Katoomba vs Medlow Bath.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $852,500 and $835,000. Medlow Bath edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Medlow Bath (median $835,000) is roughly 2% cheaper to buy into than Katoomba ($852,500). Over the past year, Medlow Bath (+14.4%) ran 12.3 percentage points ahead of Katoomba (+2.1%) on house-price growth.
Katoomba scores higher on walkability (100/100 vs 0/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. Medlow Bath skews owner-occupied (82%), Katoomba runs more rental-dense (63% owner).
For buyers
Medlow Bath is the lower entry point at $835,000 median, 2% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Medlow Bath carries both higher gross yield (3.80% vs 3.72%) and stronger 12-month growth. On the headline numbers, it's the cleaner investor case of the two.
For families
School and household data is too similar between the two to call a winner on family fit. Check the individual profiles for street-level school catchments.
Common questions
Is Katoomba or Medlow Bath cheaper to buy in?
Medlow Bath has the lower median house price at $835,000, roughly 2% below Katoomba ($852,500). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Katoomba or Medlow Bath?
Over the past 12 months, Medlow Bath grew +14.4% vs +2.1% in Katoomba, a gap of 12.3 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.
Which is more walkable, Katoomba or Medlow Bath?
Katoomba scores 100/100 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, Katoomba or Medlow Bath?
Gross rental yield on houses is 3.80% in Medlow Bath vs 3.72% in Katoomba. 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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