Boorolite vs Merrijig

Merrijig is the younger of the two, with a median age of 32 against 50 in Boorolite. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Boorolite, about half of households are couple families. In Merrijig, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Boorolite tends to suit couples, while Merrijig suits people living alone and families with children.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Boorolite is already more of a family suburb (70% vs 47%)
  • Merrijig has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Boorolite

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (12% vs 18%)
  • has cheaper rent ($225/wk vs $320/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Boorolite

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (175 min vs 185 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (207.5 km vs 212.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Boorolite

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has more residents already 65 and over (21% vs 15%)

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

Investors

Merrijig

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (31.3% vs 16.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Boorolite Merrijig
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.

Boorolite Merrijig
Walkability 0 / 0
Boorolite — Walkability: 0/100 Merrijig — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 86 / 83
Boorolite — Safety: 86/100 Merrijig — Safety: 83/100
Low fire risk 3 / 13
Boorolite — Low fire risk: 3/100 Merrijig — Low fire risk: 13/100
Low flood risk 61 / 100
Boorolite — Low flood risk: 61/100 Merrijig — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Merrijig has more residents (721 vs 166); Boorolite skews older (50 vs 32).

Boorolite Merrijig
Population 166 721
+334% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +16.1% +31.3%
Median age 50 32
Median household income $97,500/yr
+6% vs other
 $91,624/yr
Median weekly rent $225/wk $320/wk
+42% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Boorolite Merrijig
0-4 4.8% / 2.8%
Boorolite — 0-4: 4.8% Merrijig — 0-4: 2.8%
5-14 14.5% / 22.2%
Boorolite — 5-14: 14.5% Merrijig — 5-14: 22.2%
15-19 3.6% / 16.8%
Boorolite — 15-19: 3.6% Merrijig — 15-19: 16.8%
20-24 7.2% / 2.9%
Boorolite — 20-24: 7.2% Merrijig — 20-24: 2.9%
25-34 5.4% / 7.5%
Boorolite — 25-34: 5.4% Merrijig — 25-34: 7.5%
35-44 8.4% / 11.0%
Boorolite — 35-44: 8.4% Merrijig — 35-44: 11.0%
45-54 10.8% / 10.0%
Boorolite — 45-54: 10.8% Merrijig — 45-54: 10.0%
55-64 21.1% / 11.8%
Boorolite — 55-64: 21.1% Merrijig — 55-64: 11.8%
65-74 12.7% / 12.5%
Boorolite — 65-74: 12.7% Merrijig — 65-74: 12.5%
75-84 5.4% / 2.2%
Boorolite — 75-84: 5.4% Merrijig — 75-84: 2.2%
85+ 3.0% / 0.4%
Boorolite — 85+: 3.0% Merrijig — 85+: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Boorolite 51.4% couple families
Boorolite — Couple Families: 51.4% Boorolite — Lone Person: 29.7% Boorolite — One Parent Families: 18.9% Boorolite — Group Household: 0.0%
Merrijig 39.2% couple families
Merrijig — Couple Families: 39.2% Merrijig — Lone Person: 48.0% Merrijig — One Parent Families: 7.8% Merrijig — Group Household: 4.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Boorolite 16.1% renting
Boorolite — Owned Outright: 53.6% Boorolite — Mortgage: 30.4% Boorolite — Renting: 16.1%
Merrijig 11.2% renting
Merrijig — Owned Outright: 55.0% Merrijig — Mortgage: 33.8% Merrijig — Renting: 11.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Boorolite Merrijig
Bachelor Degree 13.3% / 10.8%
Boorolite — Bachelor Degree: 13.3% Merrijig — Bachelor Degree: 10.8%
Certificate III & IV 13.3% / 9.7%
Boorolite — Certificate III & IV: 13.3% Merrijig — Certificate III & IV: 9.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 13.9% / 5.7%
Boorolite — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 13.9% Merrijig — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7%
Postgraduate Degree 4.8% / 6.2%
Boorolite — Postgraduate Degree: 4.8% Merrijig — Postgraduate Degree: 6.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.8% / 2.6%
Boorolite — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.8% Merrijig — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (13.9%).

