Side by sideSuburb comparison

Williamstown vs Garden City.

Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $1,600,000 and $1,875,000. Garden City edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.

Williamstown (median $1,600,000) is roughly 15% cheaper to buy into than Garden City ($1,875,000).

Garden City scores higher on walkability (16/100 vs 18/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Garden City (1119) sits above Williamstown (1093).

The takeWhich suburb suits which buyer

For buyers

Williamstown is the lower entry point at $1,600,000 median, 15% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.

For investors

Williamstown offers the higher gross rental yield (2.18% vs 1.50%), favouring cash-flow investors.

For families

Garden City edges out on average school ICSEA (1119 vs 1093).

Common questionsWilliamstown vs Garden City

Common questions

Is Williamstown or Garden City cheaper to buy in?

Williamstown has the lower median house price at $1,600,000, roughly 15% below Garden City ($1,875,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.

Does Williamstown or Garden City have better schools?

On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Garden City scores 1119 vs 1093 in Williamstown. 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, Williamstown or Garden City?

Garden City scores 18/100 on walkability vs 16/100. 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, Williamstown or Garden City?

Gross rental yield on houses is 2.18% in Williamstown vs 1.50% in Garden City. 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

Williamstown
Metric
Garden City

Price & Market

$1,600,000
Median house
$1,875,000
$906,000
Median unit
$396,000
+0.0%
Annual growth (house)
+0.0%
Days on market

Rental

$670/wk
Rent (house / wk)
$540/wk
$523/wk
Rent (unit / wk)
$459/wk
Owner occupied
Renter occupied

Lifestyle & Demographics

16
Walk score
18
0
Transit score
10
100
Bike score
100
16,025
Population
17,633
45
Median age
42

Risk & Hazard

Flood class
Bushfire risk

Schools

20
Schools nearby
20
1093
Avg ICSEA
1119

Climate

639 mm
Annual rainfall
639 mm
25.9°C
Mean max (Jan)
25.9°C

Green dot = better on that metric (lower price, higher growth, higher walkability, lower risk).