Fairfield vs Canley Vale.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $1,250,000 and $1,400,000. Fairfield edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Fairfield (median $1,250,000) is roughly 11% cheaper to buy into than Canley Vale ($1,400,000). Over the past year, Canley Vale (+16.7%) ran 11.7 percentage points ahead of Fairfield (+5%) on house-price growth.
Fairfield scores higher on walkability (80/100 vs 76/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Fairfield (949) sits above Canley Vale (940). Canley Vale skews owner-occupied (55%), Fairfield runs more rental-dense (39% owner).
For buyers
Fairfield is the lower entry point at $1,250,000 median, 11% 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: Fairfield delivers the better gross yield (2.79% vs 2.60%), but Canley Vale 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
Fairfield edges out on average school ICSEA (949 vs 940).
Common questions
Is Fairfield or Canley Vale cheaper to buy in?
Fairfield has the lower median house price at $1,250,000, roughly 11% below Canley Vale ($1,400,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Fairfield or Canley Vale?
Over the past 12 months, Canley Vale grew +16.7% vs +5% in Fairfield, a gap of 11.7 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 Fairfield or Canley Vale have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Fairfield scores 949 vs 940 in Canley Vale. 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, Fairfield or Canley Vale?
Fairfield scores 80/100 on walkability vs 76/100. 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, Fairfield or Canley Vale?
Gross rental yield on houses is 2.79% in Fairfield vs 2.60% in Canley Vale. 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 Fairfield against another suburb