Merrylands West NSW 2160
Merrylands West is a suburb in New South Wales, 26 km from Sydney CBD, around 29 minutes by car. Population is 7,054; the median age is 36 and the median household income is $72,488 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the lower-middle tier nationally. The suburb grew 7.0% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $400 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $2,000. Merrylands West is characterised by high crime risk and no recorded bushfire exposure. Of 4 schools within the suburb boundary, 1 ranks above the state average, and walkability is high.
Is Merrylands West a good suburb?
Merrylands West scores a B (56/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit, weaker on prices.
Mixed results
4 schools · 1 above peer schools
Very walkable
Walkability 80/100 · 26.5 km · 29 min drive to Sydney
Above the state median
Median $1.23M · Less affordable than 78% of NSW
Moderate crime risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 68/100
Below-average income
SEIFA decile 3/10 · median age 36 · 7,054 residents
Liveability Rating
56 / 100 · Ranked #593 in NSWEach bar is Merrylands West's rank among NSW suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better).
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 Merrylands West?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
56 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataMerrylands West's house market is moving higher: the median sale price reached $1.23 million, about 8% above where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$1,232,000
11% below its 6 neighbours (median $1,387,000)
Based on 23 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 31 days — median across 4 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 10 sales $1.26M
Units
$487,500
4% below its 3 neighbours (median $505,500)
Based on 17 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 34 days — median across 4 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 14 sales $489K
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Merrylands West rent for around $1,100 a week on average, based on 9 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$1,100/wk
9 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$560/wk
3 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
12 rentals advertised against an estimated 982 rented homes (1.2%) in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- 3-bed houses
- $750/wk
- 43 bonds
- +51% since 2021
- 2-bed units
- $630/wk
- 179 bonds
- +68% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies across postcode 2160 (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 2025117 Moderately unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 26% of its income on the median rent in postcode 2160.
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.
Short-Stay Rentals
1 active Airbnb listing: 0 whole homes and 1 room. Whole homes are about 0.0% of the suburb's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Merrylands West safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Merrylands West sits in the moderate band, with 397 incidents recorded in 2025 — up about 3% on the prior year.
397 offences
3.1% since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2021–202519 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital, 1 of them fatal
Where they happened
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
Cumberland Council has published 3 flood studies on the NSW Flood Data Portal. The mapped flood areas are in those studies; SuburbScan does not hold them.
Schools
Four schools serve Merrylands West, and results are mixed — some outperforming peer-suburb schools, some below. Cerdon College leads the pack.
- • 2,102 students across 3 schools (avg 701)
- • Sectors: 2 Government, 1 Catholic, 1 Independent
- • ICSEA 915-1041, median 992 (around the national baseline of 1000)
- • Largest: Cerdon College (1,001 students)
Primary
Secondary
Universities nearby
- 4.4 kmWestern Sydney University - ParramattaWestern Sydney University · 193 courses
- 4.4 kmWestern Sydney University - Parramatta CityWestern Sydney University · 78 courses
2.8% 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
Merrylands West is very walkable on foot — at 80/100, most daily errands can be done on foot. Within the suburb there are 1 supermarket, 13 parks and 4 cafes to anchor that walking radius.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Merrylands West.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 159.0 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 84.1 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 71.4 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 0 min
- Span of service
- 24.1 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 Merrylands West.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 28%
- Premises covered
- 2,835
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
Cumberland: 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
The ABS scores 14 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 5 different deciles — a wide range, so parts of this suburb rank well above the average and parts well below it.
Merrylands West is home to about 7,100 residents, with a median age of 36, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $72,000 a year, with unemployment at 8.3%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
7,054
Median Age
36
Median Household Income
$72,488/yr
Census Median Rent
$400/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$2,000/mo
Avg Household Size
2.8
Median Personal Income
$30,576/yr
Unemployment Rate
8.3%
Unoccupied Dwellings
9.2%
Total Dwellings
2,253
Owner-Occupier Rate
56.4%
Houses
50.4%
Rental Stress
28.7%
Mortgage Stress
33.1%
Work From Home
35.8%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
117 rented from a state or territory housing authority and 69 from a community housing provider, as a share of the 921 rented dwellings above — not of all dwellings.
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 47.8%
- English Spoken at Home
- 36.9%
- Employment Rate
- 40.5%
- Completed Year 12
- 43.0%
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.
437 residents (6.2%) 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.
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 6,594 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
11% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (257 of 2,288).
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 973 people work here; 2,288 employed residents live here.
