Bournda vs Merimbula

Bournda is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 54 in Merimbula. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Bournda, most households are couple families. In Merimbula, most households are people living alone. On these figures, Bournda tends to suit couples, while Merimbula suits people living alone and older residents.

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

Bournda

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (73% vs 34%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (100% vs 58%)
  • But Merimbula has more parks and reserves (5 vs 2)

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

First-home buyers

Bournda

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (24% vs 30%)

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Bournda

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (19% vs 27%)
  • has cheaper rent ($270/wk vs $310/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Merimbula

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (39/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (363 min vs 368 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (524.9 km vs 530.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Merimbula

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (39/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (33% vs 13%)

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

Investors

Merimbula

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (7.8% vs -16.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bournda Merimbula
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.

Bournda Merimbula
Walkability 0 / 39
Bournda — Walkability: 0/100 Merimbula — Walkability: 39/100
Safety 26 / 30
Bournda — Safety: 26/100 Merimbula — Safety: 30/100
Low fire risk 47 / 53
Bournda — Low fire risk: 47/100 Merimbula — Low fire risk: 53/100

Demographics

Merimbula has more residents (3,821 vs 127); Bournda has higher household incomes ($74,724 vs $59,592).

Bournda Merimbula
Population 127 3,821
+2909% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -16.4% +7.8%
Median age 45 54
Median household income $74,724/yr
+20% vs other
 $59,592/yr
Median weekly rent $270/wk $310/wk
+15% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bournda Merimbula
0-4 — / 3.4%
Bournda — 0-4: not among its largest Merimbula — 0-4: 3.4%
5-14 14.2% / 8.4%
Bournda — 5-14: 14.2% Merimbula — 5-14: 8.4%
15-19 10.2% / 3.5%
Bournda — 15-19: 10.2% Merimbula — 15-19: 3.5%
20-24 — / 4.2%
Bournda — 20-24: not among its largest Merimbula — 20-24: 4.2%
25-34 7.9% / 10.7%
Bournda — 25-34: 7.9% Merimbula — 25-34: 10.7%
35-44 7.1% / 8.6%
Bournda — 35-44: 7.1% Merimbula — 35-44: 8.6%
45-54 20.5% / 11.2%
Bournda — 45-54: 20.5% Merimbula — 45-54: 11.2%
55-64 18.1% / 16.7%
Bournda — 55-64: 18.1% Merimbula — 55-64: 16.7%
65-74 10.2% / 17.3%
Bournda — 65-74: 10.2% Merimbula — 65-74: 17.3%
75-84 2.4% / 11.3%
Bournda — 75-84: 2.4% Merimbula — 75-84: 11.3%
85+ — / 4.6%
Bournda — 85+: not among its largest Merimbula — 85+: 4.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bournda 26.7% lone person
Bournda — Lone Person: 26.7% Bournda — Couple Families: 56.7% Bournda — One Parent Families: 16.7% Bournda — Group Household: 0.0% Bournda — Other Families: 0.0%
Merimbula 60.3% lone person
Merimbula — Lone Person: 60.3% Merimbula — Couple Families: 21.1% Merimbula — One Parent Families: 12.6% Merimbula — Group Household: 4.6% Merimbula — Other Families: 1.3%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bournda 25.7% renting
Bournda — Owned Outright: 42.9% Bournda — Mortgage: 31.4% Bournda — Renting: 25.7%
Merimbula 33.4% renting
Merimbula — Owned Outright: 43.1% Merimbula — Mortgage: 23.5% Merimbula — Renting: 33.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bournda Merimbula
Certificate III & IV 22.0% / 17.7%
Bournda — Certificate III & IV: 22.0% Merimbula — Certificate III & IV: 17.7%
Bachelor Degree 6.3% / 12.0%
Bournda — Bachelor Degree: 6.3% Merimbula — Bachelor Degree: 12.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 3.9% / 9.1%
Bournda — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 3.9% Merimbula — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1%
Postgraduate Degree — / 3.3%
Bournda — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Merimbula — Postgraduate Degree: 3.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 2.3%
Bournda — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Merimbula — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.0%).

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.

