Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Merrimac
10 km²
Nearly half of all residents in Merrimac report having no religion, a figure well above the national average. This Gold Coast community is notably diverse, with 30% of people born overseas and a high proportion of families with children. It is a highly mobile area where almost half the population has moved house in the last five years. Most residents live in townhouses or larger homes and enjoy a walkable neighborhood with easy access to schools and parks.
19 schools within reach make Merrimac convenient for families.
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The typical resident is 38, and the area has more children under 15 than most similar places. There is also a higher rate of people in de facto relationships compared to the national figure.
People born overseas make up 30% of the population, which is well above the Queensland average of 22.7%. English, Australian, and Scottish are the most common ancestries.
Language diversity is high, with 16.2% of people using a language other than English at home. This is much higher than most similar areas, though still well below the national average.
A large portion of the community identifies as having no religion, at 44.7%, which is well above both the state and national figures.
Many residents have completed Year 12, a rate much higher than most similar areas. This is reflected in the local schools, which have a much higher average advantage score than typical areas.
Typical weekly household income is $1,688, which is about the same as the Queensland average. However, the proportion of households earning $3,000 or more per week is well below the national figure.
People with a long-term health condition are less common here than in most areas. Conversely, a higher number of residents report a mental health condition compared to similar places.
More people here care for children unpaid than in most areas. However, volunteering rates and the amount of unpaid housework are much lower than the state and national figures.
First Nations residents in Merrimac have a Year 12 completion rate of 67.9%, which is far above the national average of 37.0%. Personal incomes for this group are also well above the national figure.
Homes here are larger than usual, with 2.6 people per home. One-parent families are much more common here than in most other areas.
Renters are much more common here than in most areas, and typical weekly rents are among the highest at this level. Detached houses are far less common than the state average, with many people living in townhouses.
While 94% of homes are within a 10-minute walk of public transport, only 10.7% of people work from home, which is far below the national figure.
The community is very transient, with 49.1% of people moving in the last five years, a rate well above the national average.
More adults are working or looking for work here than in most similar areas. The most common industries for local workers are health care, social assistance, and retail trade.
The area is somewhat walkable, with a high proportion of homes within a 15-minute walk of schools, parks, and groceries, far exceeding the Queensland average.