Suburb Deep Dives · 21 October 2026 · 7 min read
Elermore Vale (NSW 2287) in Focus 2026: Is It a Good Investment? R-Score 92/100, 3.6% Yield & Best Streets
Data analysis by the Ripehouse research desk · Reviewed by Anna Cooper, Co-Founder & COO, former Managing Editor of Australian Property Investor Magazine
Is Elermore Vale (NSW 2287) a good suburb to invest in 2026? Our October 2026 quantitative audit scores Elermore Vale at 92/100 (Ranked #1,367 of 15,286 suburbs), with a $1,070,000 median house price (-0.5% 12m), $740/wk rent (3.6% yield), and 14 top-tier streets scoring 75–100/100.
Market Classification: Acute Rental Squeeze & Yield Expansion Market · R-Score: 92/100 (National Rank #1,367 of 15,286) · Street Average: 42/100 across 78 streets.
A balanced Australian rental market sits around 2.5% vacancy; Elermore Vale is currently operating at just 1% vacancy. When rental stock is this scarce, properties lease within days, weekly asking rents ($740/wk) face sustained upward pressure, and local renters who can afford a deposit begin transitioning into first-home buyers—putting a floor under established house prices.
“I would not let the 1% vacancy rate do all the selling. With an $80? Actually, at an 80% LVR, the stated holding position is negative $515 a week, so I’d be very selective on price, street quality and the rent a particular house can genuinely achieve.”
Below is our full October 2026 quantitative and street-level breakdown for Elermore Vale (NSW 2287), combining 36 months of settled price and rental history from our Aurora research warehouse, council-level supply and employment data for Newcastle (NSW), and block-by-block ABS 2021 Census SA1 tenure and yield rankings across 3,100 residential addresses.
1. Elermore Vale (NSW) 3-Year Market Trajectory & 27-Indicator R-Score (October 2026)
Over the past 12 months, Elermore Vale’s median house price moved -0.5% (from $1,075,000 to $1,070,000), bringing its 3-year cumulative price movement to +16.4% (from $919,000 three years ago). On the rental side, median weekly asking rents moved +2.1% over the past year to $740/wk (+16.3% over 36 months), equating to a 3.6% gross rental yield. Compared with 12 months ago—when Elermore Vale carried an R-Score of 81/100—its current composite R-Score of 92/100 represents a +11-point shift in underlying market pressure.
| Indicator / R-Score Pillar | Elermore Vale (NSW) Current | 12-Month / 36-Month Context |
|---|---|---|
| Composite Suburb R-Score | 92 / 100 | Ranked #1,367 of 15,286 suburbs (was 81/100 12m ago) |
| Median House Price | $1,070,000 | 12m change: -0.5% · 36m change: +16.4% |
| Median Weekly Rent & Gross Yield | $740/wk (3.6%) | 12m rent change: +2.1% · 36m rent change: +16.3% |
| Rental Vacancy & Days on Market | 1% vacancy | Median selling time: 57 days on market (1.5% vacancy is the tight-market line) |
| Pillar 1: Buyer Demand | 47 / 100 | Measures days-on-market compression, vendor discounting & sales velocity |
| Pillar 2: Supply & Ownership | 33 / 100 | Measures stock on market, building approvals vs stock & owner-occupier share |
| Pillar 3: Price Momentum | 62 / 100 | Measures short/medium-term price velocity vs Newcastle & NSW |
| Pillar 4: Yield Pressure | 43 / 100 | Measures gross rental yield, rent trajectory & vacancy compression |
2. The “Two-Speed Suburb” Test: Best & Worst Streets in Elermore Vale (NSW)
Why do two 4-bedroom houses in Elermore Vale achieve completely different bank valuations and tenant quality? Because suburb medians blend every pocket together. When we map all 3,100 addresses across 78 streets in Elermore Vale through G-NAF to their ABS 2021 Census SA1 blocks, the suburb splits into three distinct tiers:
- Strong Street Profile (Score 75–100): 14 streets (22% of scored streets) pass both ABS Census tenure tests (owner-occupiers >65% and public housing ≤5%) plus at least one—or both—of the Elermore Vale rent and yield benchmarks.
- Mid / Mixed Street Profile (Score 50–74): 9 streets pass the core owner-occupier and public-housing thresholds but sit below the suburb median on weekly rent or yield.
- Weaker / Caution Street Profile (Score 0–25): 40 streets fail one or both census tenure thresholds—meaning either owner-occupation sits at or below 65% or state/community public housing exceeds 5% on those specific SA1 blocks.
