Side by sideSuburb comparison

Clear Island Waters vs Merrimac.

Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $1,898,500 and $950,500. Merrimac edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.

Merrimac (median $950,500) is roughly 100% cheaper to buy into than Clear Island Waters ($1,898,500).

Merrimac scores higher on walkability (2/100 vs 4/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Clear Island Waters (1060) sits above Merrimac (1057). Clear Island Waters skews owner-occupied (75%), Merrimac runs more rental-dense (63% owner).

The takeWhich suburb suits which buyer

For buyers

Merrimac is the lower entry point at $950,500 median, 100% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.

For investors

Rental or growth data is incomplete for one or both suburbs. Look at the full investor view on each suburb profile for a complete picture.

For families

Clear Island Waters edges out on average school ICSEA (1060 vs 1057).

Common questionsClear Island Waters vs Merrimac

Common questions

Is Clear Island Waters or Merrimac cheaper to buy in?

Merrimac has the lower median house price at $950,500, roughly 100% below Clear Island Waters ($1,898,500). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.

Does Clear Island Waters or Merrimac have better schools?

On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Clear Island Waters scores 1060 vs 1057 in Merrimac. ICSEA is a school-community indicator, not a quality rating, so always check NAPLAN results and catchment boundaries for the specific address you're considering.

Which is more walkable, Clear Island Waters or Merrimac?

Merrimac scores 4/100 on walkability vs 2/100. Above 70 is considered very walkable (most errands on foot), 50-69 is walkable for some errands, below 50 typically requires a car for daily life.

The numbers behind the take

Clear Island Waters
Metric
Merrimac

Price & Market

$1,898,500
Median house
$950,500
$812,500
Median unit
$700,000
+0.0%
Annual growth (house)
+0.0%
Days on market

Rental

Rent (house / wk)
$870/wk
Rent (unit / wk)
$760/wk
75.0%
Owner occupied
63.0%
20.0%
Renter occupied
34.0%

Lifestyle & Demographics

2
Walk score
4
0
Transit score
10
100
Bike score
100
4,395
Population
7,212
50
Median age
38

Risk & Hazard

Flood class
Bushfire risk

Schools

20
Schools nearby
20
1060
Avg ICSEA
1057

Climate

1304 mm
Annual rainfall
1304 mm
28.9°C
Mean max (Jan)
28.9°C

Green dot = better on that metric (lower price, higher growth, higher walkability, lower risk).