Sawtell vs Bonville.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $1,195,000 and $995,000.
Bonville (median $995,000) is roughly 20% cheaper to buy into than Sawtell ($1,195,000). Over the past year, Sawtell (-3.4%) ran 8.9 percentage points ahead of Bonville (-12.3%) on house-price growth.
Sawtell scores higher on walkability (16/100 vs 0/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Bonville (994) sits above Sawtell (974). Bonville skews owner-occupied (83%), Sawtell runs more rental-dense (65% owner).
For buyers
Bonville is the lower entry point at $995,000 median, 20% 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: Bonville delivers the better gross yield (3.55% vs 3.13%), but Sawtell 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
Bonville edges out on average school ICSEA (994 vs 974). Bonville also has a higher family-household share (81% vs 65%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Sawtell or Bonville cheaper to buy in?
Bonville has the lower median house price at $995,000, roughly 20% below Sawtell ($1,195,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Sawtell or Bonville?
Over the past 12 months, Sawtell grew -3.4% vs -12.3% in Bonville, a gap of 8.9 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 Sawtell or Bonville have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Bonville scores 994 vs 974 in Sawtell. 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, Sawtell or Bonville?
Sawtell scores 16/100 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, Sawtell or Bonville?
Gross rental yield on houses is 3.55% in Bonville vs 3.13% in Sawtell. 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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