Family-friendly ranking

The best suburbs for families in Australia.

Suburbs ranked by average school ICSEA score and family-household percentage.

About this ranking

Family-friendly suburbs balance four things: schools you'd actually send your kids to, parks and bike paths that get used, walkable neighbourhood retail, and a price point that doesn't lock you out of upgrading rooms when the family grows. We rank by the strongest measurable proxy (school ICSEA) and weight by the share of households that are families with dependents.

Methodology
Suburbs are scored on average ICSEA across primary and secondary schools (sourced from ACARA), filtered to suburbs where families with dependents make up at least 40% of households (ABS Census 2021). Population-weighted to avoid outliers from very small localities.
Best for
First home buyers planning to start a family in the next 5 years; existing families upsizing into a longer-term home; relocating families researching new areas.

By stateAll Australia NSW VIC QLD WA SA TAS NT ACT

By cityBest suburbs for families in Sydney Best suburbs for families in Melbourne Best suburbs for families in Brisbane Best suburbs for families in Perth Best suburbs for families in Adelaide Best suburbs for families in Hobart Best suburbs for families in Canberra Best suburbs for families in Darwin

Showing top 50 suburbs across Australia

#	Suburb	State	Avg ICSEA	Family HH %	Profile
1	Edgecliff 2027	NSW	1,217	51%	View profile →
2	Turramurra 2074	NSW	1,176	81%	View profile →
3	Mount Claremont 6010	WA	1,163	74%	View profile →
4	Hughes 2605	ACT	1,157	72%	View profile →
5	Indooroopilly 4068	QLD	1,149	67%	View profile →
6	Aranda 2614	ACT	1,138	79%	View profile →
7	Stirling 5152	SA	1,136	76%	View profile →
8	Braddon 2612	ACT	1,134	41%	View profile →
9	Randwick 2031	NSW	1,132	61%	View profile →
10	Watson 2602	ACT	1,128	66%	View profile →
11	Hughesdale 3166	VIC	1,123	69%	View profile →
12	South Perth 6151	WA	1,122	58%	View profile →
13	Oakleigh 3166	VIC	1,113	68%	View profile →
14	Salter Point 6152	WA	1,110	77%	View profile →
15	Riverton 6148	WA	1,103	78%	View profile →
16	Rapid Creek 0810	NT	1,103	61%	View profile →
17	Bondi Beach 2026	NSW	1,102	50%	View profile →
18	Anglesea 3230	VIC	1,099	69%	View profile →
19	Tempe 2044	NSW	1,096	74%	View profile →
20	Aspendale Gardens 3195	VIC	1,095	83%	View profile →
21	Newport 2106	NSW	1,093	75%	View profile →
22	Chadstone 3148	VIC	1,093	68%	View profile →
23	Briar Hill 3088	VIC	1,088	73%	View profile →
24	Page 2614	ACT	1,085	58%	View profile →
25	Rhyll 3923	VIC	1,083	71%	View profile →
26	Somerton Park 5044	SA	1,083	63%	View profile →
27	Mont Albert North 3129	VIC	1,082	76%	View profile →
28	Kaleen 2617	ACT	1,081	76%	View profile →
29	Charlemont 3217	VIC	1,078	71%	View profile →
30	Glenelg East 5045	SA	1,078	62%	View profile →
31	Mount Nelson 7007	TAS	1,078	69%	View profile →
32	Manifold Heights 3218	VIC	1,075	66%	View profile →
33	Lockleys 5032	SA	1,072	69%	View profile →
34	Gooseberry Hill 6076	WA	1,072	81%	View profile →
35	Leederville 6007	WA	1,071	56%	View profile →
36	Maroona 3377	VIC	1,064	93%	View profile →
37	Monash 2904	ACT	1,063	72%	View profile →
38	Aspley 4034	QLD	1,059	68%	View profile →
39	Osborne Park 6017	WA	1,057	51%	View profile →
40	Cairns North 4870	QLD	1,055	45%	View profile →
41	Hurstbridge 3099	VIC	1,055	82%	View profile →
42	East Victoria Park 6101	WA	1,053	64%	View profile →
43	Mortdale 2223	NSW	1,052	70%	View profile →
44	Stafford 4053	QLD	1,051	61%	View profile →
45	Shell Cove 2529	NSW	1,049	87%	View profile →
46	Newton 5074	SA	1,049	70%	View profile →
47	Wamberal 2260	NSW	1,048	80%	View profile →
48	Dayton 6055	WA	1,048	81%	View profile →
49	Wandi 6167	WA	1,047	84%	View profile →
50	Lancefield 3435	VIC	1,044	78%	View profile →