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.

Boorolite Merrijig
England 3.0% / 3.2%
Boorolite — England: 3.0% Merrijig — England: 3.2%
South Africa 3.6% / —
Boorolite — South Africa: 3.6% Merrijig — South Africa: not among its largest
New Zealand 1.8% / 1.0%
Boorolite — New Zealand: 1.8% Merrijig — New Zealand: 1.0%
China — / 2.1%
Boorolite — China: not among its largest Merrijig — China: 2.1%
Canada — / 0.6%
Boorolite — Canada: not among its largest Merrijig — Canada: 0.6%
Philippines — / 0.4%
Boorolite — Philippines: not among its largest Merrijig — Philippines: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Boorolite 100.0% houses
Boorolite — Houses: 100.0% Boorolite — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Merrijig 96.4% houses
Merrijig — Houses: 96.4% Merrijig — Flats / Apartments: 3.6%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Boorolite Merrijig
Median house price — $760,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $690,500

Zoning mix

Boorolite has more rural and farming land (96% vs 50%).

Boorolite Merrijig
Rural and farming 96% 50%
Parks and recreation 4% 49%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Boorolite Merrijig
New dwellings approved 76
across Mansfield
same for both
Approvals change year on year -50%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Boorolite Merrijig
Houses — 3.3%
$600/wk on $945K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Boorolite Merrijig
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 68% of VIC Higher than 61% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 3% of VIC Higher than 55% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 59% of VIC Higher than 60% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 49% of VIC Higher than 26% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 27% of VIC

Liveability

Boorolite Merrijig
Grade — B
Score — 53/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 7/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Boorolite carries more flood risk (39 vs 0); Boorolite carries more bushfire risk (97 vs 87).

Boorolite Merrijig
Bushfire High
97/100
 High
87/100
Crime Low
14/100
 Low
17/100
Flood Low
39/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Boorolite Merrijig
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Boorolite

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Merrijig

  • Merrijig Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Geelong Grammar School - Timbertop Campus Independent · Combined

Amenities in the suburb

Boorolite Merrijig
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 1
same for both
Waterways 33 144

Mobility

Merrijig sits further from the CBD (212.9 km vs 207.5 km).

Boorolite Merrijig
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 207.5 km 212.9 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 175 min 185 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 3723
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 33
postcode 3723
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.

Boorolite Merrijig
Car (driver) 60.9% / 51.9%
Boorolite — Car (driver): 60.9% Merrijig — Car (driver): 51.9%
Worked from Home 33.3% / 21.8%
Boorolite — Worked from Home: 33.3% Merrijig — Worked from Home: 21.8%
Walked Only — / 23.0%
Boorolite — Walked Only: not among its largest Merrijig — Walked Only: 23.0%
Car (passenger) 5.8% / 2.1%
Boorolite — Car (passenger): 5.8% Merrijig — Car (passenger): 2.1%
Bus — / 1.2%
Boorolite — Bus: not among its largest Merrijig — Bus: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (60.9%).

Setting

Boorolite Merrijig
Elevation 408 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 686 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Boorolite Merrijig
Connectivity score 30/100 25/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
80 premises
 0%
268 premises

Climate

Boorolite Merrijig
Annual rainfall 1,633 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 17.1°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) -2.1°C
same for both

Council rates

Boorolite Merrijig
Average residential rate $1,697/yr
same for both
Council Mansfield
same for both

Federal electorate

Boorolite Merrijig
Division Indi
same for both
Member Helen Haines
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Boorolite Merrijig
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Boorolite

Rural

Merrijig

Family River Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Boorolite

Boorolite vs Mansfield Boorolite vs Howqua Boorolite vs Piries

Other comparisons with Merrijig

Merrijig vs Mansfield Merrijig vs Tolmie Merrijig vs Mount Buller Merrijig vs Barwite Merrijig vs Sawmill Settlement
Full data on Boorolite Full data on Merrijig
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

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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