Clear Island Waters vs Merrimac

Merrimac is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 50 in Clear Island Waters. In both, most households own their home. In Clear Island Waters, most homes are detached houses and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Clear Island Waters: a median of $2.25 million, against $1.1 million in Merrimac, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Clear Island Waters tends to suit older residents, while Merrimac suits families with children and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

  • Clear Island Waters has more parks and reserves (20 vs 5)
  • Merrimac has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

Merrimac

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,100,000 vs $2,255,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (24% vs 31%)
  • But Clear Island Waters has cheaper units ($707,500 vs $810,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Merrimac

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (35% vs 21%)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (27% vs 33%)
  • has cheaper rent ($463/wk vs $540/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Merrimac

ahead on 3 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (58/100 vs 42/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (61 min vs 66 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (78.8 km vs 81.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Merrimac

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (52% vs 37%)
  • is more walkable (58/100 vs 42/100)
  • But Clear Island Waters has more residents already 65 and over (30% vs 17%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
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.

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
Walkability 42 / 58
Clear Island Waters — Walkability: 42/100 Merrimac — Walkability: 58/100
Safety 55 / 57
Clear Island Waters — Safety: 55/100 Merrimac — Safety: 57/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Clear Island Waters — Low fire risk: 100/100 Merrimac — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Merrimac has more residents (7,212 vs 4,395); Clear Island Waters skews older (50 vs 38).

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
Population 4,395 7,212
+64% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +6.7% +2.0%
Median age 50 38
Median household income $84,084/yr $87,776/yr
+4% vs other
Median weekly rent $540/wk
+14% vs other
 $463/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
0-4 3.4% / 5.5%
Clear Island Waters — 0-4: 3.4% Merrimac — 0-4: 5.5%
5-14 10.5% / 13.3%
Clear Island Waters — 5-14: 10.5% Merrimac — 5-14: 13.3%
15-19 5.7% / 5.8%
Clear Island Waters — 15-19: 5.7% Merrimac — 15-19: 5.8%
20-24 4.8% / 6.1%
Clear Island Waters — 20-24: 4.8% Merrimac — 20-24: 6.1%
25-34 8.0% / 13.6%
Clear Island Waters — 25-34: 8.0% Merrimac — 25-34: 13.6%
35-44 10.1% / 14.7%
Clear Island Waters — 35-44: 10.1% Merrimac — 35-44: 14.7%
45-54 14.1% / 12.9%
Clear Island Waters — 45-54: 14.1% Merrimac — 45-54: 12.9%
55-64 13.1% / 10.9%
Clear Island Waters — 55-64: 13.1% Merrimac — 55-64: 10.9%
65-74 14.3% / 8.5%
Clear Island Waters — 65-74: 14.3% Merrimac — 65-74: 8.5%
75-84 10.5% / 5.3%
Clear Island Waters — 75-84: 10.5% Merrimac — 75-84: 5.3%
85+ 5.4% / 3.4%
Clear Island Waters — 85+: 5.4% Merrimac — 85+: 3.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (14.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Clear Island Waters 46.2% couple families
Clear Island Waters — Couple Families: 46.2% Clear Island Waters — Lone Person: 34.8% Clear Island Waters — One Parent Families: 13.9% Clear Island Waters — Group Household: 3.4% Clear Island Waters — Other Families: 1.7%
Merrimac 42.2% couple families
Merrimac — Couple Families: 42.2% Merrimac — Lone Person: 28.4% Merrimac — One Parent Families: 22.2% Merrimac — Group Household: 6.1% Merrimac — Other Families: 1.1%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Clear Island Waters 21.3% renting
Clear Island Waters — Owned Outright: 47.4% Clear Island Waters — Mortgage: 31.3% Clear Island Waters — Renting: 21.3%
Merrimac 35.3% renting
Merrimac — Owned Outright: 20.2% Merrimac — Mortgage: 44.5% Merrimac — Renting: 35.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
Bachelor Degree 16.2% / 11.7%
Clear Island Waters — Bachelor Degree: 16.2% Merrimac — Bachelor Degree: 11.7%
Certificate III & IV 10.6% / 15.8%
Clear Island Waters — Certificate III & IV: 10.6% Merrimac — Certificate III & IV: 15.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.3% / 9.9%
Clear Island Waters — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3% Merrimac — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.9%
Postgraduate Degree 6.0% / 2.9%
Clear Island Waters — Postgraduate Degree: 6.0% Merrimac — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 1.5%
Clear Island Waters — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Merrimac — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.2%).

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.

