Goonellabah vs Lismore Heights.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $750,000 and $670,000. Goonellabah edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Lismore Heights (median $670,000) is roughly 12% cheaper to buy into than Goonellabah ($750,000). Over the past year, Goonellabah (+15.6%) ran 11.7 percentage points ahead of Lismore Heights (+3.9%) on house-price growth.
Goonellabah scores higher on walkability (2/100 vs 0/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Goonellabah (976) sits above Lismore Heights (974).
For buyers
Lismore Heights is the lower entry point at $670,000 median, 12% 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: Lismore Heights delivers the better gross yield (4.81% 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 Lismore Heights cheaper to buy in?
Lismore Heights has the lower median house price at $670,000, roughly 12% 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 Lismore Heights?
Over the past 12 months, Goonellabah grew +15.6% vs +3.9% in Lismore Heights, a gap of 11.7 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 Goonellabah or Lismore Heights have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Goonellabah scores 976 vs 974 in Lismore Heights. 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 Lismore Heights?
Goonellabah scores 2/100 on walkability vs 0/100. 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 Lismore Heights?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.81% in Lismore Heights 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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