Balmoral vs Rathmines.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $802,500 and $870,000. Balmoral edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Balmoral (median $802,500) is roughly 8% cheaper to buy into than Rathmines ($870,000). Over the past year, Rathmines (+2.4%) ran 6.3 percentage points ahead of Balmoral (-3.9%) on house-price growth.
On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Balmoral (986) sits above Rathmines (984).
For buyers
Balmoral is the lower entry point at $802,500 median, 8% 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 3.94%), but Rathmines 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
Balmoral edges out on average school ICSEA (986 vs 984).
Common questions
Is Balmoral or Rathmines cheaper to buy in?
Balmoral has the lower median house price at $802,500, roughly 8% below Rathmines ($870,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Balmoral or Rathmines?
Over the past 12 months, Rathmines grew +2.4% vs -3.9% in Balmoral, a gap of 6.3 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 Balmoral or Rathmines have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Balmoral scores 986 vs 984 in Rathmines. 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 suburb has higher rental yield, Balmoral or Rathmines?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.28% in Balmoral vs 3.94% in Rathmines. 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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