Merriang vs Myrtleford

Merriang is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 50 in Myrtleford. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Myrtleford, about half of households are people living alone. On these figures, Myrtleford tends to suit people living alone.

Merriang and Myrtleford are very different in scale and character. Merriang is a tiny community of 182 people with significantly higher median household income at $96,200 compared to Myrtleford's $59,436, and notably lower bushfire risk at 0 versus 96. Myrtleford is a larger town of 3,285 people offering more rental availability at $250 per week, though Merriang's median weekly rent is $300. Both are similarly remote from Melbourne's CBD and have minimal walkability, but Merriang suits those prioritising financial security and natural hazard protection, while Myrtleford better fits buyers seeking an established community with more services and amenities.

Written by an AI language model from the figures below. Every number in it is checked against those figures before it is published.

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

  • Merriang carries lower crime risk (24/100 vs 56/100)
  • Myrtleford has more parks and reserves (18 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

Myrtleford

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (24% vs 11%)
  • has cheaper rent ($250/wk vs $300/wk)
  • But Merriang leaves renters under less rental stress (16% vs 22%)

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

Commuting to the city

Merriang

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (284.9 km vs 295.7 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Merriang carries lower crime risk (24/100 vs 56/100)
  • Myrtleford has more GPs (4 vs 0)

Weighs 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

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

Merriang Myrtleford
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.

Merriang Myrtleford
Walkability 4 / 4
Merriang — Walkability: 4/100 Myrtleford — Walkability: 4/100
Safety 76 / 44
Merriang — Safety: 76/100 Myrtleford — Safety: 44/100
Low fire risk 100 / 4
Merriang — Low fire risk: 100/100 Myrtleford — Low fire risk: 4/100
Low flood risk 21 / 31
Merriang — Low flood risk: 21/100 Myrtleford — Low flood risk: 31/100

Demographics

Myrtleford has more residents (3,285 vs 182); Merriang has higher household incomes ($96,200 vs $59,436).

Merriang Myrtleford
Population 182 3,285
+1705% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +2.2% +2.9%
Median age 47 50
Median household income $96,200/yr
+38% vs other
 $59,436/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+17% vs other
 $250/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Merriang Myrtleford
0-4 — / 4.1%
Merriang — 0-4: not among its largest Myrtleford — 0-4: 4.1%
5-14 14.8% / 11.3%
Merriang — 5-14: 14.8% Myrtleford — 5-14: 11.3%
15-19 9.3% / 4.5%
Merriang — 15-19: 9.3% Myrtleford — 15-19: 4.5%
20-24 4.9% / 4.5%
Merriang — 20-24: 4.9% Myrtleford — 20-24: 4.5%
25-34 8.2% / 9.5%
Merriang — 25-34: 8.2% Myrtleford — 25-34: 9.5%
35-44 7.7% / 10.2%
Merriang — 35-44: 7.7% Myrtleford — 35-44: 10.2%
45-54 15.9% / 11.8%
Merriang — 45-54: 15.9% Myrtleford — 45-54: 11.8%
55-64 11.0% / 15.0%
Merriang — 55-64: 11.0% Myrtleford — 55-64: 15.0%
65-74 19.8% / 13.6%
Merriang — 65-74: 19.8% Myrtleford — 65-74: 13.6%
75-84 3.8% / 10.0%
Merriang — 75-84: 3.8% Myrtleford — 75-84: 10.0%
85+ 1.6% / 5.1%
Merriang — 85+: 1.6% Myrtleford — 85+: 5.1%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Merriang 33.3% lone person
Merriang — Lone Person: 33.3% Merriang — Couple Families: 43.6% Merriang — One Parent Families: 23.1% Merriang — Group Household: 0.0% Merriang — Other Families: 0.0%
Myrtleford 47.6% lone person
Myrtleford — Lone Person: 47.6% Myrtleford — Couple Families: 32.9% Myrtleford — One Parent Families: 14.9% Myrtleford — Group Household: 3.4% Myrtleford — Other Families: 1.2%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Merriang 11.3% renting
Merriang — Owned Outright: 50.9% Merriang — Mortgage: 37.7% Merriang — Renting: 11.3%
Myrtleford 23.5% renting
Myrtleford — Owned Outright: 48.3% Myrtleford — Mortgage: 28.2% Myrtleford — Renting: 23.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Merriang 100.0% houses
Merriang — Houses: 100.0% Merriang — Townhouses: 0.0% Merriang — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Myrtleford 91.6% houses
Myrtleford — Houses: 91.6% Myrtleford — Townhouses: 7.4% Myrtleford — Flats / Apartments: 1.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Qualifications

