Giants Creek vs Merriwa

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. On these figures, Merriwa tends to suit people living alone.

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

  • Giants Creek carries lower crime risk (36/100 vs 73/100)
  • Merriwa has more parks and reserves (5 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

Merriwa

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (26% vs 8%)
  • has cheaper rent ($245/wk vs $280/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Giants Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (294.1 km vs 318.6 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (221 min vs 231 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Giants Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (36/100 vs 73/100)

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

Investors

Giants Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (62.0% vs 3.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Giants Creek Merriwa
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.

Giants Creek Merriwa
Walkability 0 / 0
Giants Creek — Walkability: 0/100 Merriwa — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 64 / 27
Giants Creek — Safety: 64/100 Merriwa — Safety: 27/100
Low fire risk 44 / 51
Giants Creek — Low fire risk: 44/100 Merriwa — Low fire risk: 51/100

Demographics

Merriwa has more residents (1,825 vs 149); Giants Creek rents higher ($280/wk vs $245/wk).

Giants Creek Merriwa
Population 149 1,825
+1125% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +62.0% +3.6%
Median age 43 45
Median household income $61,724/yr $62,816/yr
+2% vs other
Median weekly rent $280/wk
+12% vs other
 $245/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Giants Creek Merriwa
0-4 5.4% / 5.4%
Giants Creek — 0-4: 5.4% Merriwa — 0-4: 5.4%
5-14 15.4% / 14.4%
Giants Creek — 5-14: 15.4% Merriwa — 5-14: 14.4%
15-19 6.0% / 5.4%
Giants Creek — 15-19: 6.0% Merriwa — 15-19: 5.4%
20-24 — / 4.4%
Giants Creek — 20-24: not among its largest Merriwa — 20-24: 4.4%
25-34 8.7% / 9.8%
Giants Creek — 25-34: 8.7% Merriwa — 25-34: 9.8%
35-44 14.8% / 10.5%
Giants Creek — 35-44: 14.8% Merriwa — 35-44: 10.5%
45-54 8.1% / 11.6%
Giants Creek — 45-54: 8.1% Merriwa — 45-54: 11.6%
55-64 20.1% / 13.6%
Giants Creek — 55-64: 20.1% Merriwa — 55-64: 13.6%
65-74 16.1% / 13.4%
Giants Creek — 65-74: 16.1% Merriwa — 65-74: 13.4%
75-84 2.7% / 7.2%
Giants Creek — 75-84: 2.7% Merriwa — 75-84: 7.2%
85+ 2.0% / 3.8%
Giants Creek — 85+: 2.0% Merriwa — 85+: 3.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Giants Creek 41.9% couple families
Giants Creek — Couple Families: 41.9% Giants Creek — Lone Person: 27.9% Giants Creek — One Parent Families: 20.9% Giants Creek — Group Household: 9.3% Giants Creek — Other Families: 0.0%
Merriwa 37.0% couple families
Merriwa — Couple Families: 37.0% Merriwa — Lone Person: 43.9% Merriwa — One Parent Families: 15.2% Merriwa — Group Household: 3.0% Merriwa — Other Families: 0.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Giants Creek 7.8% renting
Giants Creek — Owned Outright: 51.0% Giants Creek — Mortgage: 41.2% Giants Creek — Renting: 7.8%
Merriwa 25.8% renting
Merriwa — Owned Outright: 46.4% Merriwa — Mortgage: 27.8% Merriwa — Renting: 25.8%
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.

Giants Creek Merriwa
England 3.4% / 1.5%
Giants Creek — England: 3.4% Merriwa — England: 1.5%
New Zealand — / 1.2%
Giants Creek — New Zealand: not among its largest Merriwa — New Zealand: 1.2%
Nepal — / 0.5%
Giants Creek — Nepal: not among its largest Merriwa — Nepal: 0.5%
Vietnam — / 0.4%
Giants Creek — Vietnam: not among its largest Merriwa — Vietnam: 0.4%
Philippines — / 0.4%
Giants Creek — Philippines: not among its largest Merriwa — Philippines: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.4%).

