Darlinghurst vs Surry Hills.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $2,950,000 and $2,415,000. Darlinghurst edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Surry Hills (median $2,415,000) is roughly 22% cheaper to buy into than Darlinghurst ($2,950,000). Over the past year, Darlinghurst (+21.3%) ran 2.6 percentage points ahead of Surry Hills (+18.7%) on house-price growth.
On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Darlinghurst (1121) sits above Surry Hills (1080).
For buyers
Surry Hills is the lower entry point at $2,415,000 median, 22% 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: Surry Hills delivers the better gross yield (2.48% vs 2.03%), but Darlinghurst 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
Darlinghurst edges out on average school ICSEA (1121 vs 1080).
Common questions
Is Darlinghurst or Surry Hills cheaper to buy in?
Surry Hills has the lower median house price at $2,415,000, roughly 22% below Darlinghurst ($2,950,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Darlinghurst or Surry Hills?
Over the past 12 months, Darlinghurst grew +21.3% vs +18.7% in Surry Hills, a gap of 2.6 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 Darlinghurst or Surry Hills have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Darlinghurst scores 1121 vs 1080 in Surry Hills. 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, Darlinghurst or Surry Hills?
Gross rental yield on houses is 2.48% in Surry Hills vs 2.03% in Darlinghurst. 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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