Wollongbar vs Alstonville.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $810,000 and $1,015,000. Alstonville edges out on more headline metrics in this comparison.
Wollongbar (median $810,000) is roughly 20% cheaper to buy into than Alstonville ($1,015,000). Over the past year, Alstonville (+12.8%) ran 25.0 percentage points ahead of Wollongbar (-12.2%) on house-price growth.
Alstonville scores higher on walkability (0/100 vs 74/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Alstonville (1027) sits above Wollongbar (1001).
For buyers
Wollongbar is the lower entry point at $810,000 median, 20% 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: Wollongbar delivers the better gross yield (4.81% vs 3.84%), but Alstonville 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
Alstonville edges out on average school ICSEA (1027 vs 1001). Wollongbar also has a higher family-household share (77% vs 66%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Wollongbar or Alstonville cheaper to buy in?
Wollongbar has the lower median house price at $810,000, roughly 20% below Alstonville ($1,015,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Wollongbar or Alstonville?
Over the past 12 months, Alstonville grew +12.8% vs -12.2% in Wollongbar, a gap of 25.0 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 Wollongbar or Alstonville have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Alstonville scores 1027 vs 1001 in Wollongbar. 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, Wollongbar or Alstonville?
Alstonville scores 74/100 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, Wollongbar or Alstonville?
Gross rental yield on houses is 4.81% in Wollongbar vs 3.84% in Alstonville. 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 Wollongbar against another suburb