Yamba vs Palmers Island.
Comparing two suburbs with median house prices of $935,000 and $927,500.
Palmers Island (median $927,500) is roughly 1% cheaper to buy into than Yamba ($935,000). Over the past year, Palmers Island (0%) ran 4.3 percentage points ahead of Yamba (-4.3%) on house-price growth.
Yamba scores higher on walkability (4/100 vs 0/100 ), useful if you're optimising for a car-light household. On school quality, the average ICSEA across schools serving Yamba (987) sits above Palmers Island (977). Palmers Island skews owner-occupied (86%), Yamba runs more rental-dense (69% owner).
For buyers
Palmers Island is the lower entry point at $927,500 median, 1% 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: Yamba delivers the better gross yield (3.89% vs 3.48%), but Palmers Island 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
Yamba edges out on average school ICSEA (987 vs 977). Palmers Island also has a higher family-household share (80% vs 65%), so the catchment community skews family-heavy.
Common questions
Is Yamba or Palmers Island cheaper to buy in?
Palmers Island has the lower median house price at $927,500, roughly 1% below Yamba ($935,000). The gap on units is usually similar but worth checking on the full suburb profiles.
Which has stronger property growth, Yamba or Palmers Island?
Over the past 12 months, Palmers Island grew 0% vs -4.3% in Yamba, a gap of 4.3 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 Yamba or Palmers Island have better schools?
On average school ICSEA (the ACARA index that benchmarks educational advantage), Yamba scores 987 vs 977 in Palmers Island. 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, Yamba or Palmers Island?
Yamba scores 4/100 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, Yamba or Palmers Island?
Gross rental yield on houses is 3.89% in Yamba vs 3.48% in Palmers Island. 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 Yamba against another suburb