Highfields vs Meringandan

Meringandan is the younger of the two, with a median age of 34 against 45 in Highfields. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Highfields: a median of $1.08 million, against $854,000 in Meringandan, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Highfields tends to suit older residents, while Meringandan 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

Highfields

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more childcare (9 vs 0)
  • has more parks and reserves (16 vs 3)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Meringandan

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($854,500 vs $1,081,500)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Meringandan

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($363/wk vs $410/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Highfields

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (35/100 vs 0/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (110 min vs 122 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (139.3 km vs 150.2 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Highfields

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (35/100 vs 0/100)
  • has more GPs (2 vs 0)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (23% vs 8%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

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

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Highfields Meringandan
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.

Highfields Meringandan
Walkability 35 / 0
Highfields — Walkability: 35/100 Meringandan — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 60 / 66
Highfields — Safety: 60/100 Meringandan — Safety: 66/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Highfields — Low fire risk: 100/100 Meringandan — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Highfields has more residents (8,568 vs 530); Highfields skews older (45 vs 34).

Highfields Meringandan
Population 8,568
+94% vs other
 530
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +5.4% +8.8%
Median age 45 34
Median household income $103,688/yr
+2% vs other
 $101,504/yr
Median weekly rent $410/wk
+11% vs other
 $363/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Highfields Meringandan
0-4 4.5% / 7.2%
Highfields — 0-4: 4.5% Meringandan — 0-4: 7.2%
5-14 14.7% / 22.1%
Highfields — 5-14: 14.7% Meringandan — 5-14: 22.1%
15-19 8.1% / 7.5%
Highfields — 15-19: 8.1% Meringandan — 15-19: 7.5%
20-24 3.7% / 4.7%
Highfields — 20-24: 3.7% Meringandan — 20-24: 4.7%
25-34 7.1% / 10.4%
Highfields — 25-34: 7.1% Meringandan — 25-34: 10.4%
35-44 11.1% / 15.7%
Highfields — 35-44: 11.1% Meringandan — 35-44: 15.7%
45-54 14.5% / 14.9%
Highfields — 45-54: 14.5% Meringandan — 45-54: 14.9%
55-64 13.6% / 9.4%
Highfields — 55-64: 13.6% Meringandan — 55-64: 9.4%
65-74 13.5% / 6.2%
Highfields — 65-74: 13.5% Meringandan — 65-74: 6.2%
75-84 7.4% / 1.3%
Highfields — 75-84: 7.4% Meringandan — 75-84: 1.3%
85+ 2.0% / 0.6%
Highfields — 85+: 2.0% Meringandan — 85+: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Highfields 62.5% couple families
Highfields — Couple Families: 62.5% Highfields — Lone Person: 23.3% Highfields — One Parent Families: 11.7% Highfields — Group Household: 1.6% Highfields — Other Families: 0.9%
Meringandan 66.7% couple families
Meringandan — Couple Families: 66.7% Meringandan — Lone Person: 21.4% Meringandan — One Parent Families: 12.0% Meringandan — Group Household: 0.0% Meringandan — 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.

Highfields 14.4% renting
Highfields — Owned Outright: 46.6% Highfields — Mortgage: 39.0% Highfields — Renting: 14.4%
Meringandan 15.6% renting
Meringandan — Owned Outright: 25.6% Meringandan — Mortgage: 58.8% Meringandan — Renting: 15.6%
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.

Highfields Meringandan
England 2.8% / 1.3%
Highfields — England: 2.8% Meringandan — England: 1.3%
New Zealand 1.9% / 0.8%
Highfields — New Zealand: 1.9% Meringandan — New Zealand: 0.8%
South Africa 1.2% / 1.3%
Highfields — South Africa: 1.2% Meringandan — South Africa: 1.3%
Zimbabwe 0.9% / 1.1%
Highfields — Zimbabwe: 0.9% Meringandan — Zimbabwe: 1.1%
Scotland 0.4% / 0.6%
Highfields — Scotland: 0.4% Meringandan — Scotland: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.8%).

