Tonsley vs Sturt.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $800,000 and $1,020,000.
Tonsley (median $800,000) is roughly 22% cheaper to buy into than Sturt ($1,020,000). Over the past year, Tonsley (+20.5%) ran 1.3 percentage points ahead of Sturt (+19.2%) on house-price growth.
Sturt scores higher on walkability (18/100 vs 42/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Sturt (1066) sits above Tonsley (1054).
For buyers
Tonsley is the lower entry point at $800,000 median, 22% 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 3.31%) and stronger 12-month growth. On the headline numbers, it's the cleaner investor case of the two.
For families
Sturt edges out on average school ICSEA (1066 vs 1054). Sturt also has a higher family-household share (61% vs 50%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Tonsley or Sturt cheaper to buy in?
Tonsley has the lower median house price at $800,000, roughly 22% below Sturt ($1,020,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Tonsley or Sturt?
Over the past 12 months, Tonsley grew +20.5% vs +19.2% in Sturt, a gap of 1.3 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 Sturt have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Sturt 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 Sturt?
Sturt scores 42/100 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 Sturt?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.30% in Tonsley vs 3.31% in Sturt. 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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