Merimbula vs Pambula

In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Merimbula, most households are people living alone. In Pambula, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Merimbula: a median of $940,000, against $765,000 in Pambula. On these figures, Merimbula tends to suit people living alone, while Pambula suits 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

Pambula

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (39/100 vs 70/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (48% vs 34%)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Merimbula has cheaper units ($477,500 vs $537,500)
  • Pambula has cheaper houses ($765,000 vs $940,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Merimbula

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (33% vs 22%)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Merimbula sits closer to the CBD (524.9 km vs 528.2 km)
  • Pambula is more walkable (77/100 vs 39/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Merimbula has more GPs (4 vs 2)
  • Pambula is more walkable (77/100 vs 39/100)

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

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

Merimbula Pambula
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.

Merimbula Pambula
Walkability 39 / 77
Merimbula — Walkability: 39/100 Pambula — Walkability: 77/100
Safety 30 / 61
Merimbula — Safety: 30/100 Pambula — Safety: 61/100
Low fire risk 53 / 100
Merimbula — Low fire risk: 53/100 Pambula — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Merimbula has more residents (3,821 vs 1,002).

Merimbula Pambula
Population 3,821
+74% vs other
 1,002
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.8% +3.3%
Median age 54
same for both
Median household income $59,592/yr
+3% vs other
 $58,084/yr
Median weekly rent $310/wk $313/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Merimbula Pambula
0-4 3.4% / 4.6%
Merimbula — 0-4: 3.4% Pambula — 0-4: 4.6%
5-14 8.4% / 10.4%
Merimbula — 5-14: 8.4% Pambula — 5-14: 10.4%
15-19 3.5% / 5.8%
Merimbula — 15-19: 3.5% Pambula — 15-19: 5.8%
20-24 4.2% / 3.7%
Merimbula — 20-24: 4.2% Pambula — 20-24: 3.7%
25-34 10.7% / 8.1%
Merimbula — 25-34: 10.7% Pambula — 25-34: 8.1%
35-44 8.6% / 7.0%
Merimbula — 35-44: 8.6% Pambula — 35-44: 7.0%
45-54 11.2% / 10.6%
Merimbula — 45-54: 11.2% Pambula — 45-54: 10.6%
55-64 16.7% / 16.7%
Merimbula — 55-64: 16.7% Pambula — 55-64: 16.7%
65-74 17.3% / 15.6%
Merimbula — 65-74: 17.3% Pambula — 65-74: 15.6%
75-84 11.3% / 9.8%
Merimbula — 75-84: 11.3% Pambula — 75-84: 9.8%
85+ 4.6% / 7.9%
Merimbula — 85+: 4.6% Pambula — 85+: 7.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Merimbula 60.3% lone person
Merimbula — Lone Person: 60.3% Merimbula — Couple Families: 21.1% Merimbula — One Parent Families: 12.6% Merimbula — Group Household: 4.6% Merimbula — Other Families: 1.3%
Pambula 49.4% lone person
Pambula — Lone Person: 49.4% Pambula — Couple Families: 30.7% Pambula — One Parent Families: 17.2% Pambula — Group Household: 2.6% Pambula — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Merimbula 33.4% renting
Merimbula — Owned Outright: 43.1% Merimbula — Mortgage: 23.5% Merimbula — Renting: 33.4%
Pambula 22.4% renting
Pambula — Owned Outright: 51.2% Pambula — Mortgage: 26.4% Pambula — Renting: 22.4%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Merimbula Pambula
Certificate III & IV 17.7% / 18.2%
Merimbula — Certificate III & IV: 17.7% Pambula — Certificate III & IV: 18.2%
Bachelor Degree 12.0% / 8.1%
Merimbula — Bachelor Degree: 12.0% Pambula — Bachelor Degree: 8.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.1% / 6.7%
Merimbula — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.1% Pambula — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7%
Postgraduate Degree 3.3% / 1.1%
Merimbula — Postgraduate Degree: 3.3% Pambula — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 2.1%
Merimbula — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Pambula — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.2%).

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.

Merimbula Pambula
England 5.6% / 4.5%
Merimbula — England: 5.6% Pambula — England: 4.5%
New Zealand 1.2% / 1.1%
Merimbula — New Zealand: 1.2% Pambula — New Zealand: 1.1%
Germany 0.7% / 0.4%
Merimbula — Germany: 0.7% Pambula — Germany: 0.4%
Scotland — / 0.9%
Merimbula — Scotland: not among its largest Pambula — Scotland: 0.9%
Netherlands 0.8% / —
Merimbula — Netherlands: 0.8% Pambula — Netherlands: not among its largest
India 0.7% / —
Merimbula — India: 0.7% Pambula — India: not among its largest
France — / 0.6%
Merimbula — France: not among its largest Pambula — France: 0.6%
Ireland — / 0.5%
Merimbula — Ireland: not among its largest Pambula — Ireland: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.6%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Merimbula 58.5% houses
Merimbula — Houses: 58.5% Merimbula — Townhouses: 16.8% Merimbula — Flats / Apartments: 24.7%
Pambula 72.3% houses
Pambula — Houses: 72.3% Pambula — Townhouses: 22.0% Pambula — Flats / Apartments: 5.8%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Merimbula Pambula
Median house price $940,000 $765,000
Median unit price $477,500 $537,500
Median land price $343,500 $307,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 80 days
from 27 sales
 103 days
from 11 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.

