Fairy Meadow vs Balgownie.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $1,250,000 and $1,355,000. Fairy Meadow edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Fairy Meadow (median $1,250,000) is roughly 8% cheaper to buy into than Balgownie ($1,355,000). Over the past year, Fairy Meadow (+4.2%) ran 5.3 percentage points ahead of Balgownie (-1.1%) on house-price growth.
Fairy Meadow scores higher on walkability (22/100 vs 0/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Fairy Meadow (1056) sits above Balgownie (1043). Balgownie skews owner-occupied (76%), Fairy Meadow runs more rental-dense (56% owner).
For buyers
Fairy Meadow is the lower entry point at $1,250,000 median, 8% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Fairy Meadow carries both higher gross yield (3.12% vs 2.88%) and stronger 12-month growth. On the headline numbers, it's the cleaner investor case of the two.
For families
Fairy Meadow edges out on average school ICSEA (1056 vs 1043). Balgownie also has a higher family-household share (75% vs 61%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Fairy Meadow or Balgownie cheaper to buy in?
Fairy Meadow has the lower median house price at $1,250,000, roughly 8% below Balgownie ($1,355,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Fairy Meadow or Balgownie?
Over the past 12 months, Fairy Meadow grew +4.2% vs -1.1% in Balgownie, a gap of 5.3 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 Fairy Meadow or Balgownie have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Fairy Meadow scores 1056 vs 1043 in Balgownie. 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, Fairy Meadow or Balgownie?
Fairy Meadow scores 22/100 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, Fairy Meadow or Balgownie?
Gross rental yield on houses is 3.12% in Fairy Meadow vs 2.88% in Balgownie. 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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