Harwood vs Maclean.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $640,000 and $655,000.
Harwood (median $640,000) is roughly 2% cheaper to buy into than Maclean ($655,000). Over the past year, Maclean (+1.6%) ran 6.1 percentage points ahead of Harwood (-4.5%) on house-price growth.
Maclean scores higher on walkability (0/100 vs 4/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Harwood (974) sits above Maclean (963).
For buyers
Harwood is the lower entry point at $640,000 median, 2% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Maclean has run faster on 12-month capital growth, favouring growth-led investors.
For families
Harwood edges out on average school ICSEA (974 vs 963).
Common questions
Is Harwood or Maclean cheaper to buy in?
Harwood has the lower median house price at $640,000, roughly 2% below Maclean ($655,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Harwood or Maclean?
Over the past 12 months, Maclean grew +1.6% vs -4.5% in Harwood, a gap of 6.1 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 Harwood or Maclean have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Harwood scores 974 vs 963 in Maclean. 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, Harwood or Maclean?
Maclean scores 4/100 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.
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).
Compare Harwood against another suburb