Kilaben Bay vs Carey Bay.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $1,051,250 and $1,068,500. Kilaben Bay edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Kilaben Bay (median $1,051,250) is roughly 2% cheaper to buy into than Carey Bay ($1,068,500). Over the past year, Kilaben Bay (+12.7%) ran 5.3 percentage points ahead of Carey Bay (+7.4%) on house-price growth.
On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Carey Bay (997) sits above Kilaben Bay (986). Kilaben Bay skews owner-occupied (86%), Carey Bay runs more rental-dense (71% owner).
For buyers
Kilaben Bay is the lower entry point at $1,051,250 median, 2% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Kilaben Bay carries both higher gross yield (3.26% vs 3.21%) and stronger 12-month growth. On the headline numbers, it's the cleaner investor case of the two.
For families
Carey Bay edges out on average school ICSEA (997 vs 986). Kilaben Bay also has a higher family-household share (81% vs 60%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Kilaben Bay or Carey Bay cheaper to buy in?
Kilaben Bay has the lower median house price at $1,051,250, roughly 2% below Carey Bay ($1,068,500). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Kilaben Bay or Carey Bay?
Over the past 12 months, Kilaben Bay grew +12.7% vs +7.4% in Carey Bay, a gap of 5.3 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 Kilaben Bay or Carey Bay have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Carey Bay scores 997 vs 986 in Kilaben 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 suburb has higher rental yield, Kilaben Bay or Carey Bay?
Gross rental yield on houses is 3.26% in Kilaben Bay vs 3.21% in Carey Bay. 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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