Bentleigh vs Fairfield
Property investment comparison - Bentleigh, VIC 3204 vs Fairfield, VIC 3078
Head-to-head across core investment metrics: Bentleigh wins 1, Fairfield 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 | Bentleigh | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|
| Median house price | $1.7M | $1.8M |
| Median unit price | - | - |
| Gross rental yield (houses) | - | 2.59% |
| Gross rental yield (units) | 3.85% | 4.42% |
| 1-year house growth | +2.5% | +6.1% |
| 3-year house growth | +3.5% | +13.2% |
| Vacancy rate | 1.4% | 1.0% |
| Population | 17,921 | 6,535 |
Bentleigh vs Fairfield: what the numbers say
The median house price is $1.7M in Bentleigh and $1.8M in Fairfield, so Bentleigh is the cheaper entry point, with Fairfield houses about 3% dearer.
Over the past year house prices moved +2.5% in Bentleigh and +6.1% in Fairfield, so recent momentum favours Fairfield, although both suburbs recorded growth.
Looking back three years, Bentleigh houses are +3.5% and Fairfield houses +13.2%, so Fairfield has compounded faster than Bentleigh over the longer window.
Rental vacancy is 1.0% in Fairfield and 1.4% in Bentleigh, so landlords in Fairfield face less competition for tenants. Anything under 2% is generally read as a tight market where tenants compete for homes.
Bentleigh is the bigger suburb, with a population of 17,921 against 6,535, roughly 2.7 times the size of Fairfield; a larger suburb usually means a deeper pool of buyers and tenants.
In short: Bentleigh for a lower purchase price, Fairfield for recent price momentum, Fairfield 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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