Hopetoun Park vs Merrimu

In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and the large majority of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Hopetoun Park: a median of $1.5 million, against $1.32 million in Merrimu, and rent is higher there too.

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

Hopetoun Park

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (46/100 vs 68/100)

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

First-home buyers

Merrimu

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,320,000 vs $1,500,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Merrimu

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($100/wk vs $375/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (4% vs 15%)

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

Commuting to the city

Hopetoun Park

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (44 min vs 52 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (51.2 km vs 56.3 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Hopetoun Park

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (46/100 vs 68/100)

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

Investors

Hopetoun Park

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (14.5% vs 6.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
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.

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
Walkability 0 / 4
Hopetoun Park — Walkability: 0/100 Merrimu — Walkability: 4/100
Safety 54 / 32
Hopetoun Park — Safety: 54/100 Merrimu — Safety: 32/100
Low fire risk 30 / 100
Hopetoun Park — Low fire risk: 30/100 Merrimu — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 35 / 68
Hopetoun Park — Low flood risk: 35/100 Merrimu — Low flood risk: 68/100

Demographics

Hopetoun Park rents higher ($375/wk vs $100/wk); Hopetoun Park has more residents (914 vs 397).

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
Population 914
+57% vs other
 397
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +14.5% +6.1%
Median age 38 39
Median household income $133,224/yr
+5% vs other
 $126,932/yr
Median weekly rent $375/wk
+73% vs other
 $100/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
0-4 4.4% / 5.5%
Hopetoun Park — 0-4: 4.4% Merrimu — 0-4: 5.5%
5-14 20.8% / 18.6%
Hopetoun Park — 5-14: 20.8% Merrimu — 5-14: 18.6%
15-19 7.2% / 4.0%
Hopetoun Park — 15-19: 7.2% Merrimu — 15-19: 4.0%
20-24 6.6% / 5.5%
Hopetoun Park — 20-24: 6.6% Merrimu — 20-24: 5.5%
25-34 6.6% / 11.1%
Hopetoun Park — 25-34: 6.6% Merrimu — 25-34: 11.1%
35-44 17.4% / 14.9%
Hopetoun Park — 35-44: 17.4% Merrimu — 35-44: 14.9%
45-54 17.4% / 13.9%
Hopetoun Park — 45-54: 17.4% Merrimu — 45-54: 13.9%
55-64 10.4% / 12.6%
Hopetoun Park — 55-64: 10.4% Merrimu — 55-64: 12.6%
65-74 7.8% / 8.1%
Hopetoun Park — 65-74: 7.8% Merrimu — 65-74: 8.1%
75-84 1.6% / 2.0%
Hopetoun Park — 75-84: 1.6% Merrimu — 75-84: 2.0%
85+ 0.3% / 1.5%
Hopetoun Park — 85+: 0.3% Merrimu — 85+: 1.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Hopetoun Park 82.7% couple families
Hopetoun Park — Couple Families: 82.7% Hopetoun Park — Lone Person: 9.9% Hopetoun Park — One Parent Families: 5.0% Hopetoun Park — Group Household: 0.0% Hopetoun Park — Other Families: 2.5%
Merrimu 76.3% couple families
Merrimu — Couple Families: 76.3% Merrimu — Lone Person: 14.5% Merrimu — One Parent Families: 5.3% Merrimu — Group Household: 3.9% Merrimu — 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.

Hopetoun Park 2.4% renting
Hopetoun Park — Owned Outright: 32.3% Hopetoun Park — Mortgage: 65.3% Hopetoun Park — Renting: 2.4%
Merrimu 5.7% renting
Merrimu — Owned Outright: 34.3% Merrimu — Mortgage: 60.0% Merrimu — Renting: 5.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
Certificate III & IV 18.5% / 21.2%
Hopetoun Park — Certificate III & IV: 18.5% Merrimu — Certificate III & IV: 21.2%
Bachelor Degree 6.1% / 7.8%
Hopetoun Park — Bachelor Degree: 6.1% Merrimu — Bachelor Degree: 7.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.0% / 5.0%
Hopetoun Park — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0% Merrimu — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.0% / 2.5%
Hopetoun Park — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.0% Merrimu — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5%
Postgraduate Degree 1.1% / 0.8%
Hopetoun Park — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1% Merrimu — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.2%).

