Merriwa vs Quinns Rocks

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Quinns Rocks, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Quinns Rocks: a median of $970,000, against $770,000 in Merriwa, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Merriwa tends to suit people living alone, older residents, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Quinns Rocks suits couples.

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

Quinns Rocks

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (15 vs 6)
  • carries lower crime risk (37/100 vs 57/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (73% vs 56%)

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

First-home buyers

Quinns Rocks

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($640,000 vs $1,511,095)
  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 28%)
  • But Merriwa has cheaper houses ($770,000 vs $970,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • Merriwa has cheaper rent ($330/wk vs $360/wk)
  • Quinns Rocks leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 26%)

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

Commuting to the city

Merriwa

ahead on 2 of the 4 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (81/100 vs 55/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (38.1 km vs 40.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Merriwa

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (24% vs 4%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (25% vs 11%)
  • is more walkable (81/100 vs 55/100)
  • But Quinns Rocks carries lower crime risk (37/100 vs 57/100)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house yield and population growth.

Where they sit

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

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
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.

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
Walkability 81 / 55
Merriwa — Walkability: 81/100 Quinns Rocks — Walkability: 55/100
Safety 43 / 63
Merriwa — Safety: 43/100 Quinns Rocks — Safety: 63/100
Low fire risk 12 / 16
Merriwa — Low fire risk: 12/100 Quinns Rocks — Low fire risk: 16/100
Low flood risk 100 / 100
Merriwa — Low flood risk: 100/100 Quinns Rocks — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Quinns Rocks has higher household incomes ($108,004 vs $65,260); Quinns Rocks has more residents (8,861 vs 5,587).

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
Population 5,587 8,861
+59% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +1.8% +1.5%
Median age 40 38
Median household income $65,260/yr $108,004/yr
+65% vs other
Median weekly rent $330/wk $360/wk
+9% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
0-4 5.7% / 5.3%
Merriwa — 0-4: 5.7% Quinns Rocks — 0-4: 5.3%
5-14 13.8% / 14.6%
Merriwa — 5-14: 13.8% Quinns Rocks — 5-14: 14.6%
15-19 6.1% / 8.0%
Merriwa — 15-19: 6.1% Quinns Rocks — 15-19: 8.0%
20-24 5.8% / 7.1%
Merriwa — 20-24: 5.8% Quinns Rocks — 20-24: 7.1%
25-34 11.7% / 11.4%
Merriwa — 25-34: 11.7% Quinns Rocks — 25-34: 11.4%
35-44 12.3% / 12.5%
Merriwa — 35-44: 12.3% Quinns Rocks — 35-44: 12.5%
45-54 11.4% / 16.9%
Merriwa — 45-54: 11.4% Quinns Rocks — 45-54: 16.9%
55-64 8.4% / 13.3%
Merriwa — 55-64: 8.4% Quinns Rocks — 55-64: 13.3%
65-74 8.1% / 7.0%
Merriwa — 65-74: 8.1% Quinns Rocks — 65-74: 7.0%
75-84 9.3% / 3.0%
Merriwa — 75-84: 9.3% Quinns Rocks — 75-84: 3.0%
85+ 7.2% / 1.0%
Merriwa — 85+: 7.2% Quinns Rocks — 85+: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Merriwa 33.5% couple families
Merriwa — Couple Families: 33.5% Merriwa — Lone Person: 38.1% Merriwa — One Parent Families: 23.0% Merriwa — Group Household: 3.2% Merriwa — Other Families: 2.1%
Quinns Rocks 54.9% couple families
Quinns Rocks — Couple Families: 54.9% Quinns Rocks — Lone Person: 22.6% Quinns Rocks — One Parent Families: 18.0% Quinns Rocks — Group Household: 3.0% Quinns Rocks — Other Families: 1.4%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Merriwa 29.5% renting
Merriwa — Owned Outright: 19.2% Merriwa — Mortgage: 51.3% Merriwa — Renting: 29.5%
Quinns Rocks 23.3% renting
Quinns Rocks — Owned Outright: 22.6% Quinns Rocks — Mortgage: 54.1% Quinns Rocks — Renting: 23.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
Certificate III & IV 17.2% / 18.2%
Merriwa — Certificate III & IV: 17.2% Quinns Rocks — Certificate III & IV: 18.2%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.8% / 8.9%
Merriwa — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.8% Quinns Rocks — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.9%
Bachelor Degree 4.9% / 9.3%
Merriwa — Bachelor Degree: 4.9% Quinns Rocks — Bachelor Degree: 9.3%
Postgraduate Degree 0.9% / 2.4%
Merriwa — Postgraduate Degree: 0.9% Quinns Rocks — Postgraduate Degree: 2.4%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.9% / 1.7%
Merriwa — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9% Quinns Rocks — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%

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.

