Crystal Brook vs Merriton

Merriton is the younger of the two, with a median age of 45 against 49 in Crystal Brook. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Crystal Brook, about half of households are people living alone. In Merriton, the large majority of households are couple families. On these figures, Crystal Brook tends to suit people living alone, while Merriton suits couples.

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

Merriton

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (11/100 vs 27/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (77% vs 48%)
  • But Crystal Brook has more schools rated above their peers (1 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

Merriton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($0/wk vs $189/wk)

Weighs rent.

Commuting to the city

Merriton

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (125 min vs 132 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (190.7 km vs 200.4 km)
  • But Crystal Brook is more walkable (56/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Crystal Brook

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (56/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (3 vs 0)
  • But Merriton carries lower crime risk (11/100 vs 27/100)

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

Investors

Merriton

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (12.2% vs 1.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Crystal Brook Merriton
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.

Crystal Brook Merriton
Walkability 56 / 0
Crystal Brook — Walkability: 56/100 Merriton — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 73 / 89
Crystal Brook — Safety: 73/100 Merriton — Safety: 89/100
Low fire risk 100 / 83
Crystal Brook — Low fire risk: 100/100 Merriton — Low fire risk: 83/100

Demographics

Crystal Brook rents higher ($189/wk vs $0/wk); Crystal Brook has more residents (1,537 vs 55).

Crystal Brook Merriton
Population 1,537
+96% vs other
 55
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.5% +12.2%
Median age 49 45
Median household income $52,572/yr $86,632/yr
+65% vs other
Median weekly rent $189/wk
(not reported on the other side)
 —

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Crystal Brook Merriton
0-4 5.8% / 9.1%
Crystal Brook — 0-4: 5.8% Merriton — 0-4: 9.1%
5-14 14.2% / 12.7%
Crystal Brook — 5-14: 14.2% Merriton — 5-14: 12.7%
15-19 3.8% / 9.1%
Crystal Brook — 15-19: 3.8% Merriton — 15-19: 9.1%
20-24 3.0% / —
Crystal Brook — 20-24: 3.0% Merriton — 20-24: not among its largest
25-34 9.6% / 5.5%
Crystal Brook — 25-34: 9.6% Merriton — 25-34: 5.5%
35-44 11.0% / 18.2%
Crystal Brook — 35-44: 11.0% Merriton — 35-44: 18.2%
45-54 10.1% / 18.2%
Crystal Brook — 45-54: 10.1% Merriton — 45-54: 18.2%
55-64 13.9% / 7.3%
Crystal Brook — 55-64: 13.9% Merriton — 55-64: 7.3%
65-74 14.6% / 21.8%
Crystal Brook — 65-74: 14.6% Merriton — 65-74: 21.8%
75-84 10.0% / 5.5%
Crystal Brook — 75-84: 10.0% Merriton — 75-84: 5.5%
85+ 4.6% / —
Crystal Brook — 85+: 4.6% Merriton — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Crystal Brook 34.6% couple families
Crystal Brook — Couple Families: 34.6% Crystal Brook — Lone Person: 49.0% Crystal Brook — One Parent Families: 13.0% Crystal Brook — Group Household: 1.9% Crystal Brook — Other Families: 1.4%
Merriton 76.9% couple families
Merriton — Couple Families: 76.9% Merriton — Lone Person: 23.1% Merriton — One Parent Families: 0.0% Merriton — Group Household: 0.0% Merriton — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Crystal Brook 22.3% renting
Crystal Brook — Owned Outright: 46.3% Crystal Brook — Mortgage: 31.3% Crystal Brook — Renting: 22.3%
Merriton 0.0% renting
Merriton — Owned Outright: 73.7% Merriton — Mortgage: 26.3% Merriton — Renting: 0.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Crystal Brook 91.2% houses
Crystal Brook — Houses: 91.2% Crystal Brook — Townhouses: 7.2% Crystal Brook — Flats / Apartments: 1.6%
Merriton 100.0% houses
Merriton — Houses: 100.0% Merriton — Townhouses: 0.0% Merriton — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Crystal Brook Merriton
Certificate III & IV 17.1% / 12.7%
Crystal Brook — Certificate III & IV: 17.1% Merriton — Certificate III & IV: 12.7%
Bachelor Degree 7.9% / 10.9%
Crystal Brook — Bachelor Degree: 7.9% Merriton — Bachelor Degree: 10.9%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.8% / 10.9%
Crystal Brook — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.8% Merriton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.9%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 5.5%
Crystal Brook — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Merriton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 5.5%
Postgraduate Degree 1.1% / —
Crystal Brook — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1% Merriton — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.1%).

