Magenta vs Norah Head.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $1,660,000 and $1,525,000.
Norah Head (median $1,525,000) is roughly 9% cheaper to buy into than Magenta ($1,660,000). Over the past year, Magenta (+10.7%) ran 12.3 percentage points ahead of Norah Head (-1.6%) on house-price growth.
Norah Head scores higher on walkability (0/100 vs 10/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Magenta (948) sits above Norah Head (934).
For buyers
Norah Head is the lower entry point at $1,525,000 median, 9% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Magenta carries both higher gross yield (2.13% vs 2.05%) and stronger 12-month growth. On the headline numbers, it's the cleaner investor case of the two.
For families
Magenta edges out on average school ICSEA (948 vs 934).
Common questions
Is Magenta or Norah Head cheaper to buy in?
Norah Head has the lower median house price at $1,525,000, roughly 9% below Magenta ($1,660,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Magenta or Norah Head?
Over the past 12 months, Magenta grew +10.7% vs -1.6% in Norah Head, 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.
Does Magenta or Norah Head have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Magenta scores 948 vs 934 in Norah Head. 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, Magenta or Norah Head?
Norah Head scores 10/100 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, Magenta or Norah Head?
Gross rental yield on houses is 2.13% in Magenta vs 2.05% in Norah Head. 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 Magenta against another suburb