Goonellabah vs East Lismore.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $750,000 and $615,000.
East Lismore (median $615,000) is roughly 22% cheaper to buy into than Goonellabah ($750,000). Over the past year, Goonellabah (+15.6%) ran 0.8 percentage points ahead of East Lismore (+14.8%) on house-price growth.
East Lismore scores higher on walkability (2/100 vs 10/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Goonellabah (976) sits above East Lismore (974).
For buyers
East Lismore is the lower entry point at $615,000 median, 22% 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: East Lismore delivers the better gross yield (5.24% vs 4.30%), but Goonellabah 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
Goonellabah edges out on average school ICSEA (976 vs 974).
Common questions
Is Goonellabah or East Lismore cheaper to buy in?
East Lismore has the lower median house price at $615,000, roughly 22% below Goonellabah ($750,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Goonellabah or East Lismore?
Over the past 12 months, Goonellabah grew +15.6% vs +14.8% in East Lismore, a gap of 0.8 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 Goonellabah or East Lismore have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Goonellabah scores 976 vs 974 in East Lismore. 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, Goonellabah or East Lismore?
East Lismore scores 10/100 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, Goonellabah or East Lismore?
Gross rental yield on houses is 5.24% in East Lismore vs 4.30% in Goonellabah. 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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