NSW · Cumberland Council
Merrylands West, NSW, 2160
Desirability index
#534 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Merrylands West is a smaller suburban community in the Cumberland area, home to around 7,054 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 3,597 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with relatively stable year-on-year trends (+1%), roughly 509.9 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $645 (flats $620, houses $800), strong public transport coverage with many public transport stops, a higher concentration of local shops, services, and recreation amenities, and notable planning and development activity on record. Snapshot data also shows parks or public open space within the suburb and hospitals or GP clinics within the suburb.
Population
- Population
- 7,054
- Median age
- 36
- Median household income / week
- $1,394
- Dwelling vacancy
- 8.5%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 208 of 2,457
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,000
- Employment rate
- 40.5%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 232 / 395 / 724
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $620
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $800
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $645
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 434
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · Period: January to March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 3,597
- Against the person
- 754
- Against property
- 1,264
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 509.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 9 residents
- State safety percentile
- 24.6th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- +1%
Most common offence types
- Breach Bail Conditions582
- Domestic Violence Related Assault192
- Fraud312
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment259
- Non-Domestic Violence Related Assault189
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
Public transport
89 public transport stops in this suburb
- Barcom St Before Rupert St
- Barcom St Opp Rupert St
- Cerdon College, Kenyons Rd
- Cerdon College, Sherwood Rd
- Merrylands High School, Sherwood Rd
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
116 planning-related records
2026· 9 proposals
June 2026
- Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)64 PATON STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Under Assessment
- Commercial development; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia408 MERRYLANDS ROAD MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Under Assessment
May 2026
- Attached dwelling; Demolition; Erection of a new structure42 ARCADIA STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
- Boarding house; Erection of a new structure15 TORRENS STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
April 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation36 RUPERT STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
March 2026
- Demolition; Subdivision; Dual occupancy (attached)16 LUCY STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
- Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)55 BRIAN STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
January 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure38 EDDY STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Withdrawn
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure6 OTTO STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
2025· 21 proposals
December 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure33 WARIALDA STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Withdrawn
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation10 OTTO STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation8 MURPHY STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
- Demolition; Subdivision; Dual occupancy (attached)16 LUCY STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Operational consent issued
November 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation36 RUPERT STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
- Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached); Residential Accommodation51 PATON STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
- Demolition; Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)48 BRIAN STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Deferred Commencement
October 2025
- Shop top housing; Erection of a new structure9 SHERWOOD ROAD MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
September 2025
- Attached dwelling; Demolition; Erection of a new structure42 ARCADIA STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Operational consent issued
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool2 CAMERON COURT MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
August 2025
- Residential flat building; Centre-based child care3 ARCADIA STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Withdrawn
July 2025
- Residential flat building; Centre-based child care3 ARCADIA STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Rejected
- Demolition; Subdivision; Dual occupancy (attached)9 OTTO STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
- Dwelling house; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia132 PATON STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Withdrawn
June 2025
- Dual occupancy; Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation62 BETTS ROAD MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
May 2025
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation72 PATON STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Deferred Commencement
- Dual occupancy; Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached); Residential Accommodation62 BETTS ROAD MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Rejected
April 2025
- Demolition; Subdivision; Dual occupancy (attached)9 OTTO STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Rejected
March 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation36 RUPERT STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
January 2025
- Advertising and signage; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Recreation facility (indoor)33-37 SHERWOOD ROAD MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)16 RUTH STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
2024· 19 proposals
December 2024
- Demolition7 DARYL STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Withdrawn
November 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Dual occupancy (attached)3 LUCY STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
- Advertising and signage; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Recreation facility (indoor)33-37 SHERWOOD ROAD MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Rejected
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Dual occupancy (attached)3 LUCY STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Rejected
- Secondary dwelling; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia11 BOWDEN STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
October 2024
- Demolition; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)3 JOSEPHINE STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Deferred Commencement
August 2024
- Dual occupancy; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)16 RUTH STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Operational consent issued
May 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure16 BRIAN STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure1 BRISTOL STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
April 2024
- Dual occupancy; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)5 BETTINA STREET MERRYLANDS WEST 2160Determined
2023· 15 proposals
15 proposals lodged in 2023. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2022· 29 proposals
29 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2021· 20 proposals
20 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2020· 3 proposals
3 proposals lodged in 2020. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020; 2020–2026; 2021… · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
98 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Coolibah Hotel Bottle shop and Video RentalAlcohol
- Bbq (3)
- Bench (10)
- Bicycle Parking (2)
- 45 Bruce StBus stop
- Barcom St before Fowler RdBus stop
- Barcom St before Rupert StBus stop
- Barcom St opp Rupert StBus stop
- Barcom St Park, Barcom StBus stop
- Betts Rd before Bruce StBus stop
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
13 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Arcadia Street ParkPark
- Barcom Street ReservePark
- Central Gardens Nature ReservePark
- Cusack Street ParkPark
- Cusack Street ReservePark
- Fowler Road ReservePark
- G E Briscoe ParkPark
- John Knowles ParkPark
- Josephine Street ParkPark
- Merrylands Remembrance ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 1
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Hilltop Pharmacypharmacy
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 1/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 14
- Parks (OSM)
- 14
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 27.7/100
- Cohort rank
- #534 among Metro Sydney suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Barcom St Before Rupert Sttransport
- Barcom St Opp Rupert Sttransport
- Cerdon College, Kenyons Rdtransport
- Cerdon College, Sherwood Rdtransport
- Merrylands High School, Sherwood Rdtransport
- Hilltop Pharmacyhealthpharmacy
- Arcadia Street Parkgovernmentpark
- Barcom Street Reservegovernmentpark
- Central Gardens Nature Reservegovernmentpark
- Cusack Street Parkgovernmentpark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Updated on site
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Updated on site
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Similar suburbs
Suburbs with a comparable population profile, socio-economic decile, and location.