Side by sideSuburb comparison

Karama vs Shoal Bay.

Suburb-to-suburb comparison across price, growth, lifestyle, schools and risk. Karama edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.

Karama scores higher on walkability (14/100 vs 0/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Karama (933) sits above Shoal Bay (918).

The takeWhich suburb suits which buyer

For buyers

We don't yet have verified suburb-level medians for one or both of these suburbs. Check the individual profiles for the data we do publish, and the methodology page for how we source it.

For investors

Rental or growth data is incomplete for one or both suburbs. Look at the full investor view on each suburb profile for a complete picture.

For families

Karama edges out on average school ICSEA (933 vs 918).

Common questionsKarama vs Shoal Bay

Common questions

Does Karama or Shoal Bay have better schools?

On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Karama scores 933 vs 918 in Shoal Bay. 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, Karama or Shoal Bay?

Karama scores 14/100 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

Karama
Metric
Shoal Bay

Price & Market

$435,000
Median house
$235,000
Median unit
+0.0%
Annual growth (house)
+0.0%
Days on market

Rental

$360/wk
Rent (house / wk)
$370/wk
$293/wk
Rent (unit / wk)
$130/wk
59.0%
Owner occupied
38.0%
Renter occupied

Lifestyle & Demographics

14
Walk score
0
0
Transit score
0
100
Bike score
5
4,803
Population
35
Median age

Risk & Hazard

Flood class
Bushfire risk

Schools

20
Schools nearby
19
933
Avg ICSEA
918

Climate

1705 mm
Annual rainfall
1705 mm
31.8°C
Mean max (Jan)
31.8°C

Green dot = better on that metric (lower price, higher growth, higher walkability, lower risk).