Warrawong vs Lake Heights.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $821,500 and $865,000.
Warrawong (median $821,500) is roughly 5% cheaper to buy into than Lake Heights ($865,000). Over the past year, Lake Heights (+5.5%) ran 1.3 percentage points ahead of Warrawong (+4.2%) on house-price growth.
Warrawong scores higher on walkability (22/100 vs 0/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Lake Heights (974) sits above Warrawong (971). Lake Heights skews owner-occupied (68%), Warrawong runs more rental-dense (48% owner).
For buyers
Warrawong is the lower entry point at $821,500 median, 5% 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: Warrawong delivers the better gross yield (4.37% vs 4.15%), but Lake Heights 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
Lake Heights edges out on average school ICSEA (974 vs 971). Lake Heights also has a higher family-household share (72% vs 61%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Warrawong or Lake Heights cheaper to buy in?
Warrawong has the lower median house price at $821,500, roughly 5% below Lake Heights ($865,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Warrawong or Lake Heights?
Over the past 12 months, Lake Heights grew +5.5% vs +4.2% in Warrawong, 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 Warrawong or Lake Heights have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Lake Heights scores 974 vs 971 in Warrawong. 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, Warrawong or Lake Heights?
Warrawong scores 22/100 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, Warrawong or Lake Heights?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.37% in Warrawong vs 4.15% in Lake Heights. 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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