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.

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
New Zealand 1.4% / 2.8%
Hopetoun Park — New Zealand: 1.4% Merrimu — New Zealand: 2.8%
England 1.0% / 1.5%
Hopetoun Park — England: 1.0% Merrimu — England: 1.5%
Italy 1.0% / 1.3%
Hopetoun Park — Italy: 1.0% Merrimu — Italy: 1.3%
India 0.4% / 1.8%
Hopetoun Park — India: 0.4% Merrimu — India: 1.8%
Scotland 0.4% / 1.5%
Hopetoun Park — Scotland: 0.4% Merrimu — Scotland: 1.5%
Greece 0.7% / —
Hopetoun Park — Greece: 0.7% Merrimu — Greece: not among its largest
Philippines 0.5% / —
Hopetoun Park — Philippines: 0.5% Merrimu — Philippines: not among its largest

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Hopetoun Park 101.2% houses
Hopetoun Park — Houses: 101.2%
Merrimu 100.0% houses
Merrimu — Houses: 100.0%
Houses

Property market

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
Median house price $1,500,000 $1,320,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $1,382,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 92 days
from 5 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Merrimu has more land zoned for conservation (50% vs 0%); Hopetoun Park has more rural and farming land (41% vs 30%).

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
Environmental 0% 50%
Residential 47% 0%
Rural and farming 41% 30%
Parks and recreation 0% 12%
Infrastructure and transport 12% 6%
Other and special use 0% 2%
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

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
New dwellings approved 338
across Moorabool
same for both
Approvals change year on year +4%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 95% of VIC Higher than 94% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 44% of VIC Higher than 64% of VIC
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 65% of VIC Higher than 64% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 64% of VIC Higher than 48% of VIC

Liveability

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
Grade C —
Score 35/100 —
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Hopetoun Park carries more bushfire risk (70 vs 0); Hopetoun Park carries more flood risk (65 vs 32).

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
Bushfire High
70/100
 None
0/100
Crime Moderate
46/100
 Moderate
68/100
Flood Moderate
65/100
 Low
32/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 1
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
Waterways 2
same for both

Mobility

Merrimu sits further from the CBD (56.3 km vs 51.2 km).

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
Walkability score 0/100 4/100
Distance to Melbourne 51.2 km 56.3 km
+10% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 44 min 52 min
Electric vehicle share 0.7%
postcode 3340
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 42
postcode 3340
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.

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
Car (driver) 71.7% / 70.8%
Hopetoun Park — Car (driver): 71.7% Merrimu — Car (driver): 70.8%
Worked from Home 22.7% / 22.7%
Hopetoun Park — Worked from Home: 22.7% Merrimu — Worked from Home: 22.7%
Car (passenger) 4.5% / 3.2%
Hopetoun Park — Car (passenger): 4.5% Merrimu — Car (passenger): 3.2%
Walked Only — / 3.2%
Hopetoun Park — Walked Only: not among its largest Merrimu — Walked Only: 3.2%
Bicycle 1.1% / —
Hopetoun Park — Bicycle: 1.1% Merrimu — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.7%).

Setting

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
Elevation 142 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 190 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 34.1 km 38.4 km

NBN connectivity

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
Connectivity score 30/100
same for both
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
273 premises
 0%
133 premises

Climate

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
Annual rainfall 482 mm 778 mm
Summer max (Jan) 25.9°C —
Winter min (Jul) 6.2°C —

Air quality (annual mean)

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
PM2.5 4.4 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
Average residential rate $1,979/yr
same for both
Council Moorabool
same for both

Federal electorate

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
Division Hawke
same for both
Member Sam Rae
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Hopetoun Park Merrimu
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Hopetoun Park

Acreage Family Outer Premium

Merrimu

Acreage Family Outer

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Hopetoun Park

Hopetoun Park vs Brookfield Hopetoun Park vs Melton West Hopetoun Park vs Bacchus Marsh Hopetoun Park vs Long Forest Hopetoun Park vs Parwan

Other comparisons with Merrimu

Merrimu vs Darley Merrimu vs Bacchus Marsh Merrimu vs Coimadai Merrimu vs Long Forest
Full data on Hopetoun Park Full data on Merrimu
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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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