Willoughby vs Willoughby East.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $3,800,000 and $4,050,000. Willoughby edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Willoughby (median $3,800,000) is roughly 6% cheaper to buy into than Willoughby East ($4,050,000). Over the past year, Willoughby (+14.1%) ran 4.6 percentage points ahead of Willoughby East (+9.5%) on house-price growth.
Willoughby East scores higher on walkability (32/100 vs 42/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Willoughby (1151) sits above Willoughby East (1150). Willoughby East skews owner-occupied (86%), Willoughby runs more rental-dense (68% owner).
For buyers
Willoughby is the lower entry point at $3,800,000 median, 6% below the other suburb. For first home buyers, that translates to a smaller deposit and lower stamp duty bill.
For investors
Willoughby carries both higher gross yield (2.09% vs 1.96%) and stronger 12-month growth. On the headline numbers, it's the cleaner investor case of the two.
For families
Willoughby edges out on average school ICSEA (1151 vs 1150). Willoughby East also has a higher family-household share (90% vs 76%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Willoughby or Willoughby East cheaper to buy in?
Willoughby has the lower median house price at $3,800,000, roughly 6% below Willoughby East ($4,050,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Willoughby or Willoughby East?
Over the past 12 months, Willoughby grew +14.1% vs +9.5% in Willoughby East, a gap of 4.6 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 Willoughby or Willoughby East have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Willoughby scores 1151 vs 1150 in Willoughby East. 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, Willoughby or Willoughby East?
Willoughby East scores 42/100 on walkability vs 32/100. 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, Willoughby or Willoughby East?
Gross rental yield on houses is 2.09% in Willoughby vs 1.96% in Willoughby East. 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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