NAPLAN v home prices: where parents should buy

Exclusive new analysis has revealed where you can buy an affordable home in Australia’s best performing school catchments. Search by suburb and school.

Exclusive analysis has revealed where you can get an affordable home in Australia’s leading school catchments.

Exclusive analysis has revealed where you can buy an affordable home in Australia’s best performing school catchments.

News Corp’s Bang for Your Buck is a unique data set that has allows families to understand where the best performing schools lie and whether they can afford to buy a home in that area.

The formula utilises the latest NAPLAN data, median house values calculated by PropTrack and school catchment mapping to deliver an insight into an issue that compels many parents to move suburbs to secure a place for their child at a preferred school.

According to Melinda Jennison president of the Real Estate Buyers Agents Association of Australia (REBAA): “For many prospective homebuyers, securing a residence in a highly desirable public school catchment zone is a top priority when searching for a new home”.

Homes within sought-after school areas can sell for a premium.

“Living within the boundaries of an enrolment-managed public school ensures access to quality education without the expense of private school fees, driving up demand and property prices,” she said.

“Homes within sought-after school catchment zones can sell for up to 10 per cent more than the median price of the suburb they are situated in

“This price disparity can be significant, even for properties within the same suburb that are otherwise similar.”

SYDNEY, NSW’S BEST PERFORMING SCHOOL CATCHMENTS IN AFFORDABLE SUBURBS

Western Sydney, South-West Sydney and Blue Mountains schools dominated both the primary and secondary school top 10 suburb lists.

Richmond Public School topped the primary school list.

The school zone has a median house price of $885,000 and an average 535.2 NAPLAN score, giving it a 441.9 Bang for Buck score.

Next was Kingswood Public with a slightly higher median house price of $964,200 and a higher NAPLAN median of 542, creating a 441.9 bang for buck score.

Quakers Hill Public came in third, scoring 428.7.

Heading south, Sutherland Public scored 424.6, with house prices in the catchment zone sitting at $1.48m and a high NAPLAN average of 576.8.

Professor of anthropology and sociology at ECU, Martin Forsey, said research indicated parents will move to be closer to a school with a good NAPLAN result. "When you look at a strong NAPLAN result, it does seem to affect real estate,” he said, noting that the trend was more prevalent with high schools than primary.

MORE – NAPLAN v home prices: Ultimate Guide to 2100 NSW schools

Western Sydney, South-West Sydney and Blue Mountains schools dominated both the primary and secondary school top 10 suburb lists.

VICTORIA’S SCHOOL ZONE HOME PRICE HOTSPOTS

Victorian families can save as much as $300,000 on a property purchase by researching the catchment zones for high-performing schools where homes are more within reach.

High achieving schools in Point Cook, Glen Waverley, Frankston, Vermont, Oakleigh South, Thomastown and Preston offered the best value catchments, according to the analysis which ranked Point Cook’s Alamanda College as the best value.

Four out of the top 10 secondary schools are in the eastern suburbs, where Harcourts Judd White agent Dexter Prack said zones play a big factor into how much buyers are prepared to spend on a property.

RELATED: Geelong’s school zone home price hotspots

Families are trading popular areas such the Glen Waverley Secondary College zone for more affordable catchments with similar NAPLAN scores, he said.

“Buyers are no longer spending money in Glen Waverley like they used to – Highvale and Brentwood Secondary are now coming into the mix,” Mr Prack said.

“If you can save $400,000 and spend $1.4m in the Highvale or Brentwood catchment rather than $1.8m in the Glen Waverley, there is a big disparity in affordability.”

MORE – NAPLAN v home prices: Ultimate Buyer’s Guide to 1200+ VIC schools

Point Cook is in demand in Victoria.

QUEENSLAND’S BEST STATE SCHOOLS IN AFFORDABLE SUBURBS

The top scoring schools based on our metrics are located in regional Queensland.

Top of the list for primary schools is Mount Tyson State School in Toowoomba, which has a median house value of $704,600.

By comparison, Queensland’s top performing primary school for NAPLAN results in 2023 was Sunnybank Hills SS, where the median house price in its catchment is now $1.223 million – $519,000 more than a house in Mount Tyson.

Mount Tyson was followed by Bell State School in the state’s southwest, and Marburg State School in Ipswich.

Other primary schools to make the top 10 for both affordability and performance were Hermit Park SS and Magnetic Island SS (Townsville), Caravonica SS (Cairns), Gladstone Central SS, Glen Aplin SS and Applethorpe SS (Southern Downs) and The Caves SS (Rockhampton).

RELATED: Most affordable homes near high performing Gold Coast schools

In Greater Brisbane, Jamboree Heights came out with the top bang for buck score in the capital but soaring prices has seen its median house price push past $1 million.

Ray White Mount Gravatt principal Grant Boman said a good education was a major driver for Aussie families.

“We are very lucky to have some fabulous private and public schools within our area but the jewel in the crown, so to speak, is Mansfield State High School,” he said.

“Having grown up in the area I have seen first hand the transformation of Mansfield SHS and the effect it has had on the area.”

MORE – NAPLAN v home prices: Ultimate Buyer’s Guide to 700+ QLD schools

SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S BEST SCHOOLS IN AFFORDABLE SUBURBS

Those looking to buy a house in a quality high school zone in South Australia on a budget need look no further than Modbury Heights, with a median of $691,700 and a Bang for Buck score of 28.5.

Modbury Heights is in demand in South Australia.

That will get you into The Heights School, which has a NAPLAN average of 583.

Brighton Secondary School and Unley High School, in comparison, each have a NAPLAN score of 583.4 and medians of $1.061m and $1.113m respectively. Those looking to buy a house in a quality high school zone on a budget need look no further than Modbury Heights, with a median of $691,700 and a Bang for Buck score of 28.5.

That will get you into The Heights School, which has a NAPLAN average of 583.

Brighton Secondary School and Unley High School, in comparison, each have a NAPLAN score of 583.4 and medians of $1.061m and $1.113m respectively.

St Clair, in Woodville High School zone, the city in Adelaide High School zone, and Modbury in Modbury High School zone all offered the next best Bang for Buck scores.

Interestingly, just three of the top 10 suburbs required a budget of more than $1m.

Those looking for a unit in one of our top-performing secondary school zones need spend far less, with all but two of the top 10 Bang For Buck suburbs carrying median prices of less than $600,000.

MORE – NAPLAN v home prices: Ultimate Buyer’s Guide to almost 500 SA schools