Nelson Bay vs Fingal Bay.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $1,150,000 and $1,280,000. Nelson Bay edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Nelson Bay (median $1,150,000) is roughly 10% cheaper to buy into than Fingal Bay ($1,280,000). Over the past year, Nelson Bay (+9%) ran 4.5 percentage points ahead of Fingal Bay (+4.5%) on house-price growth.
Nelson Bay scores higher on walkability (34/100 vs 2/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Nelson Bay (964) sits above Fingal Bay (961).
For buyers
Nelson Bay is the lower entry point at $1,150,000 median, 10% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Nelson Bay carries both higher gross yield (3.26% vs 2.93%) and stronger 12-month growth. On the headline numbers, it's the cleaner investor case of the two.
For families
Nelson Bay edges out on average school ICSEA (964 vs 961).
Common questions
Is Nelson Bay or Fingal Bay cheaper to buy in?
Nelson Bay has the lower median house price at $1,150,000, roughly 10% below Fingal Bay ($1,280,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Nelson Bay or Fingal Bay?
Over the past 12 months, Nelson Bay grew +9% vs +4.5% in Fingal Bay, a gap of 4.5 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 Nelson Bay or Fingal Bay have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Nelson Bay scores 964 vs 961 in Fingal Bay. 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, Nelson Bay or Fingal Bay?
Nelson Bay scores 34/100 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, Nelson Bay or Fingal Bay?
Gross rental yield on houses is 3.26% in Nelson Bay vs 2.93% in Fingal Bay. 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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