Merewether
NSWMerewether is a growing suburb in NSW with 11,788 residents.
- SAL code
- 12584
- SA2
- 111031228
- Population
- 11,788
- LGA
- Newcastle
Merewether, NSW had 11,788 residents at the 2021 Census, with the broader statistical area showing a 3.3% growth over the last five years. The predominant age group is 45-54 years, and the median age sits at 39. Households are most often couples with children, and those with a mortgage repay a median of $2,457 a month. Around 66.0% of homes are owner-occupied, with the largest single tenure being owned outright at 35.9%. Most dwellings are separate houses, making up 61.2% of the suburb's housing stock. The suburb has 13 parks and reserves mapped within its boundary. Source: ABS Census 2021 and Estimated Resident Population, with amenity counts from state Open Data and OpenStreetMap.
Population
?11,788
Suburb · Census 2021
5-Year Growth
+3.3%
3yr: +2.2% · 10yr: +5.3%
SA2 · 5yr
Household Income
$2,287/wk
Suburb · Census 2021 median
Median Age
39
Suburb · Census 2021
Socio-Economic Index
?9/10
SA2 · least disadvantaged
Unemployment
?1.9%
SA4 · Q4 2025
Schools
3
3 primary
Hospitals
No data for this suburb
Childcare services
?6
1 long day, 4 OSHC
Parks & green space
?13
Parks, reserves
Transport stops
?43
GTFS stops
Dwelling approvals
?92
Newcastle · Feb 2026
Median Weekly Rent
Based on NSW rental bond lodgements, aggregated at postcode level. All SALs sharing this postcode show the same median.
Median House Sale Price
Source: state Valuer-General (suburb-level quarterly medians).
→ Calculate stamp duty on this suburb's median price→ Estimate mortgage repayments→ Calculate rental yield (price + median rent)
Safety & Crime
2025 Q4Reported incidents from NSW police. Offence rates may not reflect all crime.
Population over time — Merewether - The Junction (SA2)
ABS publishes annual estimates only at SA2; Merewether suburb alone is ~11,788 (Census 2021).
Growth at a Glance
Population grew from 13,169 to 14,975 over 24 years, averaging 0.5% per year.
Schools
3 in suburbGovernment school catchment
Intake zonePrimary
Merewether Hts PS40.0%
- The Junction PS 28.3%
- Kahibah PS 13.6%
- Merewether PS 9.6%
- Hamilton SPS 5.7%
- Adamstown PS 2.7%
Secondary
Newcastle HS83.8%
- Kotara HS 42.6%
- Whitebridge HS 13.6%
Source: NSW Department of Education — School Intake Zones. Boundaries can be amended without notice; confirm with the school before relying on enrolment.
Profile
Census snapshot
Housing
Public housing 3.7%Predominantly detached houses (61.2%), mixed tenure (66% own or mortgage).
Dwelling mix
Tenure
Number of bedrooms
Bushfire & flood risk
Hazard data is not yet available for NSW.
Source when available: NSW Rural Fire Service (BFPL) and NSW DPHI EPI Flood.
Planning zones
9 zones in suburb| Code | Zone | % covered | Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| R2 | ZoneResidential | 41.1% | 2.59 km² |
| C1 | ZoneEnvironmental | 34.8% | 2.19 km² |
| SP2 | ZoneSpecial use | 10.5% | 0.66 km² |
| RE1 | ZoneRecreation | 5.5% | 0.35 km² |
| R3 | ZoneResidential | 5.1% | 0.32 km² |
| C3 | ZoneEnvironmental | 2.0% | 0.13 km² |
| E1 | ZoneEnvironmental | 0.7% | 0.05 km² |
| E3 | ZoneEnvironmental | 0.2% | 0.01 km² |
| RE2 | ZoneRecreation | 0.1% | 7,923 m² |
Source: NSW DPHI EPI Land Zoning (ZONE_NSW/2026-04-29/1eccf1a530fa1be5) · As of Apr 2026. Zone boundaries are amended periodically; verify the exact property with the relevant council before relying on permitted use.