Merewether Heights NSW 2291
Merewether Heights sits 161 km from Sydney CBD in New South Wales, around 2 hours 5 minutes by car. Census data records 1,495 residents with a median age of 41 and a median household income of $157,144 per year. On socioeconomic measures it sits in the top 20% nationally. Population grew 6.8% from 2016 to 2021. The 2021 Census recorded a median rent of $580 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,600. The area shows high bushfire risk. 1 school sits within the suburb boundary, and walkability is moderate.
Is Merewether Heights a good suburb?
Merewether Heights scores a B (59/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on community, weaker on safety.
Mixed results
1 school
Some car dependence
Walkability 57/100 · 161.1 km · 127 min drive to Sydney
Around the state median
Median $1.66M · Pricier than 81% of NSW
High bushfire risk
Fire 72/100 · Crime 28/100
Very advantaged
SEIFA decile 10/10 · median age 41 · 1,495 residents
Liveability Rating
59 / 100 · Ranked #549 in NSWEach bar is Merewether Heights's rank among NSW suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
No flood data is published for New South Wales — a blank here means we hold no data, not that there is no risk.
How do you rate the liveability in Merewether Heights?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
59 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataMerewether Heights's house market is moving lower: the median sale price reached $1.66 million, about 3% below where it sat a year earlier.
$1,655,000
Based on 25 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 22 days — median across 12 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 11 sales $1.54M
- 4 bed 10 sales $1.72M
Currently for Sale
Last 6 monthsHouses in Merewether Heights are currently listed at around $1.65 million on average. Based on 7 houses listed in the past six months.
$1.65M
7 houses listed in the last 6 months.
7 of the suburb's 477 dwellings (1.5%) were listed for sale in the last 6 months.
Rental Market
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- 3-bed houses
- $925/wk
- 30 bonds
- +34% since 2021
- 2-bed units
- $620/wk
- 37 bonds
- +38% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies across postcode 2291 (NSW publishes bonds by postcode, which can cover several suburbs). Change since 2021 compares the median of the first four quarters with the last four. Asking rents above come from advertised listings.
Rental affordability
June quarter 202582 Unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 37% of its income on the median rent in postcode 2291.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Is Merewether Heights safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Merewether Heights sits in the low band, with 26 incidents recorded in 2025 — down roughly 13% on the prior year.
26 offences
13.3% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–2025No crash in Merewether Heights killed anyone or put anyone in hospital in 2021–2025.
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Council Flood Studies
Newcastle City Council has published 2 flood studies on the NSW Flood Data Portal. The mapped flood areas are in those studies; SuburbScan does not hold them.
Schools
One school serve Merewether Heights, and performance is broadly on par with peer-suburb schools.
- • 269 students in one school (avg 269)
Primary
Universities nearby
- 4.9 kmThe University of Newcastle (Newcastle City)University of Newcastle · 108 courses
- 6.6 kmThe University of Newcastle (Callaghan)University of Newcastle · 326 courses
2.3% of residents here are full-time university students aged 15–24.
Distance is measured to the suburb centre. A campus nearby does not by itself mean a student rental market — most suburbs within a few kilometres of one have a student share close to the national norm, and the figure above is what tells them apart.
Walkability
Merewether Heights is somewhat walkable on foot — at 57/100, a short cluster of errands work on foot but most trips still benefit from a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Merewether Heights.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 23.0 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 11.1 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 7.0 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 1 min
- Span of service
- 15.0 hours
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Merewether Heights.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 43%
- Premises covered
- 515
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Newcastle: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
Merewether Heights is home to about 1,500 residents, with a median age of 41, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $157,000 a year, with unemployment at 4.1%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
1,495
Median Age
41
Median Household Income
$157,144/yr
Census Median Rent
$580/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,600/mo
Avg Household Size
2.9
Median Personal Income
$60,268/yr
Unemployment Rate
4.1%
Unoccupied Dwellings
3.4%
Total Dwellings
477
Owner-Occupier Rate
90.8%
Houses
97.5%
Rental Stress
19.2%
Mortgage Stress
19.9%
Work From Home
38.9%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 89.0%
- English Spoken at Home
- 92.6%
- Employment Rate
- 63.5%
- Completed Year 12
- 50.4%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
16 residents (1.1%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
5.0% of residents (71) lived in a capital city five years earlier, most of them in Sydney (45).
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 1,411 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
2% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (12 of 717).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Local Jobs
People who work in this suburb against employed people who live here, 2021 Census.
About 139 people work here; 717 employed residents live here.
Mostly a place people commute from: 0.2 jobs per working resident. At least 69% of employed residents must work outside the suburb.
Counts are by place of work and place of usual residence. The ABS counts jobs in zones; where a zone spans several places, its jobs are shared out by land use. The ABS also adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,783 a year through Newcastle based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 89%
- Infrastructure and transport 10%
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 — the property page shows the zone for one address.
Building Approvals: Newcastle
In the year to August 2026, 912 new dwellings were approved across Newcastle. That mix is 266 houses and 646 units. Approvals are up 77.4% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Land Council
Aboriginal land in this area is administered by the Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council.
