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Merredin vs Northam

Name: Merredin vs Northam — 2021 Census comparison
Creator: Australian Bureau of Statistics
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Statistical Area 2 (SA2) comparison ≈ 167 km apart · Merredin profile · Northam profile

Merredin Northam

Merredin and Northam are two Western Australian regional centres with very different layouts. Merredin is much more walkable, with 50.7% of homes within a 15-minute walk of health services compared to just 11.2% in Northam. Merredin also has a higher share of people who own their homes outright (41.3% versus 36.1%) and a larger proportion of volunteers at 25.2%. In contrast, Northam has a much larger population and better public transport access, with 2.64 stops per 1,000 people compared to 0.82 in Merredin.

Both areas sit close to the national figure for people who have served in the Defence Force, at around 3.3% to 3.4%. They also share a similar age profile, with the typical resident in both towns being 43. While the gap in Year 12 completion has narrowed slightly, Merredin remains well higher at 40.0% compared to 35.8% in Northam. Meanwhile, the difference in typical monthly mortgage payments has widened since 2011, with Northam now well higher at $1,393 compared to $927 in Merredin.

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Where they differ most

Population: 6,465 larger in Northam Mortgage: $466 higher in Northam One-parent: 6.3 pts higher in Northam Unemployment: 1.8 pts higher in Northam Volunteering: 8.4 pts higher in Merredin

Demographics & Identity

Population in Merredin in Northam +6,465 larger in Northam gap widening

4,893 22nd pct 11,358 60th pct

Median age in Merredin in Northam even gap steady

43 yrs 71st pct 43 yrs 71st pct

Age structure

27.0% Older adults (45–64) +0.7 pts ▸ 27.7%

22.8% Young adults (25–44) ◂ +0.5 pts 22.2%

21.4% Seniors (65+) ◂ +0.5 pts 21.0%

18.7% Children (0–14) ◂ +0.5 pts 18.2%

9.7% Youth (15–24) +1.3 pts ▸ 10.9%

Marital status

50.8% Married ◂ +7.9 pts 42.9%

31.2% Never married +3.8 pts ▸ 35.1%

8.7% Divorced +2.2 pts ▸ 10.9%

6.0% Widowed +0.4 pts ▸ 6.3%

3.4% Separated +1.3 pts ▸ 4.7%

Age & sex structure

Merredin Northam

Bars show the share of each area's own population, so differently sized areas stay comparable.

