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New South Wales · Postcode 2291
Merewether postcode and suburb data
New South Wales · Phone area code 02 · 115 km from Sydney
Suburb snapshot
Merewether at a glance vs NSW
Fast facts and benchmark bars show the suburb's key postcode, Census, SEIFA, school and LGA signals in context.
Quick facts
Benchmarks against NSW
Income, rent and SEIFA figures are from the ABS 2021 Census and are reported in 2021 dollars, not adjusted for subsequent inflation.
Where Merewether ranks: household income is in the top 25% of NSW suburbs; SEIFA decile 10 puts it in the top 20% of Australia for socio-economic advantage.
ABS Census 2021 · SEIFA 2021Detailed comparison table
Merewether vs the NSW average and the national average, using population-weighted 2021 Census data.
| Metric | Merewether | NSW avg | AU avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household income/wk | $2,287 +NSW | $1,931 | $1,836 |
| Rent/wk | $420 ≈NSW | $445 | $390 |
| Mortgage/month | $2,457 ≈NSW | $2,247 | $1,958 |
| Median age | 39 | 45.0 | 45.0 |
| SEIFA decile | 10/10 +NSW | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Unemployment | 3.2% -NSW | 5.0% | 5.0% |
Green pill = at least 10% above the NSW average; red = at least 10% below; grey = within 10%. For unemployment, colour polarity is inverted: lower is better.
Merewether is a coastal suburb of Sydney in New South Wales, with postcode 2291. It sits about 115 km from the Sydney CBD, within the Newcastle local government area. The suburb footprint covers roughly 6.3 square kilometres.
According to the 2021 Census, Merewether has a population of 11,788 with a median age of 39. The median weekly household income is $2,287, above the NSW average. The unemployment rate is 3.2%, lower than the NSW average. The Indigenous population is 259 (2.2% of residents).
Housing in Merewether includes a median weekly rent of $420, median monthly mortgage repayment of $2,457, with 4,588 total dwellings. Owner-occupied dwellings (owned or mortgaged) make up 66.0% of housing.
On the SEIFA Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, Merewether scores in decile 10 out of 10, which is well above the national average.
There are 4 schools in the Merewether area, including The Junction Public School, St Joseph's Primary School, Hamilton South Public School and others.
Merewether is part of the Newcastle statistical area in New South Wales.
Merewether details
Location, Census, housing, SEIFA and geography fields used across this profile.
| Postcode | 2291 |
| State | New South Wales (NSW) |
| Phone Area Code | 02 |
| Population (2021) | 11,788 |
| Median Age | 39 years |
| Median Household Income (Census 2021) | $2,287/week |
| Median Personal Income (Census 2021) | $1,102/week |
| Median Weekly Rent (Census 2021) | $420 |
| Median Monthly Mortgage (Census 2021) | $2,457 |
| Average Household Size | 2.4 persons |
| Area | 6.3 km² |
| Population Density | 1871/km² |
| Total Dwellings | 4,588 |
| Australian Citizens | 93.3% |
| Indigenous Population | 259 (2.2%) |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% |
| SEIFA IRSAD Decile | 10/10 (well above average) |
| Latitude | -32.942778 |
| Longitude | 151.7525 |
| Distance from Sydney | 115 km |
| Region (SA4) | Newcastle and Lake Macquarie |
| Area (SA3) | Newcastle |
| Local Government | Newcastle |
| Federal Electorate | Newcastle |
| State Electorate | Newcastle |
| Time Zone | AEST (UTC+10), Australia/Sydney (standard time) |
Age Profile
Show counts
| 0–14 years | 1,929 (16.4%) |
| 15–24 years | 1,668 (14.1%) |
| 25–44 years | 3,095 (26.3%) |
| 45–64 years | 3,207 (27.2%) |
| 65+ years | 1,886 (16.0%) |
Housing Tenure
SEIFA socio-economic index
Health Conditions (2021 Census)
| Asthma | 955 (8.1%) |
| Arthritis | 930 (7.9%) |
| Heart Disease | 427 (3.6%) |
| Cancer | 349 (3.0%) |
| Diabetes | 330 (2.8%) |
| Lung Condition | 163 (1.4%) |
| Dementia | 59 (0.5%) |
Long-term health conditions self-reported in the 2021 Census. Persons may report more than one condition.
Motor Vehicles per Dwelling
| No vehicle | 295 (6.5%) |
| 1 vehicle | 1,538 (33.7%) |
| 2 vehicles | 1,858 (40.8%) |
| 3+ vehicles | 868 (19.0%) |
Schools in Merewether
ACARA 2025 school profiles for schools located in Merewether. ICSEA is shown where ACARA publishes it.
Suburbs Near Merewether
Same Postcode (2291)
More Merewether Data
Page last reviewed . Data sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (CC BY 4.0), SEIFA 2021 IRSAD, ACARA school profiles 2025. How this data is sourced.