Property market

Crystal Brook Merriton
Median house price $332,500 —
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $120,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 54 days
from 9 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Crystal Brook Merriton
Rural and farming 98% 100%
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

Crystal Brook Merriton
New dwellings approved 53
across Port Pirie
same for both
Approvals change year on year +75%
same for both

Ranking within SA

Crystal Brook Merriton
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 17% of SA Higher than 64% of SA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 82% of SA Higher than 7% of SA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 41% of SA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 72% of SA Higher than 41% of SA

Liveability

Crystal Brook is more walkable (56 vs 0).

Crystal Brook Merriton
Grade B —
Score 51/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Merriton carries more bushfire risk (17 vs 0); Crystal Brook carries more crime risk (27 vs 11).

Crystal Brook Merriton
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
17/100
Crime Low
27/100
 Low
11/100
Flood —
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Crystal Brook Merriton
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Crystal Brook

  • Crystal Brook Primary School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Merriton

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

Amenities in the suburb

Crystal Brook Merriton
Supermarkets 1 0
Parks & reserves 1 0
Childcare 1 0
GPs 3 0
Hospitals 1 0
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 1 0
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 6 1

Mobility

Crystal Brook sits further from the CBD (200.4 km vs 190.7 km).

Crystal Brook Merriton
Walkability score 56/100 0/100
Distance to Adelaide 200.4 km
+5% vs other
 190.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 132 min 125 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 5523
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 62
postcode 5523
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.

Crystal Brook Merriton
Car (driver) 77.6% / 50.0%
Crystal Brook — Car (driver): 77.6% Merriton — Car (driver): 50.0%
Worked from Home 8.9% / 37.5%
Crystal Brook — Worked from Home: 8.9% Merriton — Worked from Home: 37.5%
Walked Only 7.1% / 12.5%
Crystal Brook — Walked Only: 7.1% Merriton — Walked Only: 12.5%
Car (passenger) 5.3% / —
Crystal Brook — Car (passenger): 5.3% Merriton — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Bus 0.6% / —
Crystal Brook — Bus: 0.6% Merriton — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.6%).

Setting

Crystal Brook Merriton
Elevation 117 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 64 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 27.8 km 20.0 km

NBN connectivity

Crystal Brook Merriton
Connectivity score 43/100 28/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
825 premises
 0%
24 premises

Climate

Crystal Brook Merriton
Annual rainfall 472 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Crystal Brook Merriton
PM2.5 —
same for both
PM10 23.7 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Crystal Brook Merriton
Average residential rate $1,855/yr
same for both
Council Port Pirie
same for both

Federal electorate

Crystal Brook Merriton
Division Grey
same for both
Member Tom Venning
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Crystal Brook Merriton
Grant amount $15,000
same for both
Property price cap —
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Crystal Brook

Affordable Quiet Retirees Rural

Merriton

Retirees Rural Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Crystal Brook

Crystal Brook vs Warnertown Crystal Brook vs Redhill Crystal Brook vs Wandearah East Crystal Brook vs Beetaloo Valley Crystal Brook vs Narridy

Other comparisons with Merriton

Merriton vs Redhill Merriton vs Wandearah East Merriton vs Clements Gap
Full data on Crystal Brook Full data on Merriton
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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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