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
England 12.1% / 19.5%
Merriwa — England: 12.1% Quinns Rocks — England: 19.5%
New Zealand 4.4% / 3.6%
Merriwa — New Zealand: 4.4% Quinns Rocks — New Zealand: 3.6%
South Africa 2.5% / 4.7%
Merriwa — South Africa: 2.5% Quinns Rocks — South Africa: 4.7%
Scotland 1.1% / 2.3%
Merriwa — Scotland: 1.1% Quinns Rocks — Scotland: 2.3%
Ireland 0.9% / 1.1%
Merriwa — Ireland: 0.9% Quinns Rocks — Ireland: 1.1%
Philippines 1.3% / —
Merriwa — Philippines: 1.3% Quinns Rocks — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Merriwa 75.5% houses
Merriwa — Houses: 75.5% Merriwa — Townhouses: 23.6% Merriwa — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Quinns Rocks 96.1% houses
Quinns Rocks — Houses: 96.1% Quinns Rocks — Townhouses: 2.9% Quinns Rocks — Flats / Apartments: 0.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
Median house price $770,000 $970,000
Median unit price $425,250 —
Median land price $1,511,095 $640,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 19 days
from 33 sales
 32 days
from 120 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.

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
3 bed $730K / $900K
Merriwa — 3 bed: $730K (35 sales) Quinns Rocks — 3 bed: $900K (59 sales)

35 vs 59 sales

4 bed $775K / $970K
Merriwa — 4 bed: $775K (75 sales) Quinns Rocks — 4 bed: $970K (121 sales)

75 vs 121 sales

5 bed $820K / $1.24M
Merriwa — 5 bed: $820K (5 sales) Quinns Rocks — 5 bed: $1.24M (21 sales)

5 vs 21 sales

Development activity

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
New dwellings approved 4,125
across Wanneroo
same for both
Approvals change year on year +17%
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.

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
Houses 4.4%
$700/wk on $824K
 4.4%
$790/wk on $939K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within WA

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 23% of WA Higher than 73% of WA
Schools Higher than 25% of WA Higher than 31% of WA
Walkability Higher than 95% of WA Higher than 84% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 74% of WA
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of WA Higher than 84% of WA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 52% of WA Higher than 50% of WA

Liveability

Merriwa is more walkable (81 vs 55); Quinns Rocks scores higher overall (42 vs 31).

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
Grade C
same for both
Score 31/100 42/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 advantaged area
decile 7/10

Risk profile

Merriwa carries more crime risk (57 vs 37).

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
Bushfire High
88/100
 High
84/100
Crime Moderate
57/100
 Low
37/100
Flood None
0/100
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 High
72/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 4
within 5 km
 1
within 5 km

Schools

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
Inside the suburb 4 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 1
Rated below peers 2 1
Universities within 10 km 1
ECU Joondalup Campus, 9.8 km
 None

Schools in Merriwa

  • Alkimos Baptist College Independent · Combined below peers
  • Merriwa Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • Alta-1 College - Merriwa Campus Independent · Secondary · Special school
  • Merriwa Education Support Centre Government · Primary · Special school

Schools in Quinns Rocks

  • Quinns Beach Primary School Government · Primary at peers
  • Quinns Rocks Primary School Government · Primary below peers
  • West Coast Language Development Centre - Quinns Beach Campus Government · Primary · Special school

Amenities in the suburb

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
Supermarkets 1
same for both
Parks & reserves 6 15
Childcare 4 5
GPs 2 1
Pharmacies 1
same for both
Banks & Bank@Post 0 1
Fuel stations 1
same for both

Mobility

Quinns Rocks sits further from the CBD (40.1 km vs 38.1 km).

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
Walkability score 81/100 55/100
Distance to Perth 38.1 km 40.1 km
+5% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 32 min 34 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 86.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 141.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 0 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.9%
postcode 6030
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 66
postcode 6030
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.

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
Car (driver) 77.0% / 76.0%
Merriwa — Car (driver): 77.0% Quinns Rocks — Car (driver): 76.0%
Worked from Home 6.1% / 10.1%
Merriwa — Worked from Home: 6.1% Quinns Rocks — Worked from Home: 10.1%
Train 6.2% / 6.2%
Merriwa — Train: 6.2% Quinns Rocks — Train: 6.2%
Car (passenger) 6.6% / 5.3%
Merriwa — Car (passenger): 6.6% Quinns Rocks — Car (passenger): 5.3%
Bus 2.2% / 1.4%
Merriwa — Bus: 2.2% Quinns Rocks — Bus: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (77.0%).

Setting

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
Elevation 21 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 35 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 2.2 km
3.7 km to a named beach
 710 m
3.6 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
Connectivity score 65/100 71/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 37%
2,368 premises
 47%
3,516 premises

Climate

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
Annual rainfall 592 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 33.5°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 8.5°C
same for both

Council rates

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
Average residential rate $2,060/yr
same for both
Council Wanneroo
same for both

Federal electorate

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
Division Pearce
same for both
Member Tracey Roberts
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Merriwa Quinns Rocks
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Merriwa

Coastal Outer Parks Townhouses

Quinns Rocks

Coastal Outer Parks

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Merriwa

Merriwa vs Clarkson Merriwa vs Butler Merriwa vs Mindarie Merriwa vs Ridgewood

Other comparisons with Quinns Rocks

Quinns Rocks vs Butler Quinns Rocks vs Mindarie Quinns Rocks vs Jindalee
Full data on Merriwa Full data on Quinns Rocks
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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