Carrington vs Fern Bay.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $950,000 and $965,000. Carrington edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Carrington (median $950,000) is roughly 2% cheaper to buy into than Fern Bay ($965,000). Over the past year, Fern Bay (+1.3%) ran 10.8 percentage points ahead of Carrington (-9.5%) on house-price growth.
Carrington scores higher on walkability (30/100 vs 4/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Carrington (1061) sits above Fern Bay (1053).
For buyers
Carrington is the lower entry point at $950,000 median, 2% 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: Carrington delivers the better gross yield (4.27% vs 4.20%), but Fern Bay 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
Carrington edges out on average school ICSEA (1061 vs 1053).
Common questions
Is Carrington or Fern Bay cheaper to buy in?
Carrington has the lower median house price at $950,000, roughly 2% below Fern Bay ($965,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Carrington or Fern Bay?
Over the past 12 months, Fern Bay grew +1.3% vs -9.5% in Carrington, a gap of 10.8 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 Carrington or Fern Bay have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Carrington scores 1061 vs 1053 in Fern Bay. 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, Carrington or Fern Bay?
Carrington scores 30/100 on walkability vs 4/100. 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, Carrington or Fern Bay?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.27% in Carrington vs 4.20% in Fern Bay. 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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