Fern Bay vs Mayfield East.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $965,000 and $1,125,000. Fern Bay edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Fern Bay (median $965,000) is roughly 14% cheaper to buy into than Mayfield East ($1,125,000). Over the past year, Fern Bay (+1.3%) ran 1.3 percentage points ahead of Mayfield East (0%) on house-price growth.
Mayfield East scores higher on walkability (4/100 vs 56/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Fern Bay (1053) sits above Mayfield East (1015). Fern Bay skews owner-occupied (72%), Mayfield East runs more rental-dense (60% owner).
For buyers
Fern Bay is the lower entry point at $965,000 median, 14% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Fern Bay carries both higher gross yield (4.20% vs 3.24%) and stronger 12-month growth. On the headline numbers, it's the cleaner investor case of the two.
For families
Fern Bay edges out on average school ICSEA (1053 vs 1015).
Common questions
Is Fern Bay or Mayfield East cheaper to buy in?
Fern Bay has the lower median house price at $965,000, roughly 14% below Mayfield East ($1,125,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Fern Bay or Mayfield East?
Over the past 12 months, Fern Bay grew +1.3% vs 0% in Mayfield East, a gap of 1.3 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 Fern Bay or Mayfield East have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Fern Bay scores 1053 vs 1015 in Mayfield East. 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, Fern Bay or Mayfield East?
Mayfield East scores 56/100 on walkability vs 4/100. 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, Fern Bay or Mayfield East?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.20% in Fern Bay vs 3.24% in Mayfield East. 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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