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
New Zealand 5.0% / 7.4%
Clear Island Waters — New Zealand: 5.0% Merrimac — New Zealand: 7.4%
England 5.8% / 4.2%
Clear Island Waters — England: 5.8% Merrimac — England: 4.2%
China 5.9% / 1.3%
Clear Island Waters — China: 5.9% Merrimac — China: 1.3%
South Africa 2.1% / 1.5%
Clear Island Waters — South Africa: 2.1% Merrimac — South Africa: 1.5%
Japan 0.9% / 1.7%
Clear Island Waters — Japan: 0.9% Merrimac — Japan: 1.7%
Taiwan 1.6% / —
Clear Island Waters — Taiwan: 1.6% Merrimac — Taiwan: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Clear Island Waters 63.2% houses
Clear Island Waters — Houses: 63.2% Clear Island Waters — Townhouses: 25.4% Clear Island Waters — Flats / Apartments: 11.4%
Merrimac 48.1% houses
Merrimac — Houses: 48.1% Merrimac — Townhouses: 41.6% Merrimac — Flats / Apartments: 10.3%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
Median house price $2,255,000 $1,100,000
Median unit price $707,500 $810,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 32 days
from 62 sales
 30 days
from 45 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
2 bed $680K / $760K
Clear Island Waters — 2 bed: $680K (6 sales) Merrimac — 2 bed: $760K (20 sales)

6 vs 20 sales

3 bed $1.01M / $820K
Clear Island Waters — 3 bed: $1.01M (6 sales) Merrimac — 3 bed: $820K (17 sales)

6 vs 17 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
3 bed $1.4M / $1.05M
Clear Island Waters — 3 bed: $1.4M (12 sales) Merrimac — 3 bed: $1.05M (48 sales)

12 vs 48 sales

4 bed $2.2M / $1.22M
Clear Island Waters — 4 bed: $2.2M (53 sales) Merrimac — 4 bed: $1.22M (24 sales)

53 vs 24 sales

5 bed $2.84M / $2.16M
Clear Island Waters — 5 bed: $2.84M (28 sales) Merrimac — 5 bed: $2.16M (8 sales)

28 vs 8 sales

Development activity

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
New dwellings approved 7,196
across Gold Coast
same for both
Approvals change year on year -35%
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.

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
Houses 4.3%
$1,500/wk on $1.82M
 4.7%
$895/wk on $995K
Units 4.8%
$600/wk on $649K
 —

Ranking within QLD

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 55% of QLD Higher than 62% of QLD
Schools — Higher than 62% of QLD
Walkability Higher than 85% of QLD Higher than 89% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 92% of QLD
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 84% of QLD Higher than 94% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 67% of QLD Higher than 82% of QLD
Rental yield (units) Higher than 66% of QLD —

Liveability

Merrimac is more walkable (58 vs 42); Clear Island Waters scores higher overall (74 vs 64).

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
Grade A B
Score 74/100 64/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
45/100
 Moderate
43/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
Inside the suburb 1 4
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 1 3
Rated below peers 0
same for both
Universities within 10 km 2
Gold Coast campus, 3.2 km
 2
Gold Coast campus, 3.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 2.5% 2.0%

Schools in Clear Island Waters

  • St Vincent's Primary School Catholic · Primary at peers

Schools in Merrimac

  • Star of the Sea School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • All Saints Anglican School Independent · Combined at peers
  • Merrimac State School Government · Primary at peers
  • St Michael's College Catholic · Secondary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
Cafes & restaurants 1 4
Parks & reserves 20 5
Childcare 2 6
GPs 1
same for both
Pharmacies 0 2
Fuel stations 0 2
Waterways 5 7

Mobility

Clear Island Waters sits further from the CBD (81.3 km vs 78.8 km).

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
Walkability score 42/100 58/100
Distance to Brisbane 81.3 km
+3% vs other
 78.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 66 min 61 min
Public transport score 57/100
Bus
 60/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 12.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 15.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 3 min
scheduled, not actual
 2 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.7%
postcode 4226
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 4226
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.

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
Car (driver) 70.4% / 79.8%
Clear Island Waters — Car (driver): 70.4% Merrimac — Car (driver): 79.8%
Worked from Home 21.4% / 12.5%
Clear Island Waters — Worked from Home: 21.4% Merrimac — Worked from Home: 12.5%
Car (passenger) 5.4% / 4.2%
Clear Island Waters — Car (passenger): 5.4% Merrimac — Car (passenger): 4.2%
Train 1.0% / 0.9%
Clear Island Waters — Train: 1.0% Merrimac — Train: 0.9%
Walked Only 0.7% / 1.2%
Clear Island Waters — Walked Only: 0.7% Merrimac — Walked Only: 1.2%
Bus 0.4% / 1.0%
Clear Island Waters — Bus: 0.4% Merrimac — Bus: 1.0%
Bicycle 0.7% / 0.4%
Clear Island Waters — Bicycle: 0.7% Merrimac — Bicycle: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.8%).

Setting

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
Elevation 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 2 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 4.0 km
4.0 km to a named beach
 6.6 km

NBN connectivity

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
Connectivity score 75/100 86/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
1,920 premises
 43%
3,127 premises

Climate

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
Annual rainfall 1,556 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.7°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.8°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
PM2.5 4.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.43 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
Average residential rate $1,298/yr
same for both
Council Gold Coast
same for both

Federal electorate

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
Division McPherson
same for both
Member Leon Rebello
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Clear Island Waters Merrimac
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Clear Island Waters

Luxury Parks Quiet Retirees River Townhouses

Merrimac

Quiet River Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Clear Island Waters

Clear Island Waters vs Robina Clear Island Waters vs Carrara Clear Island Waters vs Mermaid Waters Clear Island Waters vs Broadbeach Waters

Other comparisons with Merrimac

Merrimac vs Robina Merrimac vs Mudgeeraba Merrimac vs Carrara Merrimac vs Worongary
Full data on Clear Island Waters Full data on Merrimac
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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