Pearl Beach vs Patonga.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $1,587,500 and $1,835,000. Pearl Beach edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Pearl Beach (median $1,587,500) is roughly 13% cheaper to buy into than Patonga ($1,835,000). Over the past year, Patonga (0%) ran 20.6 percentage points ahead of Pearl Beach (-20.6%) on house-price growth.
Pearl Beach scores higher on walkability (2/100 vs 0/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Pearl Beach (1016) sits above Patonga (1011).
For buyers
Pearl Beach is the lower entry point at $1,587,500 median, 13% 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: Pearl Beach delivers the better gross yield (2.13% vs 1.84%), but Patonga 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
Pearl Beach edges out on average school ICSEA (1016 vs 1011). Pearl Beach also has a higher family-household share (69% vs 57%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Pearl Beach or Patonga cheaper to buy in?
Pearl Beach has the lower median house price at $1,587,500, roughly 13% below Patonga ($1,835,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Pearl Beach or Patonga?
Over the past 12 months, Patonga grew 0% vs -20.6% in Pearl Beach, a gap of 20.6 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 Pearl Beach or Patonga have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Pearl Beach scores 1016 vs 1011 in Patonga. 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, Pearl Beach or Patonga?
Pearl Beach scores 2/100 on walkability vs 0/100. 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, Pearl Beach or Patonga?
Gross rental yield on houses is 2.13% in Pearl Beach vs 1.84% in Patonga. 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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