Carey Bay vs Valentine.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $1,068,500 and $1,175,000. Carey Bay edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Carey Bay (median $1,068,500) is roughly 9% cheaper to buy into than Valentine ($1,175,000). Over the past year, Carey Bay (+7.4%) ran 1.5 percentage points ahead of Valentine (+5.9%) on house-price growth.
On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Carey Bay (997) sits above Valentine (988). Valentine skews owner-occupied (88%), Carey Bay runs more rental-dense (71% owner).
For buyers
Carey Bay is the lower entry point at $1,068,500 median, 9% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Carey Bay carries both higher gross yield (3.21% vs 3.10%) and stronger 12-month growth. On the headline numbers, it's the cleaner investor case of the two.
For families
Carey Bay edges out on average school ICSEA (997 vs 988). Valentine also has a higher family-household share (81% vs 60%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Carey Bay or Valentine cheaper to buy in?
Carey Bay has the lower median house price at $1,068,500, roughly 9% below Valentine ($1,175,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Carey Bay or Valentine?
Over the past 12 months, Carey Bay grew +7.4% vs +5.9% in Valentine, a gap of 1.5 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 Carey Bay or Valentine have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Carey Bay scores 997 vs 988 in Valentine. 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, Carey Bay or Valentine?
Gross rental yield on houses is 3.21% in Carey Bay vs 3.10% in Valentine. 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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