Mostly a place people commute from: 0.4 jobs per working resident. At least 56% 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 $1,038 a year through Cumberland based on 2024 figures.
How this land is zoned
- Residential 81%
- Parks and recreation 14%
- Commercial 2%
- Infrastructure and transport 2%
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: Cumberland
In the year to August 2026, 1,756 new dwellings were approved across Cumberland. That mix is 468 houses and 1,288 units. Approvals are down 27.8% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Land Council
Aboriginal land in this area is administered by the Gandangara 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 6.1 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³).
PM10 averaged 16.9 µg/m³ · NO₂ averaged 0.83 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 1 · NO₂ 0 · ozone 0.
From the Parramatta North monitoring station, 5.0 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Prospect Reservoir, 5.5 kmHigh rainfall — hot summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 53 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 22.1 km
- Annual rainfall
- 931 mm
- 89 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 28.9°C
- 15 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 6.9°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
13 facilities within 5 km- 1.9 kmSoft Drink, Cordial and Syrup ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 2.2 kmFossil Fuel Electricity GenerationTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10)
- 2.2 km
- 2.4 kmPulp, Paper and Paperboard ManufacturingTop reported: Carbon monoxide · Oxides of Nitrogen · Total Volatile Organic Compounds
- 2.7 kmOther Food Product Manufacturing n.e.c.Top reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Carbon monoxide · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
EV adoption
In postcode 2160, 144 of 23,892 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 5.6% (1,339 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 6.2%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 2160, 2,483 rooftop-solar systems totalling 19.0 MW have been installed since 2001, against 13,366 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 168 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
2 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb, 27 across postcode 2160.
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 $1,232,000 this is $632,000 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 2026-10-26 — 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 Jason Clare Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jason Clare | 71.9% | 28.1% | +8.9 |
| 2022 | Jason Clare | 64.9% | 35.1% | -0.2 |
| 2019 | Jason Clare | 64.7% | 35.3% | +4.8 |
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 Julia Finn Labor
Next state election: 13 March 2027.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Julia Finn ALP | 71.5% |
| 2019 | Julia Finn ALP | 57.6% |
| 2015 | Julia Finn ALP | 52.1% |
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 Merrylands West?
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 7,054 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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Checking the whole city?
Suburbs to avoid in Sydney There is no list of bad suburbs, but there are hazards the state measures and publishes — recorded crime, bushfire exposure, flood overlays and aircraft noise. Sydney suburbs ranked on them, with what the numbers do and don't mean.Nearby suburbs
Merrylands NSW 2160
Guildford NSW 2161
Greystanes NSW 2145
Smithfield NSW 2164
Guildford West NSW 2161
Woodpark NSW 2164
Compare Merrylands West to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other NSW suburb — type a name and pick one.
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Common questions about Merrylands West
Is Merrylands West a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Merrylands West is moderate (68/100, ranked against other NSW suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Merrylands West?
Merrylands West has no recorded bushfire history. These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Merrylands West a good place to live?
Merrylands West has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of B (56/100), 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 Merrylands West?
Merrylands West, NSW had a population of 7,054 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Merrylands West, NSW?
The postcode for Merrylands West, NSW is 2160.
How far is Merrylands West from Sydney?
Merrylands West is 26 km from Sydney CBD by road, about 29 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Merrylands West?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Merrylands West was $72,488 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 Merrylands West?
The median advertised rent in Merrylands West is $1,100 a week for houses (9 listings) and $560 a week for units (3 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Merrylands West?
The median age of residents in Merrylands West was 36 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Merrylands West?
There are 4 schools inside the Merrylands West boundary: 1 above, 1 at, and 1 below similar schools on NAPLAN, compared with same-state, same-type schools of similar socio-educational advantage (ICSEA).
Is Merrylands West walkable?
Merrylands West scores 80/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it very 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 Merrylands West?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Merrylands West (Parramatta North) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 6.1 µg/m³ and PM10 of 16.9 µg/m³. That puts Merrylands West 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 Merrylands West?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Merrylands West, Prospect Reservoir (5.5 km away), summer days average 28.9°C, winter nights 6.9°C, 931 mm of rain a year over 89 rainy days, and 15 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Merrylands West?
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 Merrylands West belong to?
Merrylands West sits within the Cumberland local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Merrylands West?
The average residential rates bill through Cumberland is $1,038 a year (2024). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Merrylands West?
Across Cumberland, 1,756 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's down 27.8% 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 Merrylands West in?
Merrylands West sits within the federal Division of Blaxland, currently held by Jason Clare (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
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- 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.