Lake Illawarra vs Barrack Point.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $892,500 and $2,225,000. Lake Illawarra edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Lake Illawarra (median $892,500) is roughly 60% cheaper to buy into than Barrack Point ($2,225,000). Over the past year, Lake Illawarra (+6.8%) ran 8.9 percentage points ahead of Barrack Point (-2.1%) on house-price growth.
On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Lake Illawarra (965) sits above Barrack Point (964). Barrack Point skews owner-occupied (79%), Lake Illawarra runs more rental-dense (48% owner).
For buyers
Lake Illawarra is the lower entry point at $892,500 median, 60% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Lake Illawarra carries both higher gross yield (4.08% vs 1.64%) and stronger 12-month growth. On the headline numbers, it's the cleaner investor case of the two.
For families
Lake Illawarra edges out on average school ICSEA (965 vs 964). Barrack Point also has a higher family-household share (72% vs 58%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Lake Illawarra or Barrack Point cheaper to buy in?
Lake Illawarra has the lower median house price at $892,500, roughly 60% below Barrack Point ($2,225,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Lake Illawarra or Barrack Point?
Over the past 12 months, Lake Illawarra grew +6.8% vs -2.1% in Barrack Point, a gap of 8.9 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 Lake Illawarra or Barrack Point have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Lake Illawarra scores 965 vs 964 in Barrack Point. 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, Lake Illawarra or Barrack Point?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.08% in Lake Illawarra vs 1.64% in Barrack Point. 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).
Compare Lake Illawarra against another suburb