Tonsley vs Clovelly Park.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $800,000 and $1,050,000.
Tonsley (median $800,000) is roughly 24% cheaper to buy into than Clovelly Park ($1,050,000). Over the past year, Tonsley (+20.5%) ran 1.6 percentage points ahead of Clovelly Park (+18.9%) on house-price growth.
Clovelly Park scores higher on walkability (18/100 vs 20/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Clovelly Park (1066) sits above Tonsley (1054).
For buyers
Tonsley is the lower entry point at $800,000 median, 24% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Tonsley carries both higher gross yield (4.30% vs 3.34%) and stronger 12-month growth. On the headline numbers, it's the cleaner investor case of the two.
For families
Clovelly Park edges out on average school ICSEA (1066 vs 1054). Clovelly Park also has a higher family-household share (66% vs 50%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Tonsley or Clovelly Park cheaper to buy in?
Tonsley has the lower median house price at $800,000, roughly 24% below Clovelly Park ($1,050,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Tonsley or Clovelly Park?
Over the past 12 months, Tonsley grew +20.5% vs +18.9% in Clovelly Park, a gap of 1.6 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 Tonsley or Clovelly Park have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Clovelly Park scores 1066 vs 1054 in Tonsley. 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, Tonsley or Clovelly Park?
Clovelly Park scores 20/100 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, Tonsley or Clovelly Park?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.30% in Tonsley vs 3.34% in Clovelly Park. 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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