Marion vs Oaklands Park.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $1,080,000 and $1,092,500.
Marion (median $1,080,000) is roughly 1% cheaper to buy into than Oaklands Park ($1,092,500). Over the past year, Oaklands Park (+15%) ran 22.0 percentage points ahead of Marion (-7%) on house-price growth.
Oaklands Park scores higher on walkability (34/100 vs 58/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Marion (1063) sits above Oaklands Park (1060). Marion skews owner-occupied (64%), Oaklands Park runs more rental-dense (48% owner).
For buyers
Marion is the lower entry point at $1,080,000 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: Marion delivers the better gross yield (3.18% vs 2.87%), but Oaklands Park 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
Marion edges out on average school ICSEA (1063 vs 1060). Marion also has a higher family-household share (63% vs 53%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Marion or Oaklands Park cheaper to buy in?
Marion has the lower median house price at $1,080,000, roughly 1% below Oaklands Park ($1,092,500). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Marion or Oaklands Park?
Over the past 12 months, Oaklands Park grew +15% vs -7% in Marion, a gap of 22.0 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 Marion or Oaklands Park have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Marion scores 1063 vs 1060 in Oaklands Park. 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, Marion or Oaklands Park?
Oaklands Park scores 58/100 on walkability vs 34/100. 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, Marion or Oaklands Park?
Gross rental yield on houses is 3.18% in Marion vs 2.87% in Oaklands Park. 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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