Statistical Area 2 (SA2) · Area profile
Merrimac
8 km²
A high proportion of overseas-born residents sets Merrimac apart from the rest of Queensland. This Gold Coast community has grown by 14% since 2011 and is now marked by a mix of young families and a rising senior population. It is a place where many people live in townhouses or larger homes, often with children. The area is notably more secular than the national average and is highly walkable, with most residents living close to parks and schools.
Merrimac's schools draw a more advantaged community than the area overall.
19 schools within reach make Merrimac convenient for families.
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The typical resident is 38, which is the same as the national figure. While the number of children under 15 is higher than most areas, this group has fallen by 2.7 percentage points since 2011, while the proportion of seniors has risen by 4.7 points.
People born overseas make up 30.0% of the population, which is well above the Queensland figure of 22.7%. English, Australian, and Scottish are the most common ancestries.
Around 16.2% of residents use a language other than English at home, a figure well above the state average. This reflects the area's higher-than-usual proportion of overseas-born residents.
A large number of residents report having no religion, at 44.7%. This is well above the national figure of 38.9% and has risen by 22 percentage points since 2011.
The area has a strong school presence, with more schools per 1,000 children than most similar areas. Since 2011, the proportion of adults with a bachelor degree or higher has risen by 8.9 percentage points to 19.8%.
Typical weekly household income is $1,689, which is about the same as the state average. However, the area has a much lower proportion of high earners, with only 6.5% of people earning $2,000 or more a week.
A lower number of people have a long-term health condition compared to most areas. However, 6.0% of residents need help with daily activities, which is higher than in most similar places.
Volunteer rates are much lower than the national average at 10.4%. Conversely, 28.0% of people provide unpaid childcare, which is a little above the Australian figure.
First Nations residents in Merrimac have a much higher Year 12 completion rate (67.9%) and a much higher typical personal income ($841) than those in most other similar areas.
Homes here tend to be larger, with 2.6 people per household. The area has a much higher proportion of one-parent families (20.0%) than the national average of 14.1%.
Detached houses are far less common here than in the rest of the state, with many residents living in townhouses. Rents are much higher than the national average, with a typical weekly rent of $465.
Most people drive to work, and very few (1.2%) use public transport. This reliance on cars is reflected in the fact that 45.2% of homes have two vehicles.
The community is quite mobile, with 49.1% of people having moved house in the last five years. This is well above the national figure of 40.7%.
A higher proportion of adults are working or looking for work (65.0%) compared to the rest of the state. Health care, retail, and construction are the most common industries.
The area is rated as being around the middle for overall advantage compared to similar places, with a population that has grown by 2.0% since the last census.
Merrimac experiences very high annual rainfall (1,544mm) compared to the state average. It also has much higher average minimum temperatures than most similar areas.
The area is very walkable, with 86.4% of homes within a 15-minute walk of local amenities. In particular, 94.8% of residents live within 15 minutes of a park.