Ascot Vale vs Blackburn South

Houses cost about the same in both suburbs: the median house price is $1.4M in Ascot Vale and $1.4M in Blackburn South.

For units, Ascot Vale sits at a median of $670K against $955K in Blackburn South, which makes Ascot Vale the more affordable unit market and Blackburn South the pricier one.

Over the past year house prices moved +5.2% in Ascot Vale (an estimate) and -2.7% in Blackburn South, so recent momentum favours Ascot Vale, while Blackburn South went backwards.

Rental vacancy is 1.6% in Blackburn South and 1.8% in Ascot Vale, so landlords in Blackburn South face less competition for tenants. Anything under 2% is generally read as a tight market where tenants compete for homes.

Ascot Vale is the bigger suburb, with a population of 15,197 against 10,939, larger than Blackburn South; a larger suburb usually means a deeper pool of buyers and tenants.

In short: Ascot Vale for recent price momentum, Blackburn South for the tighter rental market. Which matters more depends on whether the investor is buying for cash flow, capital growth or affordability.