Ancestry & Birthplace

Country of birth

75.2% Australia ◂ +3.2 pts 72.0%

3.1% England +2.0 pts ▸ 5.1%

1.9% New Zealand +0.8 pts ▸ 2.7%

0.9% Philippines +0.7 pts ▸ 1.6%

0.3% India +0.4 pts ▸ 0.7%

0.6% South Africa even 0.6%

0.4% Italy ◂ +0.2 pts 0.1%

0.1% Vietnam +0.3 pts ▸ 0.4%

0.1% China +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

0.0% Nepal +0.1 pts ▸ 0.1%

Ancestry

42.4% English ◂ +1.7 pts 40.7%

40.0% Australian ◂ +1.1 pts 38.9%

9.4% Scottish ◂ +0.3 pts 9.1%

6.9% Irish +1.9 pts ▸ 8.8%

4.9% Italian ◂ +2.3 pts 2.6%

3.7% German ◂ +0.2 pts 3.6%

1.4% Dutch +0.4 pts ▸ 1.8%

1.0% Filipino +0.8 pts ▸ 1.8%

0.9% Indian ◂ +0.2 pts 0.7%

0.3% Chinese +0.3 pts ▸ 0.6%

0.1% Greek +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

0.0% Vietnamese +0.1 pts ▸ 0.1%

Language

Language used at home

82.1% English only +0.1 pts ▸ 82.2%

0.4% Tagalog +0.2 pts ▸ 0.7%

0.4% Italian ◂ +0.3 pts 0.1%

0.1% Vietnamese +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

0.1% Mandarin +0.1 pts ▸ 0.2%

0.2% Arabic even 0.1%

0.0% Cantonese +0.1 pts ▸ 0.1%

0.1% Punjabi ◂ +0.1 pts 0.0%

0.0% Hindi even 0.0%

0.0% Greek even 0.0%

Religion

Religious affiliation

42.8% Christianity ◂ +0.8 pts 42.0%

41.1% No religion +1.0 pts ▸ 42.1%

14.7% Not stated ◂ +0.8 pts 13.9%

0.3% Islam +0.2 pts ▸ 0.5%

0.3% Buddhism +0.2 pts ▸ 0.5%

0.4% Other religions +0.1 pts ▸ 0.5%

0.2% Hinduism +0.1 pts ▸ 0.3%

0.0% Judaism even 0.0%

Education & Qualifications

Schools in Merredin in Northam +3 more in Northam

5 64th pct 8 87th pct

Schools/1k kids in Merredin in Northam +1.59 more in Merredin

5.47 88th pct 3.88 78th pct

Schools ≤3 km in Merredin in Northam +4 more in Northam

5 10th pct 9 21st pct

Students in Merredin in Northam +1,268 more in Northam

922 34th pct 2,190 66th pct

Avg size in Merredin in Northam +89 larger in Northam

184 19th pct 274 29th pct

ICSEA in Merredin in Northam +11 higher in Merredin

943 16th pct 932 14th pct

Highest year of school

40.0% Year 12 ◂ +4.1 pts 35.8%

24.5% Year 10 +3.5 pts ▸ 28.0%

10.9% Year 11 ◂ +0.1 pts 10.9%

9.5% Year 9 or below +0.9 pts ▸ 10.4%

Highest qualification level

31.1% Certificate III / IV +2.8 pts ▸ 33.9%

14.5% Bachelor degree ◂ +2.8 pts 11.8%

9.8% Advanced diploma / diploma +1.6 pts ▸ 11.3%

3.9% Certificate I / II +0.2 pts ▸ 4.1%

2.5% Postgraduate degree +0.3 pts ▸ 2.8%

2.4% Graduate diploma / certificate even 2.4%

Field of qualification

16.3% Engineering & related ◂ +0.2 pts 16.1%

11.6% Management & commerce +0.7 pts ▸ 12.3%

9.4% Education ◂ +2.4 pts 7.1%

5.7% Society & culture +2.8 pts ▸ 8.5%

8.4% Health ◂ +0.1 pts 8.3%

5.9% Agriculture & environment ◂ +2.6 pts 3.3%

3.7% Architecture & building +1.2 pts ▸ 4.8%

3.5% Food, hospitality & personal services +1.2 pts ▸ 4.7%

1.5% Creative arts +0.5 pts ▸ 2.0%

0.9% Natural & physical sciences +0.6 pts ▸ 1.5%

0.8% Information technology +0.2 pts ▸ 1.0%

Income

Personal income in Merredin in Northam +$136 higher in Merredin gap widening

$796 48th pct $660 21st pct

Household income in Merredin in Northam +$71 higher in Merredin gap widening

$1,387 28th pct $1,316 22nd pct

Family income in Merredin in Northam +$224 higher in Merredin gap widening

$1,855 35th pct $1,631 21st pct

Household income distribution

29.8% $650–$1,499 ◂ +0.4 pts 29.3%

27.4% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +1.2 pts 26.1%

18.4% Under $650 +2.0 pts ▸ 20.3%

7.2% $3,000–$3,999 even 7.2%

6.2% $4,000 or more ◂ +0.3 pts 5.9%

Personal income distribution

36.2% Under $650 +6.1 pts ▸ 42.3%

