Arcadia Vale vs Balmoral.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $875,000 and $802,500. Arcadia Vale edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Balmoral (median $802,500) is roughly 9% cheaper to buy into than Arcadia Vale ($875,000). Over the past year, Arcadia Vale (+9.4%) ran 13.3 percentage points ahead of Balmoral (-3.9%) on house-price growth.
Arcadia Vale scores higher on walkability (12/100 vs 0/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Arcadia Vale (989) sits above Balmoral (986).
For buyers
Balmoral is the lower entry point at $802,500 median, 9% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Investors face a yield-versus-growth split: Balmoral delivers the better gross yield (4.28% vs 3.92%), but Arcadia Vale has run faster on capital growth this year. The right pick depends on whether you're optimising for cash flow or capital appreciation.
For families
Arcadia Vale edges out on average school ICSEA (989 vs 986).
Common questions
Is Arcadia Vale or Balmoral cheaper to buy in?
Balmoral has the lower median house price at $802,500, roughly 9% below Arcadia Vale ($875,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Arcadia Vale or Balmoral?
Over the past 12 months, Arcadia Vale grew +9.4% vs -3.9% in Balmoral, a gap of 13.3 percentage points. Twelve-month growth can swing year to year, so weight long-run trends from the individual suburb profiles before making a buy decision.
Does Arcadia Vale or Balmoral have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Arcadia Vale scores 989 vs 986 in Balmoral. 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, Arcadia Vale or Balmoral?
Arcadia Vale scores 12/100 on walkability vs 0/100. 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.
Which suburb has higher rental yield, Arcadia Vale or Balmoral?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.28% in Balmoral vs 3.92% in Arcadia Vale. Gross yield equals annual rent divided by purchase price. Net yield (after strata, rates, insurance, agent fees and maintenance) typically runs 1.5-2 percentage points lower.
The numbers behind the take
Price & Market
Rental
Lifestyle & Demographics
Risk & Hazard
Schools
Climate
Green dot = better on that metric (lower price, higher growth, higher walkability, lower risk).
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