Widden vs Merriwa

Widden is the younger of the two, with a median age of 29 against 45 in Merriwa. In both, the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Widden, about half of households rent and about half of households are people living alone. In Merriwa, most households own their home. On these figures, Widden tends to suit renters, young adults, and share households, while Merriwa suits families with children and older residents.

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

Merriwa

ahead on 4 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (5 vs 0)
  • has more schools rated above their peers (2 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (52% vs 29%)

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

Renters

They split

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

  • Widden has a bigger rental market to choose from (54% vs 26%)
  • Merriwa has cheaper rent ($245/wk vs $300/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Merriwa

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (231 min vs 267 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (318.6 km vs 325.8 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Widden has more units and townhouses to downsize into (16% vs 5%)
  • Merriwa has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 9%)

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

Investors

Widden

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (26.1% vs 3.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Widden Merriwa
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.

Widden Merriwa
Walkability 0 / 0
Widden — Walkability: 0/100 Merriwa — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 18 / 27
Widden — Safety: 18/100 Merriwa — Safety: 27/100
Low fire risk 24 / 51
Widden — Low fire risk: 24/100 Merriwa — Low fire risk: 51/100

Demographics

Merriwa has more residents (1,825 vs 87); Widden has higher household incomes ($100,724 vs $62,816).

Widden Merriwa
Population 87 1,825
+1998% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +26.1% +3.6%
Median age 29 45
Median household income $100,724/yr
+38% vs other
 $62,816/yr
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+18% vs other
 $245/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Widden Merriwa
0-4 10.3% / 5.4%
Widden — 0-4: 10.3% Merriwa — 0-4: 5.4%
5-14 — / 14.4%
Widden — 5-14: not among its largest Merriwa — 5-14: 14.4%
15-19 3.4% / 5.4%
Widden — 15-19: 3.4% Merriwa — 15-19: 5.4%
20-24 20.7% / 4.4%
Widden — 20-24: 20.7% Merriwa — 20-24: 4.4%
25-34 32.2% / 9.8%
Widden — 25-34: 32.2% Merriwa — 25-34: 9.8%
35-44 8.0% / 10.5%
Widden — 35-44: 8.0% Merriwa — 35-44: 10.5%
45-54 11.5% / 11.6%
Widden — 45-54: 11.5% Merriwa — 45-54: 11.6%
55-64 3.4% / 13.6%
Widden — 55-64: 3.4% Merriwa — 55-64: 13.6%
65-74 9.2% / 13.4%
Widden — 65-74: 9.2% Merriwa — 65-74: 13.4%
75-84 — / 7.2%
Widden — 75-84: not among its largest Merriwa — 75-84: 7.2%
85+ — / 3.8%
Widden — 85+: not among its largest Merriwa — 85+: 3.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (32.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Widden 50.0% lone person
Widden — Lone Person: 50.0% Widden — Couple Families: 28.6% Widden — Group Household: 21.4% Widden — One Parent Families: 0.0% Widden — Other Families: 0.0%
Merriwa 43.9% lone person
Merriwa — Lone Person: 43.9% Merriwa — Couple Families: 37.0% Merriwa — Group Household: 3.0% Merriwa — One Parent Families: 15.2% Merriwa — Other Families: 0.9%
Lone Person Couple Families Group Household One Parent Families Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Widden 54.5% renting
Widden — Owned Outright: 45.5% Widden — Mortgage: 0.0% Widden — Renting: 54.5%
Merriwa 25.8% renting
Merriwa — Owned Outright: 46.4% Merriwa — Mortgage: 27.8% Merriwa — Renting: 25.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Widden Merriwa
Certificate III & IV 20.7% / 15.9%
Widden — Certificate III & IV: 20.7% Merriwa — Certificate III & IV: 15.9%
Bachelor Degree 9.2% / 6.7%
Widden — Bachelor Degree: 9.2% Merriwa — Bachelor Degree: 6.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.7% / 4.8%
Widden — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7% Merriwa — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.8%
Postgraduate Degree — / 0.8%
Widden — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Merriwa — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 0.5%
Widden — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Merriwa — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.7%).

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.