Merimbula Pambula
3 bed $895K / $684K
Merimbula — 3 bed: $895K (33 sales) Pambula — 3 bed: $684K (15 sales)

33 vs 15 sales

4 bed $985K / $1.1M
Merimbula — 4 bed: $985K (23 sales) Pambula — 4 bed: $1.1M (5 sales)

23 vs 5 sales

Zoning mix

Merimbula Pambula
Environmental 66% 65%
Residential 16% 9%
Infrastructure and transport 11% 3%
Rural and farming 1% 11%
Parks and recreation 4% 6%
Industrial 0% 5%
Commercial 1%
same for both
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

Merimbula Pambula
New dwellings approved 109
across Bega Valley
same for both
Approvals change year on year -32%
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.

Merimbula Pambula
Houses 2.8%
$600/wk on $1.12M
 —
Units 5.0%
$478/wk on $499K
 —

Ranking within NSW

Merimbula Pambula
House price Higher than 46% of NSW Higher than 25% of NSW
Income Higher than 21% of NSW Higher than 18% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 78% of NSW Higher than 91% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 31% of NSW Higher than 52% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 54% of NSW Higher than 40% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 71% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 13% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 67% of NSW —

Liveability

Pambula is more walkable (77 vs 39); Pambula scores higher overall (51 vs 30).

Merimbula Pambula
Grade D B
Score 30/100 51/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Merimbula carries more bushfire risk (47 vs 0); Merimbula carries more crime risk (70 vs 39).

Merimbula Pambula
Bushfire Moderate
47/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
70/100
 Low
39/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion High
75/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Merimbula Pambula
Inside the suburb 1 2
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Merimbula

  • Merimbula Public School Government · Primary at peers

Schools in Pambula

  • Pambula Public School Government · Primary above peers
  • Pambula Beach Flexible School Independent · Secondary · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Merimbula Pambula
Supermarkets 2 1
Cafes & restaurants 23 9
Parks & reserves 5 4
Childcare 2 3
GPs 4 2
Pharmacies 2 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 1 0
Banks & Bank@Post 6 2
Fuel stations 1
same for both
EV chargers 2 0
Beaches 3 0
Waterways 3 1

Mobility

Pambula sits further from the CBD (528.2 km vs 524.9 km).

Merimbula Pambula
Walkability score 39/100 77/100
Distance to Sydney 524.9 km 528.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 363 min 365 min
Public transport score 57/100
Bus
 43/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 25.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 14.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 2 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.5%
postcode 2548
 0.4%
postcode 2549
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 40
postcode 2548
 52
postcode 2549

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.

Merimbula Pambula
Car (driver) 71.6% / 67.3%
Merimbula — Car (driver): 71.6% Pambula — Car (driver): 67.3%
Worked from Home 15.5% / 12.6%
Merimbula — Worked from Home: 15.5% Pambula — Worked from Home: 12.6%
Walked Only 7.2% / 13.8%
Merimbula — Walked Only: 7.2% Pambula — Walked Only: 13.8%
Car (passenger) 4.7% / 5.4%
Merimbula — Car (passenger): 4.7% Pambula — Car (passenger): 5.4%
Bus 0.5% / 0.9%
Merimbula — Bus: 0.5% Pambula — Bus: 0.9%
Bicycle 0.6% / —
Merimbula — Bicycle: 0.6% Pambula — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (71.6%).

Setting

Merimbula Pambula
Elevation 65 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 999 m
2.0 km to a named beach
 2.4 km
3.0 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Merimbula Pambula
Connectivity score 64/100 62/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 14%
3,308 premises
 30%
666 premises

Climate

Merimbula Pambula
Annual rainfall 768 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Merimbula Pambula
Average residential rate $1,767/yr
same for both
Council Bega Valley
same for both

Federal electorate

Merimbula Pambula
Division Eden-monaro
same for both
Member Kristy Mcbain
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Merimbula Pambula
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Merimbula

Affordable Coastal Retirees

Pambula

Coastal Parks Retirees Townhouses

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Merimbula

Merimbula vs Tura Beach Merimbula vs Pambula Beach Merimbula vs Millingandi Merimbula vs Mirador Merimbula vs Berrambool Merimbula vs Bournda

Other comparisons with Pambula

Pambula vs Pambula Beach Pambula vs Millingandi Pambula vs South Pambula Pambula vs Lochiel Pambula vs Bald Hills Pambula vs Greigs Flat
Full data on Merimbula Full data on Pambula
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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