29.1% $650–$1,499 ◂ +2.9 pts 26.2%

15.9% $1,500–$2,999 ◂ +1.5 pts 14.4%

3.9% $3,000 or more ◂ +1.4 pts 2.5%

Health & Disability

Long-term health conditions reported

10.1% Arthritis +0.6 pts ▸ 10.7%

8.1% Mental health +1.6 pts ▸ 9.7%

9.0% Asthma ◂ +0.4 pts 8.6%

6.1% Other condition +1.6 pts ▸ 7.7%

5.3% Diabetes +1.3 pts ▸ 6.6%

4.0% Heart disease +1.0 pts ▸ 4.9%

3.2% Cancer +0.2 pts ▸ 3.4%

2.4% Lung condition even 2.4%

1.0% Stroke +0.4 pts ▸ 1.4%

0.8% Dementia ◂ +0.1 pts 0.6%

Number of long-term health conditions

55.1% None ◂ +2.0 pts 53.1%

18.8% One condition +1.7 pts ▸ 20.5%

6.7% Two conditions +0.3 pts ▸ 7.1%

3.6% Three or more +0.6 pts ▸ 4.2%

Community Participation

First Nations

First Nations people in Merredin in Northam +483 larger in Northam

232 58th pct 715 86th pct

Median age in Merredin in Northam even

22 yrs 29th pct 22 yrs 29th pct

Median income in Merredin in Northam +$42 higher in Merredin

$512 22nd pct $470 13th pct

Household income in Merredin in Northam +$49 higher in Northam

$1,190 14th pct $1,239 18th pct

Family & Households

Household size in Merredin in Northam +0.1 larger in Northam gap steady

2.3 29th pct 2.4 36th pct

Family composition

53.7% Couples with children ◂ +4.5 pts 49.2%

33.6% Couples without children ◂ +2.1 pts 31.5%

12.0% One-parent families +6.3 pts ▸ 18.3%

0.7% Other families +0.4 pts ▸ 1.0%

Household size

38.1% 2 people ◂ +1.0 pts 37.1%

30.2% 1 person ◂ +1.2 pts 29.0%

12.3% 3 people +0.5 pts ▸ 12.9%

11.0% 4 people +0.8 pts ▸ 11.8%

6.6% 5 people ◂ +1.0 pts 5.6%

2.1% 6 or more +1.6 pts ▸ 3.6%

Housing & Dwellings

Rent in Merredin in Northam +$50 higher in Northam gap narrowing

$200 7th pct $250 14th pct

Mortgage in Merredin in Northam +$466 higher in Northam gap widening

$927 1st pct $1,393 20th pct

People / bedroom in Merredin in Northam even gap steady

0.70 0th pct 0.70 0th pct

How homes are owned or rented

41.3% Owned outright ◂ +5.2 pts 36.1%

26.0% Owned with a mortgage +10.5 pts ▸ 36.6%

26.0% Rented ◂ +2.8 pts 23.2%

5.0% Other tenure ◂ +3.3 pts 1.7%

1.9% Not stated +0.5 pts ▸ 2.4%

Types of homes

92.8% Separate house +1.9 pts ▸ 94.8%

4.6% Townhouse / semi-detached ◂ +0.8 pts 3.8%

1.3% Other dwelling ◂ +0.5 pts 0.8%

0.2% Flat or apartment +0.2 pts ▸ 0.4%

Bedrooms per home

44.6% 3 bedrooms ◂ +1.3 pts 43.3%

27.6% 4 bedrooms +2.1 pts ▸ 29.7%

14.7% 2 bedrooms +0.4 pts ▸ 15.2%

7.1% 5 or more ◂ +0.6 pts 6.5%

3.4% 1 bedroom ◂ +0.7 pts 2.6%

0.4% Studio / none even 0.4%

Weekly rent distribution

41.0% $200–$349 +16.3 pts ▸ 57.3%

46.0% Under $200 ◂ +23.9 pts 22.1%

7.5% $350–$549 +7.7 pts ▸ 15.1%

0.0% $550–$749 even 0.0%

0.0% $750 or more even 0.0%

Monthly mortgage distribution

50.5% Under $1,000 ◂ +23.5 pts 27.1%

32.1% $1,000–$1,799 +6.6 pts ▸ 38.7%

9.9% $1,800–$2,999 +13.1 pts ▸ 23.0%

3.5% $3,000 or more +3.7 pts ▸ 7.2%

Transport & Vehicles

PT stops in Merredin in Northam +26 more in Northam

4 10th pct 30 40th pct

Stops/1k in Merredin in Northam +1.82 more in Northam

0.82 9th pct 2.64 27th pct

Departures/1k in Merredin in Northam +33.2 more in Northam

9.8 7th pct 43.1 16th pct

PT routes in Merredin in Northam +5 more in Northam

2 14th pct 7 48th pct

Stop walk in Merredin in Northam

— 79 100th pct

How people get to work

61.9% Car (driver) +4.2 pts ▸ 66.1%

10.9% Worked at home ◂ +4.3 pts 6.7%

7.8% Walked ◂ +3.7 pts 4.0%

3.6% Car (passenger) +2.4 pts ▸ 6.1%

1.0% Bus ◂ +0.1 pts 0.9%

0.8% Bicycle ◂ +0.5 pts 0.3%

0.0% Train +0.2 pts ▸ 0.2%

Motor vehicles per home