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

Merriang Myrtleford
Certificate III & IV 17.0% / 17.3%
Merriang — Certificate III & IV: 17.0% Myrtleford — Certificate III & IV: 17.3%
Bachelor Degree 11.5% / 7.7%
Merriang — Bachelor Degree: 11.5% Myrtleford — Bachelor Degree: 7.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.0% / 7.2%
Merriang — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.0% Myrtleford — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.6% / 1.7%
Merriang — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.6% Myrtleford — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%
Postgraduate Degree 1.6% / 1.6%
Merriang — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6% Myrtleford — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6%

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

Property market

Merriang Myrtleford
Median house price — $640,000
Median unit price — $445,000
Median land price — $351,250
Typical days to sell (houses) — 81 days
from 32 sales

Zoning mix

Merriang has more rural and farming land (91% vs 64%).

Merriang Myrtleford
Rural and farming 91% 64%
Parks and recreation 6% 29%
Residential 3% 4%
Industrial 0% 1%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 1%
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

Merriang Myrtleford
New dwellings approved 32
across Alpine
same for both
Approvals change year on year -42%
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.

Merriang Myrtleford
Houses — 3.2%
$450/wk on $742K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Merriang Myrtleford
House price — Higher than 23% of VIC
Income Higher than 67% of VIC Higher than 20% of VIC
Schools — Higher than 93% of VIC
Walkability Higher than 65% of VIC Higher than 66% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 45% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 24% of VIC
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 49% of VIC Higher than 82% of VIC
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 20% of VIC

Liveability

Merriang Myrtleford
Grade — C
Score — 32/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 below-average income
decile 3/10

Risk profile

Myrtleford carries more bushfire risk (96 vs 0); Myrtleford carries more crime risk (56 vs 24).

Merriang Myrtleford
Bushfire None
0/100
 High
96/100
Crime Low
24/100
 Moderate
56/100
Flood High
79/100
 Moderate
69/100
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Merriang Myrtleford
Inside the suburb 0 3
Rated above peers 0 2
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Merriang

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

Schools in Myrtleford

  • Marian College Catholic · Secondary above peers
  • St Mary's School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Myrtleford P-12 College Government · Combined at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Merriang Myrtleford
Supermarkets 0 2
Cafes & restaurants 0 12
Parks & reserves 0 18
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 0 2
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 3
Fuel stations 0 3
Waterways 1 24

Mobility

Myrtleford sits further from the CBD (295.7 km vs 284.9 km).

Merriang Myrtleford
Walkability score 4/100
same for both
Distance to Melbourne 284.9 km 295.7 km
+4% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 191 min 195 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 3737
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 50
postcode 3737
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.

Merriang Myrtleford
Car (driver) 63.5% / 76.9%
Merriang — Car (driver): 63.5% Myrtleford — Car (driver): 76.9%
Worked from Home 15.3% / 9.5%
Merriang — Worked from Home: 15.3% Myrtleford — Worked from Home: 9.5%
Walked Only 9.4% / 6.2%
Merriang — Walked Only: 9.4% Myrtleford — Walked Only: 6.2%
Car (passenger) 8.2% / 5.3%
Merriang — Car (passenger): 8.2% Myrtleford — Car (passenger): 5.3%
Bicycle 3.5% / 1.3%
Merriang — Bicycle: 3.5% Myrtleford — Bicycle: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (76.9%).

Setting

Merriang Myrtleford
Elevation 231 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 215 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Merriang Myrtleford
Connectivity score 30/100 73/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
63 premises
 46%
2,093 premises

Climate

Merriang Myrtleford
Annual rainfall 1,451 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Merriang Myrtleford
Average residential rate $1,945/yr
same for both
Council Alpine
same for both

Federal electorate

Merriang Myrtleford
Division Indi
same for both
Member Helen Haines
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Merriang Myrtleford
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Merriang

Retirees Rural

Myrtleford

Acreage Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Merriang

Merriang vs Buffalo River Merriang vs Gapsted Merriang vs Whorouly East Merriang vs Whorouly South

Other comparisons with Myrtleford

Myrtleford vs Buffalo River Myrtleford vs Ovens Myrtleford vs Mudgegonga Myrtleford vs Gapsted Myrtleford vs Rosewhite Myrtleford vs Barwidgee
Full data on Merriang Full data on Myrtleford
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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