Side by sideSuburb comparison

Mount Waverley vs Ashwood.

Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $1,640,000 and $1,570,000. Ashwood edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.

Ashwood (median $1,570,000) is roughly 4% cheaper to buy into than Mount Waverley ($1,640,000).

Mount Waverley scores higher on walkability (90/100 vs 50/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Ashwood (1124) sits above Mount Waverley (1116). Mount Waverley skews owner-occupied (73%), Ashwood runs more rental-dense (60% owner).

The takeWhich suburb suits which buyer

For buyers

Ashwood is the lower entry point at $1,570,000 median, 4% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.

For investors

Mount Waverley offers the higher gross rental yield (2.20% vs 1.36%), favouring cash-flow investors.

For families

Ashwood edges out on average school ICSEA (1124 vs 1116).

Common questionsMount Waverley vs Ashwood

Common questions

Is Mount Waverley or Ashwood cheaper to buy in?

Ashwood has the lower median house price at $1,570,000, roughly 4% below Mount Waverley ($1,640,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.

Does Mount Waverley or Ashwood have better schools?

On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Ashwood scores 1124 vs 1116 in Mount Waverley. 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, Mount Waverley or Ashwood?

Mount Waverley scores 90/100 on walkability vs 50/100. 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, Mount Waverley or Ashwood?

Gross rental yield on houses is 2.20% in Mount Waverley vs 1.36% in Ashwood. 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

Mount Waverley
Metric
Ashwood

Price & Market

$1,640,000
Median house
$1,570,000
$1,112,000
Median unit
$1,030,000
+0.0%
Annual growth (house)
+0.0%
Days on market

Rental

$695/wk
Rent (house / wk)
$410/wk
$476/wk
Rent (unit / wk)
$391/wk
73.0%
Owner occupied
60.0%
24.0%
Renter occupied
37.0%

Lifestyle & Demographics

90
Walk score
50
20
Transit score
0
100
Bike score
100
35,340
Population
7,154
40
Median age
39

Risk & Hazard

Flood class
Bushfire risk

Schools

20
Schools nearby
20
1116
Avg ICSEA
1124

Climate

639 mm
Annual rainfall
639 mm
25.9°C
Mean max (Jan)
25.9°C

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