%, and workforce participation at 57.4%. Dominant sectors include agriculture, forestry & fishing, health care & social assistance, and education & training. Agriculture, forestry & fishing is particularly specialized, with employment share at 2.8 times the regional level, while mining shows lower representation at 3.0% versus the regional average of 11.7%.

Many residents commute elsewhere for work based on Census data. Between June 2024 and June 2025, employment levels increased by 0.6%, labour force decreased by 1.7%, resulting in a 2.2 percentage point drop in unemployment. In contrast, Rest of WA experienced employment growth of 1.1% and labour force growth of 0.5%, with a 0.6 percentage point drop in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May 2025 project national employment growth of 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, varying significantly between sectors. Applying these projections to Merredin's employment mix suggests local growth of approximately 5.2% over five years and 11.4% over ten years, based on a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes.

The area's income profile falls below national averages based on AreaSearch analysis

Merredin's median taxpayer income was $53,395 and average income was $66,262 in financial year 2022, according to postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch. This is slightly above the national average for that year. Rest of WA had a median income of $57,323 and an average income of $71,163 during the same period. Based on Wage Price Index growth, current estimates suggest Merredin's median income would be approximately $60,977 and average income around $75,671 as of September 2025. The 2021 Census data shows personal income in Merredin ranks at the 49th percentile ($796 weekly) and household income at the 28th percentile. Income distribution reveals that 30.8% of individuals earn between $1,500 - 2,999 annually (1,631 individuals), similar to the surrounding region's 31.1%. Merredin residents retain 91.6% of their income after housing costs, but disposable income is below average at the 37th percentile.

Merredin is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with a higher proportion of rental properties than the broader region

Merredin's dwelling structure, as recorded in the latest Census, consisted of 93.9% houses and 6.1% other dwellings (semi-detached, apartments, 'other' dwellings). This compared to Non-Metro WA's 95.6% houses and 4.4% other dwellings. Home ownership in Merredin was at 44.0%, similar to Non-Metro WA's level. The remaining dwellings were either mortgaged (27.7%) or rented (28.3%). The median monthly mortgage repayment in the area was $927, below Non-Metro WA's average of $1,425 and Australia's national average of $1,863. The median weekly rent figure in Merredin was recorded at $200, compared to Non-Metro WA's $231 and the national figure of $375.

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

Family households account for 67.2% of all households, including 26.5% couples with children, 31.8% couples without children, and 8.3% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 32.8%, with lone person households at 30.3% and group households comprising 2.6%. The median household size is 2.3 people, which aligns with the Rest of WA average.

Educational outcomes in Merredin fall within the lower quartile nationally, indicating opportunities for improvement in qualification attainment

The area has educational challenges, with university qualification rates at 15.5%, significantly lower than Australia's average of 30.4%. This presents both a challenge and an opportunity for targeted educational initiatives. Bachelor degrees are the most common at 11.6%, followed by postgraduate qualifications (2.0%) and graduate diplomas (1.9%). Trade and technical skills are prominent, with 38.0% of residents aged 15+ holding vocational credentials – advanced diplomas at 7.8% and certificates at 30.2%.

Educational participation is high, with 30.9% of residents currently enrolled in formal education. This includes 13.5% in primary education, 9.8% in secondary education, and 1.9% pursuing tertiary education. Merredin's 5 schools have a combined enrollment of 886 students, operating under typical Australian school conditions (ICSEA: 975) with balanced educational opportunities. The educational mix includes 2 primary and 3 K-12 schools. School capacity exceeds residential needs at 16.9 places per 100 residents compared to the regional average of 12.2, indicating the area serves as an educational center for the broader region.

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

Merredin has four operational public transport stops, all of which are bus stops. These stops are served by two distinct routes that together offer twelve weekly passenger trips. The accessibility of these services is deemed limited, with residents typically residing 15572 meters away from the nearest stop.

On average, there is one trip per day across all routes, resulting in approximately three weekly trips per individual stop.

Health performance in Merredin is lower than average with common health conditions somewhat prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts

Merredin faces significant health challenges with common health conditions prevalent across both younger and older age cohorts.

The rate of private health cover is approximately 52%, leading that of the average SA2 area (~2,775 people). The most common medical conditions are arthritis and asthma, impacting 9.8% and 8.7% of residents respectively. 65.5% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments compared to 64.7% across Rest of WA. The area has 20.3% of residents aged 65 and over (1,074 people), which is lower than the 21.7% in Rest of WA. Health outcomes among seniors are above average, performing better than the general population in health metrics.

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

Merredin's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 83.3% of its population being citizens, 87.5% born in Australia, and 94.4% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the dominant religion in Merredin, comprising 50.4% of people, compared to 49.0% across the Rest of WA. The top three ancestry groups were English (34.0%), Australian (32.1%), and Scottish (7.5%).

Notably, Italian ethnicity was overrepresented at 4.0%, compared to 2.2% regionally, while Australian Aboriginal was at 3.4%, matching the regional figure of 3.4%. Maori representation stood at 0.6%, slightly higher than the regional average of 0.5%.

Merredin hosts an older demographic, ranking in the top quartile nationwide

The median age in Merredin was 42 years as of 2021, slightly higher than Rest of WA's average of 40 years and notably older than Australia's average of 38 years. Compared to Rest of WA, Merredin had a higher proportion of residents aged 15-24 (12.9%) but fewer residents aged 45-54 (10.2%). According to the 2021 Census, the median age decreased by 1.4 years from 43 to 42 years, indicating a shift towards a younger demographic. Key changes showed an increase in the proportion of residents aged 15-24 from 9.7% to 12.9%, and an increase in the proportion of residents aged 35-44 from 11.2% to 12.5%. Conversely, there was a decrease in the proportion of residents aged 45-54 from 12.6% to 10.2%, and a decline in the proportion of residents aged 55-64 from 14.6% to 12.6%. Demographic modeling suggests that Merredin's age profile will change significantly by 2041. The projection shows an increase of 526 people (77%) in the 25-34 age cohort, from 687 to 1,214 residents. Meanwhile, population declines are projected for the 5-14 and 85+ age cohorts.