Karana Downs vs Willow Vale
Property investment comparison - Karana Downs, QLD 4306 vs Willow Vale, QLD 4209
Head-to-head across core investment metrics: Karana Downs wins 0, Willow Vale 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 | Karana Downs | Willow Vale |
|---|---|---|
| Median house price | $1.1M | $1.1M |
| Median unit price | - | - |
| Gross rental yield (houses) | 3.54% | - |
| Gross rental yield (units) | 4.02% | 4.89% |
| 1-year house growth | +7.4% | +14.9% |
| 3-year house growth | +34.1% | +56.2% |
| Vacancy rate | 1.5% | 1.3% |
| Population | 3,800 | 2,279 |
Karana Downs vs Willow Vale: what the numbers say
Houses cost about the same in both suburbs: the median house price is $1.1M in Karana Downs and $1.1M in Willow Vale.
Over the past year house prices moved +7.4% in Karana Downs and +14.9% in Willow Vale, so recent momentum favours Willow Vale, although both suburbs recorded growth.
Looking back three years, Karana Downs houses are +34.1% and Willow Vale houses +56.2%, so Willow Vale has compounded faster than Karana Downs over the longer window.
Rental vacancy is 1.3% in Willow Vale and 1.5% in Karana Downs, so landlords in Willow Vale face less competition for tenants. Anything under 2% is generally read as a tight market where tenants compete for homes.
Karana Downs is the bigger suburb, with a population of 3,800 against 2,279, larger than Willow Vale; a larger suburb usually means a deeper pool of buyers and tenants.
In short: Willow Vale for recent price momentum, Willow Vale 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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