Hastings vs Lara
Property investment comparison - Hastings, VIC 3915 vs Lara, VIC 3212
Head-to-head across core investment metrics: Hastings wins 2, Lara wins 2. 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 | Hastings | Lara |
|---|---|---|
| Median house price | $730K | $730K |
| Median unit price | $590K | $560K |
| Gross rental yield (houses) | 4.13% | 4.10% |
| Gross rental yield (units) | 4.70% | 4.70% |
| 1-year house growth | +5.7% | +6.8%estimate |
| 3-year house growth | +2.2% | - |
| Vacancy rate | 0.5% | 1.7% |
| Population | 10,369 | 19,014 |
Hastings vs Lara: what the numbers say
Houses cost about the same in both suburbs: the median house price is $730K in Hastings and $730K in Lara.
For units, Hastings sits at a median of $590K against $560K in Lara, which makes Lara the more affordable unit market and Hastings the pricier one.
Gross rental yield on houses is effectively level, at 4.13% in Hastings and 4.10% in Lara, so neither suburb has a cash flow edge on houses.
Over the past year house prices moved +5.7% in Hastings and +6.8% in Lara (an estimate), so recent momentum favours Lara, although both suburbs recorded growth.
Rental vacancy is 0.5% in Hastings and 1.7% in Lara, so landlords in Hastings face less competition for tenants. Anything under 2% is generally read as a tight market where tenants compete for homes.
Lara is the bigger suburb, with a population of 19,014 against 10,369, larger than Hastings; a larger suburb usually means a deeper pool of buyers and tenants.
In short: Lara for recent price momentum, Hastings 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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