Qualifications

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

Highfields Meringandan
Certificate III & IV 15.8% / 19.8%
Highfields — Certificate III & IV: 15.8% Meringandan — Certificate III & IV: 19.8%
Bachelor Degree 13.4% / 7.7%
Highfields — Bachelor Degree: 13.4% Meringandan — Bachelor Degree: 7.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.3% / 8.7%
Highfields — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.3% Meringandan — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.7%
Postgraduate Degree 3.2% / 0.6%
Highfields — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2% Meringandan — Postgraduate Degree: 0.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 0.6%
Highfields — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Meringandan — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Highfields 96.2% houses
Highfields — Houses: 96.2% Highfields — Townhouses: 3.5% Highfields — Flats / Apartments: 0.3%
Meringandan 97.5% houses
Meringandan — Houses: 97.5% Meringandan — Townhouses: 0.0% Meringandan — Flats / Apartments: 2.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Highfields Meringandan
Median house price $1,081,500 $854,500
Median unit price $647,000 —
Median land price $921,111 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 42 days
from 137 sales
 26 days
from 3 sales

Development activity

Highfields Meringandan
New dwellings approved 1,513
across Toowoomba
same for both
Approvals change year on year -25%
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.

Highfields Meringandan
Houses 3.3%
$755/wk on $1.2M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within QLD

Highfields Meringandan
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 76% of QLD Higher than 75% of QLD
Schools Higher than 87% of QLD —
Walkability Higher than 83% of QLD Higher than 27% of QLD
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 68% of QLD Higher than 67% of QLD
NBN connectivity Higher than 83% of QLD Higher than 72% of QLD
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 17% of QLD —

Liveability

Highfields is more walkable (35 vs 0); Highfields scores higher overall (74 vs 58).

Highfields Meringandan
Grade A B
Score 74/100 58/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Highfields Meringandan
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
40/100
 Low
34/100
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 2
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

Highfields Meringandan
Inside the suburb 4 0
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Highfields

  • Highfields State School Government · Primary above peers
  • Highfields State Secondary College Government · Secondary above peers
  • Mary MacKillop Catholic College Catholic · Combined at peers
  • Toowoomba Christian College Independent · Combined at peers

Schools in Meringandan

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

Amenities in the suburb

Highfields Meringandan
Supermarkets 3 0
Cafes & restaurants 6 0
Parks & reserves 16 3
Childcare 9 0
GPs 2 0
Pharmacies 3 0
Banks & Bank@Post 2 0
Fuel stations 5 0
Waterways 6 3

Mobility

Meringandan sits further from the CBD (150.2 km vs 139.3 km).

Highfields Meringandan
Walkability score 35/100 0/100
Distance to Brisbane 139.3 km 150.2 km
+8% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 110 min 122 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 4352
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 84
postcode 4352
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.

Highfields Meringandan
Car (driver) 80.8% / 83.2%
Highfields — Car (driver): 80.8% Meringandan — Car (driver): 83.2%
Worked from Home 11.3% / 8.4%
Highfields — Worked from Home: 11.3% Meringandan — Worked from Home: 8.4%
Car (passenger) 5.3% / 4.4%
Highfields — Car (passenger): 5.3% Meringandan — Car (passenger): 4.4%
Walked Only 1.7% / 4.0%
Highfields — Walked Only: 1.7% Meringandan — Walked Only: 4.0%
Bus 0.5% / —
Highfields — Bus: 0.5% Meringandan — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (83.2%).

Setting

Highfields Meringandan
Elevation 640 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 513 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Highfields Meringandan
Connectivity score 74/100 59/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 54%
3,935 premises
 37%
171 premises

Climate

Highfields Meringandan
Annual rainfall 577 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 31.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 3.9°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Highfields Meringandan
PM2.5 4.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 12.0 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Highfields Meringandan
Average residential rate $1,618/yr
same for both
Council Toowoomba
same for both

Federal electorate

Highfields Meringandan
Division Groom
same for both
Member Garth Hamilton
same for both
Party Liberal National Party of Queensland
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Highfields Meringandan
Grant amount $30,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Highfields

Regional Centre

Meringandan

Acreage Family

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Highfields

Highfields vs Kleinton Highfields vs Cabarlah Highfields vs Blue Mountain Heights Highfields vs Cawdor Highfields vs Ballard Highfields vs Birnam

Other comparisons with Meringandan

Meringandan vs Meringandan West Meringandan vs Kleinton Meringandan vs Douglas Meringandan vs Groomsville
Full data on Highfields Full data on Meringandan
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or