Bellbrae vs Hawthorn
Property investment comparison - Bellbrae, VIC 3228 vs Hawthorn, VIC 3122
Head-to-head across core investment metrics: Bellbrae wins 1, Hawthorn wins 4. The better choice depends on whether you're optimising for cash flow, growth, affordability, or liquidity, the table below highlights the winner on each metric.
| Metric | Bellbrae | Hawthorn |
|---|---|---|
| Median house price | $2.9M | $2.7M |
| Median unit price | $760K | $590K |
| Gross rental yield (houses) | - | 2.03% |
| Gross rental yield (units) | 4.79% | 5.05% |
| 1-year house growth | -6.1% | -8.7%estimate |
| 3-year house growth | -13.0% | - |
| Vacancy rate | 2.5% | 0.9% |
| Population | 1,346 | 22,322 |
Bellbrae vs Hawthorn: what the numbers say
The median house price is $2.9M in Bellbrae and $2.7M in Hawthorn, so Hawthorn is the cheaper entry point, with Bellbrae houses about 6% dearer.
For units, Bellbrae sits at a median of $760K against $590K in Hawthorn, which makes Hawthorn the more affordable unit market and Bellbrae the pricier one.
Over the past year house prices moved -6.1% in Bellbrae and -8.7% in Hawthorn (an estimate), so recent momentum favours Bellbrae, while Hawthorn went backwards.
Rental vacancy is 0.9% in Hawthorn and 2.5% in Bellbrae, so landlords in Hawthorn face less competition for tenants. Anything under 2% is generally read as a tight market where tenants compete for homes.
Hawthorn is the bigger suburb, with a population of 22,322 against 1,346, roughly 17 times the size of Bellbrae; a larger suburb usually means a deeper pool of buyers and tenants.
In short: Hawthorn for a lower purchase price, Bellbrae for recent price momentum, Hawthorn for the tighter rental market. Which matters more depends on whether the investor is buying for cash flow, capital growth or affordability.
Keep exploring
- National investment guide - top suburbs across every metric
- Take the suburb finder quiz - 5 questions to match your goals
- How our investment score works
- Property investment glossary - every term defined
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