Fern Bay vs Tighes Hill.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $965,000 and $1,280,000.
Fern Bay (median $965,000) is roughly 25% cheaper to buy into than Tighes Hill ($1,280,000). Over the past year, Tighes Hill (+8%) ran 6.7 percentage points ahead of Fern Bay (+1.3%) on house-price growth.
Tighes Hill scores higher on walkability (4/100 vs 6/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Fern Bay (1053) sits above Tighes Hill (1019).
For buyers
Fern Bay is the lower entry point at $965,000 median, 25% 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: Fern Bay delivers the better gross yield (4.20% vs 3.17%), but Tighes Hill 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
Fern Bay edges out on average school ICSEA (1053 vs 1019).
Common questions
Is Fern Bay or Tighes Hill cheaper to buy in?
Fern Bay has the lower median house price at $965,000, roughly 25% below Tighes Hill ($1,280,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Fern Bay or Tighes Hill?
Over the past 12 months, Tighes Hill grew +8% vs +1.3% in Fern Bay, a gap of 6.7 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 Fern Bay or Tighes Hill have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Fern Bay scores 1053 vs 1019 in Tighes Hill. 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 Tighes Hill?
Tighes Hill scores 6/100 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 Tighes Hill?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.20% in Fern Bay vs 3.17% in Tighes Hill. 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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