Side by sideSuburb comparison

Mckellar vs Spence.

Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $1,057,500 and $941,000. Mckellar edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.

Spence (median $941,000) is roughly 12% cheaper to buy into than Mckellar ($1,057,500).

Mckellar scores higher on walkability (20/100 vs 12/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Mckellar (1077) sits above Spence (1057).

The takeWhich suburb suits which buyer

For buyers

Spence is the lower entry point at $941,000 median, 12% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.

For investors

Spence offers the higher gross rental yield (2.32% vs 2.16%), favouring cash-flow investors.

For families

Mckellar edges out on average school ICSEA (1077 vs 1057).

Common questionsMckellar vs Spence

Common questions

Is Mckellar or Spence cheaper to buy in?

Spence has the lower median house price at $941,000, roughly 12% below Mckellar ($1,057,500). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.

Does Mckellar or Spence have better schools?

On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Mckellar scores 1077 vs 1057 in Spence. 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, Mckellar or Spence?

Mckellar scores 20/100 on walkability vs 12/100. 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, Mckellar or Spence?

Gross rental yield on houses is 2.32% in Spence vs 2.16% in Mckellar. 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

Mckellar
Metric
Spence

Price & Market

$1,057,500
Median house
$941,000
$308,880
Median unit
$316,800
+0.0%
Annual growth (house)
+0.0%
Days on market

Rental

$440/wk
Rent (house / wk)
$420/wk
$438/wk
Rent (unit / wk)
$375/wk
80.0%
Owner occupied
78.0%
19.0%
Renter occupied
20.0%

Lifestyle & Demographics

20
Walk score
12
100
Transit score
100
100
Bike score
100
2,740
Population
2,587
43
Median age
38

Risk & Hazard

Flood class
Bushfire risk

Schools

20
Schools nearby
20
1077
Avg ICSEA
1057

Climate

Annual rainfall
Mean max (Jan)

Green dot = better on that metric (lower price, higher growth, higher walkability, lower risk).