Merricks North vs Red Hill

Red Hill is the younger of the two, with a median age of 50 against 54 in Merricks North. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Merricks North, about half of households are couple families. In Red Hill, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Merricks North: a median of $3.33 million, against $1.61 million in Red Hill, though rent is higher in Red Hill. On these figures, Red Hill tends to suit 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

Red Hill

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (4 vs 1)
  • has more childcare (3 vs 0)
  • carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 62/100)

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

First-home buyers

Red Hill

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper houses ($1,610,000 vs $3,330,000)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 33%)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Merricks North

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (11% vs 20%)
  • has cheaper rent ($258/wk vs $461/wk)

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

  • Merricks North sits closer to the CBD (80.9 km vs 84.8 km)
  • Red Hill is more walkable (26/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Red Hill

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (26/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 62/100)
  • But Merricks North has more residents already 65 and over (31% vs 23%)

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

Investors

Red Hill

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (9.2% vs -0.7%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Merricks North Red Hill
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.

Merricks North Red Hill
Walkability 0 / 26
Merricks North — Walkability: 0/100 Red Hill — Walkability: 26/100
Safety 38 / 66
Merricks North — Safety: 38/100 Red Hill — Safety: 66/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Merricks North — Low fire risk: 100/100 Red Hill — Low fire risk: 100/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Merricks North — Low flood risk: 100/100 Red Hill — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Red Hill has more residents (1,009 vs 423); Red Hill rents higher ($461/wk vs $258/wk).

Merricks North Red Hill
Population 423 1,009
+139% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -0.7% +9.2%
Median age 54 50
Median household income $125,632/yr
+3% vs other
 $121,888/yr
Median weekly rent $258/wk $461/wk
+79% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Merricks North Red Hill
0-4 1.9% / 4.2%
Merricks North — 0-4: 1.9% Red Hill — 0-4: 4.2%
5-14 11.6% / 12.2%
Merricks North — 5-14: 11.6% Red Hill — 5-14: 12.2%
15-19 5.4% / 6.2%
Merricks North — 15-19: 5.4% Red Hill — 15-19: 6.2%
20-24 6.1% / 3.8%
Merricks North — 20-24: 6.1% Red Hill — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 7.1% / 7.3%
Merricks North — 25-34: 7.1% Red Hill — 25-34: 7.3%
35-44 5.7% / 8.6%
Merricks North — 35-44: 5.7% Red Hill — 35-44: 8.6%
45-54 15.1% / 16.2%
Merricks North — 45-54: 15.1% Red Hill — 45-54: 16.2%
55-64 18.0% / 18.4%
Merricks North — 55-64: 18.0% Red Hill — 55-64: 18.4%
65-74 18.2% / 16.7%
Merricks North — 65-74: 18.2% Red Hill — 65-74: 16.7%
75-84 9.5% / 5.2%
Merricks North — 75-84: 9.5% Red Hill — 75-84: 5.2%
85+ 3.1% / 1.4%
Merricks North — 85+: 3.1% Red Hill — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Merricks North 52.3% couple families
Merricks North — Couple Families: 52.3% Merricks North — Lone Person: 32.6% Merricks North — One Parent Families: 15.1% Merricks North — Group Household: 0.0% Merricks North — Other Families: 0.0%
Red Hill 55.2% couple families
Red Hill — Couple Families: 55.2% Red Hill — Lone Person: 26.5% Red Hill — One Parent Families: 14.3% Red Hill — Group Household: 2.2% Red Hill — Other Families: 1.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Merricks North 12.3% renting
Merricks North — Owned Outright: 59.4% Merricks North — Mortgage: 28.3% Merricks North — Renting: 12.3%
Red Hill 14.1% renting
Red Hill — Owned Outright: 45.6% Red Hill — Mortgage: 40.3% Red Hill — Renting: 14.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Merricks North Red Hill
Bachelor Degree 19.6% / 22.4%
Merricks North — Bachelor Degree: 19.6% Red Hill — Bachelor Degree: 22.4%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 14.2% / 8.5%
Merricks North — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 14.2% Red Hill — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5%
Certificate III & IV 9.5% / 10.5%
Merricks North — Certificate III & IV: 9.5% Red Hill — Certificate III & IV: 10.5%
Postgraduate Degree 6.1% / 6.7%
Merricks North — Postgraduate Degree: 6.1% Red Hill — Postgraduate Degree: 6.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.8% / 2.3%
Merricks North — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.8% Red Hill — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.4%).

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.