#1Edgecliff

NSW 2027

Avg ICSEA

1,217

Family HH %

51%

View profile →

#2Turramurra

NSW 2074

Avg ICSEA

1,176

Family HH %

81%

View profile →

#3Mount Claremont

WA 6010

Avg ICSEA

1,163

Family HH %

74%

View profile →

#4Hughes

ACT 2605

Avg ICSEA

1,157

Family HH %

72%

View profile →

#5Indooroopilly

QLD 4068

Avg ICSEA

1,149

Family HH %

67%

View profile →

#6Aranda

ACT 2614

Avg ICSEA

1,138

Family HH %

79%

View profile →

#7Stirling

SA 5152

Avg ICSEA

1,136

Family HH %

76%

View profile →

#8Braddon

ACT 2612

Avg ICSEA

1,134

Family HH %

41%

View profile →

#9Randwick

NSW 2031

Avg ICSEA

1,132

Family HH %

61%

View profile →

#10Watson

ACT 2602

Avg ICSEA

1,128

Family HH %

66%

View profile →

#11Hughesdale

VIC 3166

Avg ICSEA

1,123

Family HH %

69%

View profile →

#12South Perth

WA 6151

Avg ICSEA

1,122

Family HH %

58%

View profile →

#13Oakleigh

VIC 3166

Avg ICSEA

1,113

Family HH %

68%

View profile →

#14Salter Point

WA 6152

Avg ICSEA

1,110

Family HH %

77%

View profile →

#15Riverton

WA 6148

Avg ICSEA

1,103

Family HH %

78%

View profile →

#16Rapid Creek

NT 0810

Avg ICSEA

1,103

Family HH %

61%

View profile →

#17Bondi Beach

NSW 2026

Avg ICSEA

1,102

Family HH %

50%

View profile →

#18Anglesea

VIC 3230

Avg ICSEA

1,099

Family HH %

69%

View profile →

#19Tempe

NSW 2044

Avg ICSEA

1,096

Family HH %

74%

View profile →

#20Aspendale Gardens

VIC 3195

Avg ICSEA

1,095

Family HH %

83%

View profile →

#21Newport

NSW 2106

Avg ICSEA

1,093

Family HH %

75%

View profile →

#22Chadstone

VIC 3148

Avg ICSEA

1,093

Family HH %

68%

View profile →

#23Briar Hill

VIC 3088

Avg ICSEA

1,088

Family HH %

73%

View profile →

#24Page

ACT 2614

Avg ICSEA

1,085

Family HH %

58%

View profile →

#25Rhyll

VIC 3923

Avg ICSEA

1,083

Family HH %

71%

View profile →

#26Somerton Park

SA 5044

Avg ICSEA

1,083

Family HH %

63%

View profile →

#27Mont Albert North

VIC 3129

Avg ICSEA

1,082

Family HH %

76%

View profile →

#28Kaleen

ACT 2617

Avg ICSEA

1,081

Family HH %

76%

View profile →

#29Charlemont

VIC 3217

Avg ICSEA

1,078

Family HH %

71%

View profile →

#30Glenelg East

SA 5045

Avg ICSEA

1,078

Family HH %

62%

View profile →

#31Mount Nelson

TAS 7007

Avg ICSEA

1,078

Family HH %

69%

View profile →

#32Manifold Heights

VIC 3218

Avg ICSEA

1,075

Family HH %

66%

View profile →

#33Lockleys

SA 5032

Avg ICSEA

1,072

Family HH %

69%

View profile →

#34Gooseberry Hill

WA 6076

Avg ICSEA

1,072

Family HH %

81%

View profile →

#35Leederville

WA 6007

Avg ICSEA

1,071

Family HH %

56%

View profile →

#36Maroona

VIC 3377

Avg ICSEA

1,064

Family HH %

93%

View profile →

#37Monash

ACT 2904

Avg ICSEA

1,063

Family HH %

72%

View profile →

#38Aspley

QLD 4034

Avg ICSEA

1,059

Family HH %

68%

View profile →

#39Osborne Park

WA 6017

Avg ICSEA

1,057

Family HH %

51%

View profile →

#40Cairns North

QLD 4870

Avg ICSEA

1,055

Family HH %

45%

View profile →

#41Hurstbridge

VIC 3099

Avg ICSEA

1,055

Family HH %

82%

View profile →

#42East Victoria Park

WA 6101

Avg ICSEA

1,053

Family HH %

64%

View profile →

#43Mortdale

NSW 2223

Avg ICSEA

1,052

Family HH %

70%

View profile →

#44Stafford

QLD 4053

Avg ICSEA

1,051

Family HH %

61%

View profile →

#45Shell Cove

NSW 2529

Avg ICSEA

1,049

Family HH %

87%

View profile →

#46Newton

SA 5074

Avg ICSEA

1,049

Family HH %

70%

View profile →

#47Wamberal

NSW 2260

Avg ICSEA

1,048

Family HH %

80%

View profile →

#48Dayton

WA 6055

Avg ICSEA

1,048

Family HH %

81%

View profile →

#49Wandi

WA 6167

Avg ICSEA

1,047

Family HH %

84%

View profile →

#50Lancefield

VIC 3435

Avg ICSEA

1,044

Family HH %

78%

View profile →

Common questions

About this ranking

What is ICSEA and why does it matter?

ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is ACARA's measure of the educational backgrounds of students at a school, used as a proxy for school resourcing and outcomes. Higher ICSEA generally correlates with stronger NAPLAN performance and higher senior-year retention. We use it because it's published consistently across all Australian schools, but it's not a direct quality measure, so always verify with site visits and NAPLAN data.

Why don't you rank by NAPLAN scores directly?

NAPLAN scores are published by My School (ACARA) but reproducing them in rankings is restricted. ICSEA is the next-best public proxy and correlates strongly with NAPLAN outcomes for like-for-like school cohorts.

How do school catchments affect this ranking?

We rank suburbs by the average ICSEA of schools located in or directly serving the suburb. Catchment boundaries cut through suburbs, so two houses on the same street can fall into different catchments. Always verify the in-catchment school for the specific address before making an offer.

Other rankings

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The best suburbs for families in Australia.

Methodology

Best for

About this ranking

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