Side by sideSuburb comparison

Franklin vs Palmerston.

Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $985,000 and $1,038,000. Franklin edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.

Franklin (median $985,000) is roughly 5% cheaper to buy into than Palmerston ($1,038,000).

Franklin scores higher on walkability (22/100 vs 2/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Franklin (1083) sits above Palmerston (1079). Palmerston skews owner-occupied (70%), Franklin runs more rental-dense (52% owner).

The takeWhich suburb suits which buyer

For buyers

Franklin is the lower entry point at $985,000 median, 5% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.

For investors

Franklin offers the higher gross rental yield (2.43% vs 2.30%), favouring cash-flow investors.

For families

Franklin edges out on average school ICSEA (1083 vs 1079).

Common questionsFranklin vs Palmerston

Common questions

Is Franklin or Palmerston cheaper to buy in?

Franklin has the lower median house price at $985,000, roughly 5% below Palmerston ($1,038,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.

Does Franklin or Palmerston have better schools?

On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Franklin scores 1083 vs 1079 in Palmerston. 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, Franklin or Palmerston?

Franklin scores 22/100 on walkability vs 2/100. 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, Franklin or Palmerston?

Gross rental yield on houses is 2.43% in Franklin vs 2.30% in Palmerston. 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

Franklin
Metric
Palmerston

Price & Market

$985,000
Median house
$1,038,000
$498,250
Median unit
$637,750
+0.0%
Annual growth (house)
+0.0%
Days on market

Rental

$460/wk
Rent (house / wk)
$460/wk
$460/wk
Rent (unit / wk)
$450/wk
52.0%
Owner occupied
70.0%
46.0%
Renter occupied
28.0%

Lifestyle & Demographics

22
Walk score
2
70
Transit score
100
100
Bike score
100
7,484
Population
5,579
30
Median age
36

Risk & Hazard

Flood class
Bushfire risk

Schools

20
Schools nearby
20
1083
Avg ICSEA
1079

Climate

Annual rainfall
Mean max (Jan)

Green dot = better on that metric (lower price, higher growth, higher walkability, lower risk).