37.1% 2 vehicles ◂ +1.2 pts 35.9%

31.6% 1 vehicle +0.1 pts ▸ 31.8%

15.8% 3 vehicles +0.3 pts ▸ 16.1%

10.7% 4 or more +0.5 pts ▸ 11.1%

5.0% No vehicle even 5.0%

Migration & Movement

Jobs & Industry

Industries people work in

25.0% Agriculture, forestry & fishing ◂ +19.7 pts 5.3%

9.5% Health care & social assistance +3.2 pts ▸ 12.7%

7.3% Retail trade +3.2 pts ▸ 10.5%

6.4% Public administration & safety +2.9 pts ▸ 9.3%

9.1% Education & training ◂ +0.6 pts 8.5%

5.6% Construction +2.9 pts ▸ 8.5%

5.0% Accommodation & food +1.0 pts ▸ 6.0%

2.6% Manufacturing +3.0 pts ▸ 5.5%

5.5% Transport & warehousing even 5.5%

5.4% Wholesale trade ◂ +2.5 pts 2.9%

2.9% Mining +2.3 pts ▸ 5.2%

4.0% Other services +0.4 pts ▸ 4.4%

Occupations people work in

25.7% Managers ◂ +13.2 pts 12.5%

13.9% Technicians & trades +2.2 pts ▸ 16.1%

11.4% Labourers +1.8 pts ▸ 13.2%

10.4% Professionals +2.3 pts ▸ 12.7%

9.8% Community & personal service +2.7 pts ▸ 12.5%

9.5% Clerical & administrative +2.4 pts ▸ 11.9%

11.0% Machinery operators & drivers ◂ +0.8 pts 10.2%

6.7% Sales workers +2.4 pts ▸ 9.1%

Economy & Advantage

IRSAD decile in Merredin in Northam +2 higher in Merredin

4 36th pct 2 14th pct

IRSD decile in Merredin in Northam +2 higher in Merredin

4 36th pct 2 14th pct

IER decile in Merredin in Northam even

4 36th pct 4 36th pct

IEO decile in Merredin in Northam +1 higher in Merredin

3 29th pct 2 14th pct

IRSAD score in Merredin in Northam +37 higher in Merredin

951 30th pct 914 16th pct

ERP in Merredin in Northam +7,467 higher in Northam

5,291 22nd pct 12,758 61st pct

Growth in Merredin in Northam +3.5 pts higher in Northam

4.6% 51st pct 8.1% 74th pct

Businesses in Merredin in Northam +178 higher in Northam

637 34th pct 815 44th pct

Environment & Climate

Rainfall in Merredin in Northam +78 higher in Northam

300 1st pct 379 5th pct

Max temp in Merredin in Northam +0.7 higher in Northam

25.9 75th pct 26.6 81st pct

Min temp in Merredin in Northam +0.4 higher in Northam

10.6 30th pct 11.0 37th pct

Walkability

Walk score in Merredin in Northam +1.3 higher in Merredin

3.5 25th pct 2.3 13th pct

Types ≤15 min in Merredin in Northam +1.4 more in Merredin

3.9 30th pct 2.5 15th pct

15-min city in Merredin in Northam +18.7 pts higher in Merredin

44.5% 33rd pct 25.8% 17th pct

Walk to shops in Merredin in Northam +15.3 pts higher in Merredin

42.7% 32nd pct 27.4% 18th pct

Walk to transit in Merredin in Northam +2.7 pts higher in Northam

11.6% 9th pct 14.4% 11th pct

Walk to school in Merredin in Northam +2.5 pts higher in Merredin

53.9% 33rd pct 51.4% 31st pct

Walk to a park in Merredin in Northam +15.7 pts higher in Merredin

65.8% 21st pct 50.1% 14th pct

Walk to health in Merredin in Northam +39.5 pts higher in Merredin

50.7% 54th pct 11.2% 18th pct

Amenities/1k in Merredin in Northam +32.8 more in Merredin

41.1 86th pct 8.3 13th pct

Intersections/km² in Merredin in Northam +1 higher in Northam

0 3rd pct 1 9th pct

Mean slope in Merredin in Northam +3.5 pts higher in Northam

3.1% 11th pct 6.6% 68th pct

Compare Merredin with nearby areas

Cunderdin Kulin Brookton Mukinbudin Dowerin York - Beverley Narrogin Northam

Compare Northam with nearby areas

Toodyay York - Beverley Chidlow Avon Valley National Park Gidgegannup Malmalling - Reservoir Mundaring Walyunga National Park

Cite this page

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Merredin vs Northam [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/compare/sa2/509021240/merredin/vs/509021243/northam