Five Dock vs Russell Lea
Five Dock (median $2,800,000) is roughly 15% cheaper to buy into than Russell Lea ($3,300,000). Over the past year, Russell Lea (+9.8%) ran 2.9 percentage points ahead of Five Dock (+6.9%) on house-price growth.
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Five Dock and Russell Lea side by side
| Measure | Five Dock | Russell Lea |
|---|---|---|
| Price and market | ||
| Median house | $2,800,000 | $3,300,000 |
| Median unit | $477,360 | $477,360 |
| House price change, 12 months | +6.9% | +9.8% |
| Renting | ||
| House rent | $1300/wk | $1300/wk |
| Unit rent | $800/wk | $800/wk |
| Owner occupied | 61.0% | 73.0% |
| Renter occupied | 37.0% | 26.0% |
| Schools | ||
| Schools nearby | 20 | 20 |
| Average ICSEA | 1097 | 1118 |
| Lifestyle and people | ||
| Walk score | 100 | 20 |
| Transit score | 30 | 0 |
| Bike score | 100 | 100 |
| Population | 9,823 | 4,920 |
| Median age | 41 | 43 |
| Climate | ||
| Annual rainfall | 1036 mm | 1036 mm |
| Mean max, January | 27.7°C | 27.7°C |
Green dot: better on that measure (lower price, higher growth, higher walkability, lower risk). Each suburb’s profile gives the source and period of its figures.
Which suits whom
Five Dock scores higher on walkability (100/100 vs 20/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Russell Lea (1118) sits above Five Dock (1097). Russell Lea skews owner-occupied (73%), Five Dock runs more rental-dense (61% owner).
- For buyers
- Five Dock is the lower entry point at $2,800,000 median, 15% 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: Five Dock delivers the better gross yield (2.41% vs 2.05%), but Russell Lea 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
- Russell Lea edges out on average school ICSEA (1118 vs 1097).
Five Dock vs Russell Lea: common questions
Is Five Dock or Russell Lea cheaper to buy in?
Five Dock has the lower median house price at $2,800,000, roughly 15% below Russell Lea ($3,300,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Five Dock or Russell Lea?
Over the past 12 months, Russell Lea grew +9.8% vs +6.9% in Five Dock, a gap of 2.9 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 Five Dock or Russell Lea have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Russell Lea scores 1118 vs 1097 in Five Dock. 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, Five Dock or Russell Lea?
Five Dock scores 100/100 on walkability vs 20/100. 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, Five Dock or Russell Lea?
Gross rental yield on houses is 2.41% in Five Dock vs 2.05% in Russell Lea. 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.
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