Qualifications

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

Giants Creek Merriwa
Certificate III & IV 11.4% / 15.9%
Giants Creek — Certificate III & IV: 11.4% Merriwa — Certificate III & IV: 15.9%
Bachelor Degree 5.4% / 6.7%
Giants Creek — Bachelor Degree: 5.4% Merriwa — Bachelor Degree: 6.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.4% / 4.8%
Giants Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.4% Merriwa — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.0% / 0.5%
Giants Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0% Merriwa — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.5%
Postgraduate Degree — / 0.8%
Giants Creek — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Merriwa — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Giants Creek 90.6% houses
Giants Creek — Houses: 90.6% Giants Creek — Flats / Apartments: 9.4% Giants Creek — Townhouses: 0.0%
Merriwa 95.3% houses
Merriwa — Houses: 95.3% Merriwa — Flats / Apartments: 1.7% Merriwa — Townhouses: 3.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Giants Creek Merriwa
Median house price — $402,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $248,750
Typical days to sell (houses) — 72 days
from 22 sales

Zoning mix

Giants Creek has more land zoned for conservation (60% vs 16%); Merriwa has more rural and farming land (84% vs 40%).

Giants Creek Merriwa
Rural and farming 40% 84%
Environmental 60% 16%
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

Giants Creek Merriwa
New dwellings approved 71
across Muswellbrook
 41
across Upper Hunter
Approvals change year on year +13% -20%

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.

Giants Creek Merriwa
Houses — 4.2%
$420/wk on $515K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Giants Creek Merriwa
House price — Higher than 11% of NSW
Income Higher than 24% of NSW Higher than 25% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 41% of NSW
Affordability — Higher than 87% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 33% of NSW —
NBN connectivity Higher than 18% of NSW Higher than 40% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 83% of NSW

Liveability

Giants Creek Merriwa
Grade — D
Score — 16/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Merriwa carries more crime risk (73 vs 36).

Giants Creek Merriwa
Bushfire Moderate
56/100
 Moderate
49/100
Crime Low
36/100
 High
73/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
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

Giants Creek Merriwa
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0 2
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Giants Creek

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

Schools in Merriwa

  • Merriwa Central School Government · Combined above peers
  • St Joseph's Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Giants Creek Merriwa
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 0 5
Childcare 0 1
GPs 0 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 43 275

Mobility

Merriwa sits further from the CBD (318.6 km vs 294.1 km).

Giants Creek Merriwa
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 294.1 km 318.6 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 221 min 231 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 2328
 0.0%
postcode 2329
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 44
postcode 2328
 46
postcode 2329

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.

Giants Creek Merriwa
Car (driver) 86.5% / 67.2%
Giants Creek — Car (driver): 86.5% Merriwa — Car (driver): 67.2%
Worked from Home 5.8% / 18.0%
Giants Creek — Worked from Home: 5.8% Merriwa — Worked from Home: 18.0%
Car (passenger) 7.7% / 5.1%
Giants Creek — Car (passenger): 7.7% Merriwa — Car (passenger): 5.1%
Walked Only — / 9.0%
Giants Creek — Walked Only: not among its largest Merriwa — Walked Only: 9.0%
Bus — / 0.7%
Giants Creek — Bus: not among its largest Merriwa — Bus: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (86.5%).

Setting

Giants Creek Merriwa
Elevation 297 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 433 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Giants Creek Merriwa
Connectivity score 15/100 27/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
40 premises
 0%
883 premises

Climate

Giants Creek Merriwa
Annual rainfall 631 mm 659 mm
Summer max (Jan) 31.6°C —
Winter min (Jul) 4.1°C —

Air quality (annual mean)

Giants Creek Merriwa
PM2.5 — 4.4 µg/m³
PM10 15.5 µg/m³ 13.6 µg/m³
NO₂ — 0.31 pphm

Council rates

Giants Creek Merriwa
Average residential rate $936/yr $968/yr
Council Muswellbrook Upper Hunter

Federal electorate

Giants Creek Merriwa
Division New England
same for both
Member Barnaby Joyce
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Giants Creek Merriwa
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Giants Creek

Rural

Merriwa

Affordable Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Giants Creek

Giants Creek vs Sandy Hollow Giants Creek vs Gungal Giants Creek vs Wybong Giants Creek vs Bunnan Giants Creek vs Manobalai

Other comparisons with Merriwa

Merriwa vs Cassilis Merriwa vs Gungal Merriwa vs Bunnan Merriwa vs Baerami Merriwa vs Widden Merriwa vs Parraweena
Full data on Giants Creek Full data on Merriwa
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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