Ethelton vs Semaphore.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $815,000 and $1,472,500.
Ethelton (median $815,000) is roughly 45% cheaper to buy into than Semaphore ($1,472,500). Over the past year, Semaphore (+24.3%) ran 31.2 percentage points ahead of Ethelton (-6.9%) on house-price growth.
Semaphore scores higher on walkability (56/100 vs 100/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Ethelton (992) sits above Semaphore (991).
For buyers
Ethelton is the lower entry point at $815,000 median, 45% 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: Ethelton delivers the better gross yield (4.34% vs 2.30%), but Semaphore 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
Ethelton edges out on average school ICSEA (992 vs 991).
Common questions
Is Ethelton or Semaphore cheaper to buy in?
Ethelton has the lower median house price at $815,000, roughly 45% below Semaphore ($1,472,500). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Ethelton or Semaphore?
Over the past 12 months, Semaphore grew +24.3% vs -6.9% in Ethelton, a gap of 31.2 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 Ethelton or Semaphore have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Ethelton scores 992 vs 991 in Semaphore. 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, Ethelton or Semaphore?
Semaphore scores 100/100 on walkability vs 56/100. 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, Ethelton or Semaphore?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.34% in Ethelton vs 2.30% in Semaphore. 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).
Compare Ethelton against another suburb