Russell Lea vs Five Dock.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $3,300,000 and $2,800,000.
Five Dock (median $2,800,000) is roughly 18% cheaper to buy into than Russell Lea ($3,300,000). Over the past year, Russell Lea (+9.8%) ran 2.9 percentage points ahead of Five Dock (+6.9%) on house-price growth.
Five Dock scores higher on walkability (20/100 vs 100/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Russell Lea (1118) sits above Five Dock (1097). Russell Lea skews owner-occupied (73%), Five Dock runs more rental-dense (61% owner).
For buyers
Five Dock is the lower entry point at $2,800,000 median, 18% 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: Five Dock delivers the better gross yield (2.41% vs 2.05%), but Russell Lea 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
Russell Lea edges out on average school ICSEA (1118 vs 1097).
Common questions
Is Russell Lea or Five Dock cheaper to buy in?
Five Dock has the lower median house price at $2,800,000, roughly 18% below Russell Lea ($3,300,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Russell Lea or Five Dock?
Over the past 12 months, Russell Lea grew +9.8% vs +6.9% in Five Dock, a gap of 2.9 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 Russell Lea or Five Dock have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Russell Lea scores 1118 vs 1097 in Five Dock. 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, Russell Lea or Five Dock?
Five Dock scores 100/100 on walkability vs 20/100. 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, Russell Lea or Five Dock?
Gross rental yield on houses is 2.41% in Five Dock vs 2.05% in Russell Lea. 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).
Compare Russell Lea against another suburb