Iluka vs Palmers Island.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $800,000 and $927,500.
Iluka (median $800,000) is roughly 14% cheaper to buy into than Palmers Island ($927,500). Over the past year, Palmers Island (0%) ran 3.3 percentage points ahead of Iluka (-3.3%) on house-price growth.
Iluka scores higher on walkability (12/100 vs 0/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Palmers Island (977) sits above Iluka (976). Palmers Island skews owner-occupied (86%), Iluka runs more rental-dense (65% owner).
For buyers
Iluka is the lower entry point at $800,000 median, 14% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Palmers Island carries both higher gross yield (3.48% vs 3.33%) and stronger 12-month growth. On the headline numbers, it's the cleaner investor case of the two.
For families
Palmers Island edges out on average school ICSEA (977 vs 976). Palmers Island also has a higher family-household share (80% vs 59%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Iluka or Palmers Island cheaper to buy in?
Iluka has the lower median house price at $800,000, roughly 14% below Palmers Island ($927,500). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Iluka or Palmers Island?
Over the past 12 months, Palmers Island grew 0% vs -3.3% in Iluka, a gap of 3.3 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 Iluka or Palmers Island have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Palmers Island scores 977 vs 976 in Iluka. 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, Iluka or Palmers Island?
Iluka scores 12/100 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, Iluka or Palmers Island?
Gross rental yield on houses is 3.48% in Palmers Island vs 3.33% in Iluka. 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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