The Hill vs Bar Beach.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $2,300,000 and $2,812,500.
The Hill (median $2,300,000) is roughly 18% cheaper to buy into than Bar Beach ($2,812,500). Over the past year, Bar Beach (0%) ran 13.2 percentage points ahead of The Hill (-13.2%) on house-price growth.
The Hill scores higher on walkability (100/100 vs 82/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Bar Beach (1079) sits above The Hill (1075). Bar Beach skews owner-occupied (56%), The Hill runs more rental-dense (44% owner).
For buyers
The Hill is the lower entry point at $2,300,000 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: The Hill delivers the better gross yield (1.70% vs 1.39%), but Bar Beach 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
Bar Beach edges out on average school ICSEA (1079 vs 1075).
Common questions
Is The Hill or Bar Beach cheaper to buy in?
The Hill has the lower median house price at $2,300,000, roughly 18% below Bar Beach ($2,812,500). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, The Hill or Bar Beach?
Over the past 12 months, Bar Beach grew 0% vs -13.2% in The Hill, a gap of 13.2 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 The Hill or Bar Beach have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Bar Beach scores 1079 vs 1075 in The Hill. 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, The Hill or Bar Beach?
The Hill scores 100/100 on walkability vs 82/100. 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, The Hill or Bar Beach?
Gross rental yield on houses is 1.70% in The Hill vs 1.39% in Bar Beach. 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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