Guide
Best suburbs to invest in Australia: affordable picks for 2026
Five affordable suburbs for each of the eight capitals and six regional areas, where a typical house costs less than the local median. A shortlist to research, built from our analysis of suburb data.
By Mossy Taheri, licensed buyer’s agent · Updated
The short answer
We list five affordable suburbs for every capital and for regional NSW, Victoria, Queensland, WA, South Australia and Tasmania. The strongest 5-year growth among them was in Mount Morgan (regional Queensland, about 23.6% a year), and the highest yield in Port Pirie West (regional South Australia, about 6.8%).
Capital cities
| Area | Five affordable suburbs | Houses under |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | Airds, Spring Farm, Bradbury, Whalan, Wadalba | $1,466,060 |
| Melbourne | Junction Village, Wollert, Meadow Heights, Pakenham, Dallas | $915,119 |
| Brisbane | One Mile, Woodridge, Booval, Waterford, Beenleigh | $1,146,078 |
| Perth | Koondoola, Balga, Medina, Stratton, Armadale | $1,017,734 |
| Adelaide | Elizabeth North, Elizabeth Grove, Smithfield Plains, Salisbury North, Salisbury Park | $990,531 |
| Canberra | Banks, Theodore, Conder, Calwell, Gowrie | $1,006,269 |
| Hobart | Risdon Vale, Bridgewater, Sorell, Berriedale, Chigwell | $790,406 |
| Darwin | Gray, Driver, Moulden, Bakewell, Wagaman | $747,252 |
Regional areas
| Area | Five affordable suburbs | Houses under |
|---|---|---|
| Regional NSW | Ashmont, Mount Austin, Cobar, Narromine, Narrandera | $877,128 |
| Regional Victoria | Shepparton North, Warracknabeal, St Arnaud, Kerang, Stawell | $673,125 |
| Regional Queensland | Mount Morgan, Blackwater, Granville, Home Hill, North Mackay | $861,601 |
| Regional WA | Collie, Northam, Manjimup, Narrogin, York | $745,459 |
| Regional South Australia | Port Pirie West, Risdon Park, Waikerie, Balaklava, Port Augusta | $565,258 |
| Regional Tasmania | George Town, Acton, East Devonport, Ravenswood, Devonport | $638,737 |
How we chose them
Each list uses house data to 31 October 2026. A suburb qualifies if its typical house price is below Cotality’s median house value for that city or region and it has enough sales and rentals for dependable figures. We rank on 5-year price growth, 3-year rent growth and gross yield, plus 10-year growth at half weight. Each page explains its picks and the checks to make before buying. General information only, not personal financial advice.
Cite this page: Rising Returns, “Best Suburbs to Invest in Australia 2026: Affordable Picks”, data to 31 October 2026, https://risingreturns.com.au/best-suburbs-to-invest-australia/
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Book a free discovery callBest suburbs to invest in Australia: common questions
Where are the best suburbs to invest in Australia in 2026?
It depends on your budget and goals. On our analysis of data to 31 October 2026, the strongest 5-year growth among our affordable picks was in Mount Morgan (regional Queensland), Armadale (Perth), Medina (Perth), and the highest yields in Port Pirie West (regional South Australia), Blackwater (regional Queensland), Warracknabeal (regional Victoria). Each city and region has its own list of five.
Are regional suburbs better than capital city suburbs?
Not automatically. Regional suburbs often have lower prices and higher yields, but smaller towns have fewer buyers and depend more on one or two industries. Capital city suburbs tend to have deeper markets and more varied jobs. Many investors weigh both.
How often are these lists updated?
We plan to refresh the data regularly and note the date on each page. Suburb figures change month to month, so always check the latest numbers before you buy.
General information only. It doesn’t consider your personal circumstances and isn’t financial, tax, credit or legal advice. Speak to a licensed professional before you act.