Ridgehaven vs Surrey Downs.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $895,000 and $850,000. Surrey Downs edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Surrey Downs (median $850,000) is roughly 5% cheaper to buy into than Ridgehaven ($895,000). Over the past year, Ridgehaven (+15.5%) ran 2.6 percentage points ahead of Surrey Downs (+12.9%) on house-price growth.
Surrey Downs scores higher on walkability (18/100 vs 28/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Surrey Downs (1038) sits above Ridgehaven (1033).
For buyers
Surrey Downs is the lower entry point at $850,000 median, 5% 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: Surrey Downs delivers the better gross yield (4.04% vs 3.56%), but Ridgehaven 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
Surrey Downs edges out on average school ICSEA (1038 vs 1033).
Common questions
Is Ridgehaven or Surrey Downs cheaper to buy in?
Surrey Downs has the lower median house price at $850,000, roughly 5% below Ridgehaven ($895,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Ridgehaven or Surrey Downs?
Over the past 12 months, Ridgehaven grew +15.5% vs +12.9% in Surrey Downs, a gap of 2.6 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 Ridgehaven or Surrey Downs have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Surrey Downs scores 1038 vs 1033 in Ridgehaven. 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, Ridgehaven or Surrey Downs?
Surrey Downs scores 28/100 on walkability vs 18/100. 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, Ridgehaven or Surrey Downs?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.04% in Surrey Downs vs 3.56% in Ridgehaven. 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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