Waikiki vs Rockingham.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $600,000 and $605,000. Rockingham edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Waikiki (median $600,000) is roughly 1% cheaper to buy into than Rockingham ($605,000).
Rockingham scores higher on walkability (6/100 vs 32/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Rockingham (976) sits above Waikiki (968). Waikiki skews owner-occupied (75%), Rockingham runs more rental-dense (60% owner).
For buyers
Waikiki is the lower entry point at $600,000 median, 1% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Waikiki offers the higher gross rental yield (2.69% vs 2.58%), favouring cash-flow investors.
For families
Rockingham edges out on average school ICSEA (976 vs 968). Waikiki also has a higher family-household share (74% vs 57%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Waikiki or Rockingham cheaper to buy in?
Waikiki has the lower median house price at $600,000, roughly 1% below Rockingham ($605,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Does Waikiki or Rockingham have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Rockingham scores 976 vs 968 in Waikiki. 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, Waikiki or Rockingham?
Rockingham scores 32/100 on walkability vs 6/100. 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, Waikiki or Rockingham?
Gross rental yield on houses is 2.69% in Waikiki vs 2.58% in Rockingham. 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 Waikiki against another suburb