Bandy Creek vs Merivale

Bandy Creek is the younger of the two, with a median age of 39 against 53 in Merivale. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Bandy Creek, most households are couple families. In Merivale, about half of households are couple families.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Merivale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (21/100 vs 40/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Merivale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (15% vs 22%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Merivale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($182/wk vs $263/wk)

Weighs rent and rental stress.

Commuting to the city

Bandy Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (702.3 km vs 723.8 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (487 min vs 498 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Merivale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (21/100 vs 40/100)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Bandy Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (26.0% vs 1.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Bandy Creek and Merivale drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Bandy Creek Merivale
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Bandy Creek Merivale
Walkability 0 / 0
Bandy Creek — Walkability: 0/100 Merivale — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 60 / 79
Bandy Creek — Safety: 60/100 Merivale — Safety: 79/100
Low fire risk 22 / 40
Bandy Creek — Low fire risk: 22/100 Merivale — Low fire risk: 40/100
Low flood risk 72 / 100
Bandy Creek — Low flood risk: 72/100 Merivale — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Bandy Creek has more residents (383 vs 87); Bandy Creek rents higher ($263/wk vs $182/wk).

Bandy Creek Merivale
Population 383
+77% vs other
 87
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +26.0% +1.2%
Median age 39 53
Median household income $108,524/yr
+19% vs other
 $87,724/yr
Median weekly rent $263/wk
+31% vs other
 $182/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bandy Creek Merivale
0-4 8.4% / 11.5%
Bandy Creek — 0-4: 8.4% Merivale — 0-4: 11.5%
5-14 15.9% / 9.2%
Bandy Creek — 5-14: 15.9% Merivale — 5-14: 9.2%
15-19 6.0% / 10.3%
Bandy Creek — 15-19: 6.0% Merivale — 15-19: 10.3%
20-24 1.6% / 4.6%
Bandy Creek — 20-24: 1.6% Merivale — 20-24: 4.6%
25-34 11.5% / 5.7%
Bandy Creek — 25-34: 11.5% Merivale — 25-34: 5.7%
35-44 13.6% / 11.5%
Bandy Creek — 35-44: 13.6% Merivale — 35-44: 11.5%
45-54 14.4% / 11.5%
Bandy Creek — 45-54: 14.4% Merivale — 45-54: 11.5%
55-64 15.4% / 23.0%
Bandy Creek — 55-64: 15.4% Merivale — 55-64: 23.0%
65-74 8.9% / 8.0%
Bandy Creek — 65-74: 8.9% Merivale — 65-74: 8.0%
75-84 6.5% / 10.3%
Bandy Creek — 75-84: 6.5% Merivale — 75-84: 10.3%
85+ — / —
Bandy Creek — 85+: not among its largest Merivale — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bandy Creek 59.0% couple families
Bandy Creek — Couple Families: 59.0% Bandy Creek — Lone Person: 26.5% Bandy Creek — One Parent Families: 10.8% Bandy Creek — Group Household: 3.6%
Merivale 50.0% couple families
Merivale — Couple Families: 50.0% Merivale — Lone Person: 27.8% Merivale — One Parent Families: 22.2% Merivale — Group Household: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bandy Creek 13.7% renting
Bandy Creek — Owned Outright: 41.9% Bandy Creek — Mortgage: 44.4% Bandy Creek — Renting: 13.7%
Merivale 0.0% renting
Merivale — Owned Outright: 71.4% Merivale — Mortgage: 28.6% Merivale — Renting: 0.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Bandy Creek Merivale
England 2.6% / 9.2%
Bandy Creek — England: 2.6% Merivale — England: 9.2%
Germany — / 3.4%
Bandy Creek — Germany: not among its largest Merivale — Germany: 3.4%
Scotland 1.6% / —
Bandy Creek — Scotland: 1.6% Merivale — Scotland: not among its largest
Sri Lanka 1.0% / —
Bandy Creek — Sri Lanka: 1.0% Merivale — Sri Lanka: not among its largest
New Zealand 0.8% / —
Bandy Creek — New Zealand: 0.8% Merivale — New Zealand: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (9.2%).

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Bandy Creek Merivale
Certificate III & IV 18.8% / 16.1%
Bandy Creek — Certificate III & IV: 18.8% Merivale — Certificate III & IV: 16.1%
Bachelor Degree 7.0% / 12.6%
Bandy Creek — Bachelor Degree: 7.0% Merivale — Bachelor Degree: 12.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.3% / 11.5%
Bandy Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3% Merivale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.5%
Postgraduate Degree 0.8% / 3.4%
Bandy Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8% Merivale — Postgraduate Degree: 3.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / —
Bandy Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Merivale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bandy Creek 96.0% houses
Bandy Creek — Houses: 96.0% Bandy Creek — Flats / Apartments: 4.0%
Merivale 100.0% houses
Merivale — Houses: 100.0% Merivale — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bandy Creek Merivale
Median house price —
same for both
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $150,000 —

Development activity

Bandy Creek Merivale
New dwellings approved 55
across Esperance
same for both
Approvals change year on year -11%
same for both

Ranking within WA

Bandy Creek Merivale
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 74% of WA Higher than 52% of WA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 22% of WA Higher than 51% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 6% of WA Higher than 7% of WA
NBN connectivity Higher than 71% of WA Higher than 29% of WA

Liveability

Bandy Creek Merivale
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Bandy Creek carries more flood risk (28 vs 0); Bandy Creek carries more crime risk (40 vs 21).

Bandy Creek Merivale
Bushfire High
78/100
 Moderate
60/100
Crime Moderate
40/100
 Low
21/100
Flood Low
28/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion Moderate
58/100
 Moderate
43/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Bandy Creek Merivale
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Bandy Creek Merivale
Parks & reserves 1 0
Waterways 5 1

Mobility

Merivale sits further from the CBD (723.8 km vs 702.3 km).

Bandy Creek Merivale
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Perth 702.3 km 723.8 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 487 min 498 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 6450
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 22
postcode 6450
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Bandy Creek Merivale
Car (driver) 93.0% / 63.4%
Bandy Creek — Car (driver): 93.0% Merivale — Car (driver): 63.4%
Worked from Home — / 29.3%
Bandy Creek — Worked from Home: not among its largest Merivale — Worked from Home: 29.3%
Walked Only — / 7.3%
Bandy Creek — Walked Only: not among its largest Merivale — Walked Only: 7.3%
Bicycle 4.2% / —
Bandy Creek — Bicycle: 4.2% Merivale — Bicycle: not among its largest
Car (passenger) 2.8% / —
Bandy Creek — Car (passenger): 2.8% Merivale — Car (passenger): not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (93.0%).

Setting

Bandy Creek Merivale
Elevation 9 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 72 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.0 km
2.5 km to a named beach
 11.5 km

NBN connectivity

Bandy Creek Merivale
Connectivity score 53/100 15/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Satellite (Sky Muster)
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 15%
189 premises
 0%
16 premises

Climate

Bandy Creek Merivale
Annual rainfall 606 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 25.8°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 9.0°C
same for both

Council rates

Bandy Creek Merivale
Average residential rate $4,175/yr
same for both
Council Esperance
same for both

Federal electorate

Bandy Creek Merivale
Division O'connor
same for both
Member Rick Wilson
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bandy Creek Merivale
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bandy Creek

Coastal Family Rural

Merivale

Rural Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bandy Creek

Bandy Creek vs Castletown Bandy Creek vs Myrup Bandy Creek vs Windabout

Other comparisons with Merivale

Merivale vs Myrup Merivale vs Condingup Merivale vs Neridup
Full data on Bandy Creek Full data on Merivale
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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