Marshall vs Breakwater.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $660,000 and $602,500. Breakwater edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Breakwater (median $602,500) is roughly 10% cheaper to buy into than Marshall ($660,000).
Breakwater scores higher on walkability (2/100 vs 4/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Breakwater (1028) sits above Marshall (1026).
For buyers
Breakwater is the lower entry point at $602,500 median, 10% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Marshall offers the higher gross rental yield (2.84% vs 2.63%), favouring cash-flow investors.
For families
Breakwater edges out on average school ICSEA (1028 vs 1026).
Common questions
Is Marshall or Breakwater cheaper to buy in?
Breakwater has the lower median house price at $602,500, roughly 10% below Marshall ($660,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Does Marshall or Breakwater have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Breakwater scores 1028 vs 1026 in Marshall. 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, Marshall or Breakwater?
Breakwater scores 4/100 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, Marshall or Breakwater?
Gross rental yield on houses is 2.84% in Marshall vs 2.63% in Breakwater. 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 Marshall against another suburb