Side by sideSuburb comparison

Charlemont vs Breakwater.

Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $651,000 and $602,500. Breakwater edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.

Breakwater (median $602,500) is roughly 8% cheaper to buy into than Charlemont ($651,000).

Breakwater scores higher on walkability (0/100 vs 4/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Breakwater (1028) sits above Charlemont (1022). Charlemont skews owner-occupied (70%), Breakwater runs more rental-dense (60% owner).

The takeWhich suburb suits which buyer

For buyers

Breakwater is the lower entry point at $602,500 median, 8% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.

For investors

Charlemont offers the higher gross rental yield (3.39% vs 2.63%), favouring cash-flow investors.

For families

Breakwater edges out on average school ICSEA (1028 vs 1022). Charlemont also has a higher family-household share (71% vs 55%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.

Common questionsCharlemont vs Breakwater

Common questions

Is Charlemont or Breakwater cheaper to buy in?

Breakwater has the lower median house price at $602,500, roughly 8% below Charlemont ($651,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.

Does Charlemont or Breakwater have better schools?

On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Breakwater scores 1028 vs 1022 in Charlemont. 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, Charlemont or Breakwater?

Breakwater scores 4/100 on walkability vs 0/100. 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, Charlemont or Breakwater?

Gross rental yield on houses is 3.39% in Charlemont vs 2.63% in Breakwater. 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

Charlemont
Metric
Breakwater

Price & Market

$651,000
Median house
$602,500
$291,600
Median unit
$223,200
+0.0%
Annual growth (house)
+0.0%
Days on market

Rental

$425/wk
Rent (house / wk)
$305/wk
$415/wk
Rent (unit / wk)
$300/wk
70.0%
Owner occupied
60.0%
28.0%
Renter occupied
38.0%

Lifestyle & Demographics

0
Walk score
4
0
Transit score
0
100
Bike score
100
2,612
Population
1,060
29
Median age
40

Risk & Hazard

Flood class
Bushfire risk

Schools

20
Schools nearby
20
1022
Avg ICSEA
1028

Climate

612 mm
Annual rainfall
612 mm
25.3°C
Mean max (Jan)
25.3°C

Green dot = better on that metric (lower price, higher growth, higher walkability, lower risk).