Bournda Merimbula
England 4.7% / 5.6%
Bournda — England: 4.7% Merimbula — England: 5.6%
South Africa 3.1% / 0.7%
Bournda — South Africa: 3.1% Merimbula — South Africa: 0.7%
France 2.4% / —
Bournda — France: 2.4% Merimbula — France: not among its largest
New Zealand — / 1.2%
Bournda — New Zealand: not among its largest Merimbula — New Zealand: 1.2%
Netherlands — / 0.8%
Bournda — Netherlands: not among its largest Merimbula — Netherlands: 0.8%
Germany — / 0.7%
Bournda — Germany: not among its largest Merimbula — Germany: 0.7%
India — / 0.7%
Bournda — India: not among its largest Merimbula — India: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bournda 100.0% houses
Bournda — Houses: 100.0% Bournda — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Bournda — Townhouses: 0.0%
Merimbula 58.5% houses
Merimbula — Houses: 58.5% Merimbula — Flats / Apartments: 24.7% Merimbula — Townhouses: 16.8%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Bournda Merimbula
Median house price — $940,000
Median unit price — $477,500
Median land price — $343,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 80 days
from 27 sales

Zoning mix

Bournda has more land zoned for conservation (95% vs 66%).

Bournda Merimbula
Environmental 95% 66%
Residential 0% 16%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 11%
Rural and farming 5% 1%
Parks and recreation 0% 4%
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

Bournda Merimbula
New dwellings approved 109
across Bega Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year -32%
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.

Bournda Merimbula
Houses — 2.8%
$600/wk on $1.12M
Units — 5.0%
$478/wk on $499K

Ranking within NSW

Bournda Merimbula
House price — Higher than 46% of NSW
Income Higher than 42% of NSW Higher than 21% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 13% of NSW Higher than 78% of NSW
Affordability — Higher than 31% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 54% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 45% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 13% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 67% of NSW

Liveability

Merimbula is more walkable (39 vs 0).

Bournda Merimbula
Grade — D
Score — 30/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10

Risk profile

Bournda Merimbula
Bushfire Moderate
53/100
 Moderate
47/100
Crime High
74/100
 High
70/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Moderate
58/100
 High
75/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Bournda Merimbula
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Bournda

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

Schools in Merimbula

  • Merimbula Public School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Bournda Merimbula
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 0 23
Parks & reserves 2 5
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 0 2
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 6
Fuel stations 0 1
EV chargers 0 2
Beaches 0 3
Waterways 6 3

Mobility

Bournda sits further from the CBD (530.8 km vs 524.9 km).

Bournda Merimbula
Walkability score 0/100 39/100
Distance to Sydney 530.8 km
+1% vs other
 524.9 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 368 min 363 min
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2548
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 40
postcode 2548
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.

Bournda Merimbula
Car (driver) 85.4% / 71.6%
Bournda — Car (driver): 85.4% Merimbula — Car (driver): 71.6%
Worked from Home 8.3% / 15.5%
Bournda — Worked from Home: 8.3% Merimbula — Worked from Home: 15.5%
Car (passenger) 6.2% / 4.7%
Bournda — Car (passenger): 6.2% Merimbula — Car (passenger): 4.7%
Walked Only — / 7.2%
Bournda — Walked Only: not among its largest Merimbula — Walked Only: 7.2%
Bicycle — / 0.6%
Bournda — Bicycle: not among its largest Merimbula — Bicycle: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (85.4%).

Setting

Bournda Merimbula
Elevation 166 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 65 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.9 km 999 m
2.0 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Bournda Merimbula
Connectivity score 29/100 64/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 15%
48 premises
 14%
3,308 premises

Climate

Bournda Merimbula
Annual rainfall 768 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Bournda Merimbula
Average residential rate $1,767/yr
same for both
Council Bega Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

Bournda Merimbula
Division Eden-monaro
same for both
Member Kristy Mcbain
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bournda Merimbula
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bournda

Rural

Merimbula

Affordable Coastal Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Bournda

Bournda vs Tura Beach Bournda vs Wolumla Bournda vs Wallagoot Bournda vs Millingandi Bournda vs Black Range Bournda vs Frogs Hollow

Other comparisons with Merimbula

Merimbula vs Tura Beach Merimbula vs Pambula Merimbula vs Pambula Beach Merimbula vs Millingandi Merimbula vs Mirador Merimbula vs Berrambool
Full data on Bournda Full data on Merimbula
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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