Cairnlea vs St Albans.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $835,900 and $680,000. St Albans edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
St Albans (median $680,000) is roughly 23% cheaper to buy into than Cairnlea ($835,900).
St Albans scores higher on walkability (54/100 vs 100/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Cairnlea (970) sits above St Albans (965).
For buyers
St Albans is the lower entry point at $680,000 median, 23% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
St Albans offers the higher gross rental yield (3.59% vs 2.37%), favouring cash-flow investors.
For families
Cairnlea edges out on average school ICSEA (970 vs 965).
Common questions
Is Cairnlea or St Albans cheaper to buy in?
St Albans has the lower median house price at $680,000, roughly 23% below Cairnlea ($835,900). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Does Cairnlea or St Albans have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Cairnlea scores 970 vs 965 in St Albans. 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, Cairnlea or St Albans?
St Albans scores 100/100 on walkability vs 54/100. 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, Cairnlea or St Albans?
Gross rental yield on houses is 3.59% in St Albans vs 2.37% in Cairnlea. 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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