Merricks North Red Hill
England 6.4% / 4.8%
Merricks North — England: 6.4% Red Hill — England: 4.8%
New Zealand 2.1% / 1.6%
Merricks North — New Zealand: 2.1% Red Hill — New Zealand: 1.6%
Scotland 1.2% / 0.5%
Merricks North — Scotland: 1.2% Red Hill — Scotland: 0.5%
Singapore 1.2% / —
Merricks North — Singapore: 1.2% Red Hill — Singapore: not among its largest
Germany — / 0.8%
Merricks North — Germany: not among its largest Red Hill — Germany: 0.8%
South Africa 0.7% / —
Merricks North — South Africa: 0.7% Red Hill — South Africa: not among its largest
Netherlands — / 0.6%
Merricks North — Netherlands: not among its largest Red Hill — Netherlands: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.4%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Merricks North 99.3% houses
Merricks North — Houses: 99.3% Merricks North — Townhouses: 0.0% Merricks North — Flats / Apartments: 0.7%
Red Hill 98.5% houses
Red Hill — Houses: 98.5% Red Hill — Townhouses: 1.8% Red Hill — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Merricks North Red Hill
Median house price $3,330,000 $1,610,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $2,490,000 $2,537,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 146 days
from 6 sales

Zoning mix

Merricks North Red Hill
Rural and farming 99% 92%
Parks and recreation 0% 4%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 3%
Residential 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

Merricks North Red Hill
New dwellings approved 791
across Mornington Peninsula
same for both
Approvals change year on year +9%
same for both

Ranking within VIC

Merricks North Red Hill
House price — Higher than 86% of VIC
Income Higher than 93% of VIC Higher than 92% of VIC
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 5% of VIC Higher than 82% of VIC
Affordability — Higher than 29% of VIC
EV adoption Higher than 91% of VIC Higher than 100% of VIC
NBN connectivity Higher than 49% of VIC Higher than 75% of VIC

Liveability

Red Hill is more walkable (26 vs 0).

Merricks North Red Hill
Grade — A
Score — 75/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Merricks North carries more crime risk (62 vs 34).

Merricks North Red Hill
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
62/100
 Low
34/100
Flood None
0/100
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

Merricks North Red Hill
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Merricks North

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

Schools in Red Hill

  • Red Hill Consolidated School Government · Primary at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Merricks North Red Hill
Cafes & restaurants 1 4
Parks & reserves 1 4
Childcare 0 3
GPs 0 1
Waterways 1 17

Mobility

Red Hill sits further from the CBD (84.8 km vs 80.9 km).

Merricks North Red Hill
Walkability score 0/100 26/100
Distance to Melbourne 80.9 km 84.8 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 66 min 68 min
Electric vehicle share 1.7%
postcode 3926
 3.4%
postcode 3937
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 48
postcode 3926
 52
postcode 3937

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.

Merricks North Red Hill
Car (driver) 55.9% / 50.2%
Merricks North — Car (driver): 55.9% Red Hill — Car (driver): 50.2%
Worked from Home 39.0% / 42.3%
Merricks North — Worked from Home: 39.0% Red Hill — Worked from Home: 42.3%
Walked Only 3.4% / 4.0%
Merricks North — Walked Only: 3.4% Red Hill — Walked Only: 4.0%
Car (passenger) 1.7% / 2.8%
Merricks North — Car (passenger): 1.7% Red Hill — Car (passenger): 2.8%
Bicycle — / 0.7%
Merricks North — Bicycle: not among its largest Red Hill — Bicycle: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (55.9%).

Setting

Merricks North Red Hill
Elevation 111 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 177 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.6 km 5.4 km

NBN connectivity

Merricks North Red Hill
Connectivity score 30/100 60/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
255 premises
 35%
598 premises

Climate

Merricks North Red Hill
Annual rainfall 696 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 24.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 6.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Merricks North Red Hill
Average residential rate $1,659/yr
same for both
Council Mornington Peninsula
same for both

Federal electorate

Merricks North Red Hill
Division Flinders
same for both
Member Zoe Mckenzie
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Merricks North Red Hill
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $750,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Merricks North

Luxury Retirees Rural

Red Hill

Acreage Premium Professionals Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Merricks North

Merricks North vs Dromana Merricks North vs Balnarring Merricks North vs Red Hill South Merricks North vs Tuerong Merricks North vs Merricks

Other comparisons with Red Hill

Red Hill vs Dromana Red Hill vs Red Hill South Red Hill vs Main Ridge Red Hill vs Arthurs Seat
Full data on Merricks North Full data on Red Hill
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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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