Balgowlah vs Fairlight.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $3,400,000 and $3,692,500. Balgowlah edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Balgowlah (median $3,400,000) is roughly 8% cheaper to buy into than Fairlight ($3,692,500). Over the past year, Fairlight (+7.4%) ran 5.3 percentage points ahead of Balgowlah (+2.1%) on house-price growth.
On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Balgowlah (1139) sits above Fairlight (1134).
For buyers
Balgowlah is the lower entry point at $3,400,000 median, 8% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Fairlight has run faster on 12-month capital growth, favouring growth-led investors.
For families
Balgowlah edges out on average school ICSEA (1139 vs 1134).
Common questions
Is Balgowlah or Fairlight cheaper to buy in?
Balgowlah has the lower median house price at $3,400,000, roughly 8% below Fairlight ($3,692,500). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Balgowlah or Fairlight?
Over the past 12 months, Fairlight grew +7.4% vs +2.1% in Balgowlah, a gap of 5.3 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 Balgowlah or Fairlight have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Balgowlah scores 1139 vs 1134 in Fairlight. 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.
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).
Compare Balgowlah against another suburb