Widden Merriwa
Germany 5.7% / —
Widden — Germany: 5.7% Merriwa — Germany: not among its largest
England 3.4% / 1.5%
Widden — England: 3.4% Merriwa — England: 1.5%
South Africa 3.4% / —
Widden — South Africa: 3.4% Merriwa — South Africa: not among its largest
New Zealand — / 1.2%
Widden — New Zealand: not among its largest Merriwa — New Zealand: 1.2%
Nepal — / 0.5%
Widden — Nepal: not among its largest Merriwa — Nepal: 0.5%
Vietnam — / 0.4%
Widden — Vietnam: not among its largest Merriwa — Vietnam: 0.4%
Philippines — / 0.4%
Widden — Philippines: not among its largest Merriwa — Philippines: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (5.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Widden 83.8% houses
Widden — Houses: 83.8% Widden — Flats / Apartments: 16.2% Widden — Townhouses: 0.0%
Merriwa 95.3% houses
Merriwa — Houses: 95.3% Merriwa — Flats / Apartments: 1.7% Merriwa — Townhouses: 3.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Widden Merriwa
Median house price — $402,500
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price — $248,750
Typical days to sell (houses) — 72 days
from 22 sales

Zoning mix

Widden has more land zoned for conservation (83% vs 16%); Merriwa has more rural and farming land (84% vs 17%).

Widden Merriwa
Rural and farming 17% 84%
Environmental 83% 16%
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

Widden Merriwa
New dwellings approved 71
across Muswellbrook
 41
across Upper Hunter
Approvals change year on year +13% -20%

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.

Widden Merriwa
Houses — 4.2%
$420/wk on $515K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Widden Merriwa
House price — Higher than 11% of NSW
Income — Higher than 25% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 41% of NSW
Affordability — Higher than 87% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 33% of NSW —
NBN connectivity Higher than 16% of NSW Higher than 40% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 83% of NSW

Liveability

Widden Merriwa
Grade — D
Score — 16/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Widden carries more bushfire risk (76 vs 49).

Widden Merriwa
Bushfire High
76/100
 Moderate
49/100
Crime High
82/100
 High
73/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
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

Widden Merriwa
Inside the suburb 0 2
Rated above peers 0 2
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Widden

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

Schools in Merriwa

  • Merriwa Central School Government · Combined above peers
  • St Joseph's Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Widden Merriwa
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 2
Parks & reserves 0 5
Childcare 0 1
GPs 0 1
Hospitals 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 87 275

Mobility

Widden sits further from the CBD (325.8 km vs 318.6 km).

Widden Merriwa
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 325.8 km
+2% vs other
 318.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 267 min 231 min
Electric vehicle share 0.3%
postcode 2328
 0.0%
postcode 2329
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 44
postcode 2328
 46
postcode 2329

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.

Widden Merriwa
Car (driver) 79.2% / 67.2%
Widden — Car (driver): 79.2% Merriwa — Car (driver): 67.2%
Worked from Home 7.5% / 18.0%
Widden — Worked from Home: 7.5% Merriwa — Worked from Home: 18.0%
Walked Only 13.2% / 9.0%
Widden — Walked Only: 13.2% Merriwa — Walked Only: 9.0%
Car (passenger) — / 5.1%
Widden — Car (passenger): not among its largest Merriwa — Car (passenger): 5.1%
Bus — / 0.7%
Widden — Bus: not among its largest Merriwa — Bus: 0.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.2%).

Setting

Widden Merriwa
Elevation 327 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 433 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Widden Merriwa
Connectivity score 15/100 27/100
Most common technology Satellite (Sky Muster) Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
61 premises
 0%
883 premises

Climate

Widden Merriwa
Annual rainfall 965 mm 659 mm
Summer max (Jan) 23.4°C —
Winter min (Jul) 3.0°C —

Council rates

Widden Merriwa
Average residential rate $936/yr $968/yr
Council Muswellbrook Upper Hunter

Federal electorate

Widden Merriwa
Division New England
same for both
Member Barnaby Joyce
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Widden Merriwa
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Widden

Rural Students Young Families

Merriwa

Affordable Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Widden

Widden vs Martindale Widden vs Baerami

Other comparisons with Merriwa

Merriwa vs Cassilis Merriwa vs Gungal Merriwa vs Giants Creek Merriwa vs Bunnan Merriwa vs Baerami Merriwa vs Parraweena
Full data on Widden Full data on Merriwa
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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