Local Aboriginal Land Councils are statutory bodies under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, responsible for land claims and land management for their members. Their boundaries are administrative and are not a statement of whose Country this is. NSW does not publish a register of Aboriginal parties by area — they are registered for each project.
Air Quality
MODERATEPM2.5 averaged 6.5 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³). 3 days exceeded the daily threshold of 25 µg/m³.
PM10 averaged 21.7 µg/m³ · NO₂ averaged 0.64 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 8 · NO₂ 0 · ozone 1.
From the Newcastle monitoring station, 3.1 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Newcastle Nobbys Signal Station AWS, 6.9 kmHigh rainfall — warm summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 71 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 1.6 km
- 2.3 km to a named beach
- Annual rainfall
- 1,025 mm
- 91 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 25.4°C
- 4 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 10.2°C
- 0 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
3 facilities within 5 km- 1.0 kmSewerage and Drainage ServicesTop reported: Total Nitrogen · Ammonia (total) · Total Phosphorus
- 2.3 kmRailway Rolling Stock Manufacturing and Repair ServicesTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Xylenes (individual or mixed isomers) · Cumene (1-methylethylbenzene)
- 4.1 kmPetroleum Product WholesalingTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · n-Hexane · Ethanol
EV adoption
In postcode 2291, 148 of 10,137 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 3.6% (366 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 5.1%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 2291, 2,069 rooftop-solar systems totalling 14.5 MW have been installed since 2001, against 5,933 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 193 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$10,000 for new homes priced up to $600,000.
Off-the-plan or contracted-build value cap is $750,000 (vs $600,000 for completed new homes). Stamp duty concessions are a separate scheme (First Home Buyers Assistance).
Mortgage repayments
1 mortgage broker is registered in this suburb, 20 across postcode 2291.
Transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with Revenue NSW
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $600,000 may qualify for $10,000 — see what qualifies with Revenue NSW.
At $1,655,000 this is $1,055,000 above the $600,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $10,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with Revenue NSW.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-27 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Sharon Claydon Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Sharon Claydon | 70.8% | 29.2% | +2.9 |
| 2022 | Sharon Claydon | 68.0% | 32.0% | -4.2 |
| 2019 | Sharon Claydon | 63.8% | 36.2% | +0.0 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Tim Crakanthorp Labor
Next state election: 13 March 2027.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Tim Crakanthorp ALP | 72.6% |
| 2019 | Tim Crakanthorp ALP | 67.7% |
| 2015 | Tim Crakanthorp ALP | 57.4% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2021, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: © State of New South Wales through the NSW Electoral Commission, CC BY 4.0, adapted.
Looking at a specific address in Merewether Heights?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 1,495 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
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Common questions about Merewether Heights
Is Merewether Heights a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Merewether Heights is low (28/100, ranked against other NSW suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Merewether Heights?
Merewether Heights has a high recorded bushfire history (72/100, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history). These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Merewether Heights a good place to live?
Merewether Heights has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of B (59/100), ranked against other NSW suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Merewether Heights?
Merewether Heights, NSW had a population of 1,495 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Merewether Heights, NSW?
The postcode for Merewether Heights, NSW is 2291.
How far is Merewether Heights from Sydney?
Merewether Heights is 161 km from Sydney CBD by road, about 127 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Merewether Heights?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Merewether Heights was $157,144 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Merewether Heights?
There are too few current rental listings in Merewether Heights for a reliable median. At the 2021 ABS Census the median weekly rent was $580, across all dwelling types.
What is the median age in Merewether Heights?
The median age of residents in Merewether Heights was 41 at the 2021 ABS Census.
Is Merewether Heights at risk of bushfire?
Merewether Heights has a high recorded bushfire history (72/100). The score comes from Geoscience Australia's historical bushfire boundaries, with planned burns excluded: the area of recorded fires touching the suburb relative to its size, ranked against every Australian suburb with any fire history. It records where fire has burned, not a bushfire-prone land designation, which your council's planning scheme sets.
How are the schools in Merewether Heights?
There is 1 school inside the Merewether Heights boundary: 1 at similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Merewether Heights walkable?
Merewether Heights scores 57/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it somewhat walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the air quality in Merewether Heights?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Merewether Heights (Newcastle) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 6.5 µg/m³ and PM10 of 21.7 µg/m³. That puts Merewether Heights below the Australian NEPM annual standard of 8 µg/m³ but above the stricter WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Merewether Heights?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Merewether Heights, Newcastle Nobbys Signal Station AWS (6.9 km away), summer days average 25.4°C, winter nights 10.2°C, 1,025 mm of rain a year over 91 rainy days, and 4 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Merewether Heights?
First-home buyers in NSW may be eligible for $10,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $600,000. The grant is administered by Revenue NSW; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Merewether Heights belong to?
Merewether Heights sits within the Newcastle local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Merewether Heights?
The average residential rates bill through Newcastle is $1,783 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Merewether Heights?
Across Newcastle, 912 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 77.4% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Merewether Heights in?
Merewether Heights sits within the federal Division of Newcastle, currently held by Sharon Claydon (Australian Labor Party).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2024–25
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Road crashes · 2021–2025
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- State electorate · 2023
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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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.