Macquarie Hills vs Cardiff South.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $910,000 and $922,500. Cardiff South edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Macquarie Hills (median $910,000) is roughly 1% cheaper to buy into than Cardiff South ($922,500). Over the past year, Cardiff South (+9.8%) ran 2.7 percentage points ahead of Macquarie Hills (+7.1%) on house-price growth.
Cardiff South scores higher on walkability (2/100 vs 6/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Cardiff South (1025) sits above Macquarie Hills (1010).
For buyers
Macquarie Hills is the lower entry point at $910,000 median, 1% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Investors face a yield-versus-growth split: Macquarie Hills delivers the better gross yield (4.14% vs 4.09%), but Cardiff South has run faster on capital growth this year. The right pick depends on whether you're optimising for cash flow or capital appreciation.
For families
Cardiff South edges out on average school ICSEA (1025 vs 1010). Macquarie Hills also has a higher family-household share (85% vs 72%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Macquarie Hills or Cardiff South cheaper to buy in?
Macquarie Hills has the lower median house price at $910,000, roughly 1% below Cardiff South ($922,500). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Macquarie Hills or Cardiff South?
Over the past 12 months, Cardiff South grew +9.8% vs +7.1% in Macquarie Hills, a gap of 2.7 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 Macquarie Hills or Cardiff South have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Cardiff South scores 1025 vs 1010 in Macquarie Hills. 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, Macquarie Hills or Cardiff South?
Cardiff South scores 6/100 on walkability vs 2/100. 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, Macquarie Hills or Cardiff South?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.14% in Macquarie Hills vs 4.09% in Cardiff South. 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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