Harkness vs Melton South.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $590,000 and $525,500. Melton South edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Melton South (median $525,500) is roughly 12% cheaper to buy into than Harkness ($590,000).
Melton South scores higher on walkability (0/100 vs 2/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Melton South (979) sits above Harkness (976). Harkness skews owner-occupied (71%), Melton South runs more rental-dense (61% owner).
For buyers
Melton South is the lower entry point at $525,500 median, 12% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Melton South offers the higher gross rental yield (3.37% vs 2.83%), favouring cash-flow investors.
For families
Melton South edges out on average school ICSEA (979 vs 976). Harkness also has a higher family-household share (81% vs 69%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Harkness or Melton South cheaper to buy in?
Melton South has the lower median house price at $525,500, roughly 12% below Harkness ($590,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Does Harkness or Melton South have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Melton South scores 979 vs 976 in Harkness. 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, Harkness or Melton South?
Melton South 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, Harkness or Melton South?
Gross rental yield on houses is 3.37% in Melton South vs 2.83% in Harkness. 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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