Top 5 Highest-Scoring Streets in Elermore Vale (NSW)
These streets sit in SA1 census blocks with high homeowner pride of ownership, minimal social housing concentration, and strong block-level rents (inspect all 78 streets in Elermore Vale):
| Top Street in Elermore Vale | Street Score | Addresses | Owner-Occupiers | Public Housing | SA1 Rent & Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Allenwood Close | 100/100 | 16 | 98% | 0% | $72000/wk (318.6%) |
| #2 Nautilus Close | 100/100 | 14 | 98% | 0% | $72000/wk (318.6%) |
| #3 Ceres Close | 100/100 | 11 | 98% | 0% | $72000/wk (318.6%) |
| #4 Pandora Close | 100/100 | 11 | 98% | 0% | $72000/wk (318.6%) |
| #5 Sagittarius Close | 100/100 | 40 | 73% | 0% | $740/wk (4.9%) |
Streets Where Block-Level Tenure Trails the Elermore Vale Average
By contrast, the streets below run through SA1 census blocks that fail one or more of our tenure or rental tests. A lower Street Score is not a judgement of any individual house, but it highlights where higher renter turnover or public housing concentration exists within Elermore Vale:
| Caution Street Sample | Street Score | Addresses | Owner-Occupiers | Public Housing | SA1 Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheviot Close | 0/100 | 23 | 50% | 21.2% | $655/wk |
| Francine Avenue | 0/100 | 10 | 50% | 21.2% | $655/wk |
| Beron Street | 0/100 | 8 | 50% | 21.2% | $655/wk |
3. Economic & Supply Drivers in Newcastle Council (New South Wales)
Elermore Vale sits within the Newcastle Local Government Area, which has a residential population of approximately 178,935 (+4.2% population movement over the past 3 years) and 69,019 total dwellings. Three council-level fundamentals shape Elermore Vale’s medium-term outlook:
- Local Employment Diversity (ABS Census): The largest employment sectors across Newcastle are Health Care and Social Assistance (19%), Education and Training (9%), Accommodation and Food Services (8%), Retail Trade (8%). Multi-sector employment reduces reliance on any single employer or commodity cycle.
- New Building Approvals vs. Existing Stock: Over the latest 12-month financial year, Newcastle approved 1.2% new dwelling stock (~847.283 dwellings). Because annual additions sit under 1.8% of stock, incoming supply is constrained relative to tenant and buyer demand.
- Tracked Infrastructure Pipeline: Newcastle currently has $9.9 billion in tracked major infrastructure projects (placing it in the 86th percentile of Australian councils).
4. Worked Cashflow, Deposit & 80% LVR Stress-Test for Elermore Vale (October 2026)
What does it actually cost to acquire and hold a typical house in Elermore Vale at today’s median price of $1,070,000 and median rent of $740/wk? Below is the baseline 80% Loan-to-Value Ratio (LVR) model we use to stress-test serviceability before shortlisting a property:
| Cashflow & Capital Item | Elermore Vale Worked Figure | Assumptions & Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase Price (Suburb Median) | $1,070,000 | Settled house median as of October 2026 |
| 20% Deposit + Est. Stamp Duty & Costs | $265,360 | $214,000 deposit (80% LVR) + ~$51,360 stamp duty, legal & inspection allowance (can be funded via usable home equity) |
| 80% LVR Loan Amount | $856,000 | Standard no-LMI investor loan threshold |
| Gross Annual Rental Income | $38,480/yr ($740/wk) | 3.6% gross rental yield before vacancies and expenses |
| Est. Annual Interest + Operating Costs | $65,270/yr | Assumes 6.25% interest-only ($53,500/yr) + ~1.1% for council rates, insurance & property management ($11,770/yr) |
| Pre-Tax Weekly Cashflow Position | -$515/wk top-up | Before tax deductions / depreciation (confirm post-tax position with your accountant) |
5. Who Should Buy in Elermore Vale—And 3 Rules Before You Make an Offer
Sub-1% Vacancy (1%) Is Forcing Weekly Rents and Yields Higher. Based on our October 2026 data, Elermore Vale is best suited to equity-backed homeowners and portfolio builders seeking a balanced entry price ($1,070,000) and 3.6% rental yield in NSW.
- Never Buy Blind on the Suburb Median: In Elermore Vale, 40 streets score below 50/100 on our census tenure and yield tests. Always run the exact street through the Elermore Vale Street Score Hub and target the 14 streets scoring 75–100/100.
- Check Lot-Level Overlays (Flood, Bushfire, Slope & Easements): Even on a 100/100 streetlike Allenwood Close, individual lots can carry overland flow paths, steep gradients, or sewer easements that restrict granny-flat additions or spike insurance premiums.
- Price Against Street-Matched Settled Comparables: Do not let a selling agent justify an asking price on a 25/100 street using comparable sales from a 100/100 street. Compare settled sales within the same SA1 Street Score band.
If there's a specific street you're weighing up right now, check its Street Score first — it's free, takes ten seconds, and tells you whether that street is pulling the suburb average up or riding on it.
Market data & R-Scores for locations in this article
Drill Down Into the Markets Mentioned Above
Inspect live monthly R-Scores, median prices, rental yields, and street-by-street scores for the cities and council areas referenced in this article:
Frequently asked questions
Is Elermore Vale (NSW 2287) a good suburb for property investment in 2026?
As of October 2026, Elermore Vale (NSW 2287) scores 92/100 on the 27-indicator Ripehouse R-Score (ranked #1,367 of 15,286 Australian suburbs). It is classified as a Acute Rental Squeeze & Yield Expansion Market with a median house price of $1,070,000, median rent of $740/wk (3.6% gross yield), and vacancy rate of 1%.
How have house prices and rents performed in Elermore Vale over the past 1 to 3 years?
Over the past 12 months, Elermore Vale’s median house price moved -0.5% to $1,070,000, and +16.4% over the past 36 months. Median weekly asking rents moved +2.1% over the past year to $740/wk (3.6% gross yield).
What are the highest and lowest scoring streets in Elermore Vale, NSW?
Across 78 streets (3,100 addresses) in Elermore Vale, 14 streets score 75 to 100 on the Ripehouse Street Score, led by Allenwood Close (100/100, 98% owner-occupied), Nautilus Close (100/100, 98% owner-occupied), Ceres Close (100/100, 98% owner-occupied). Meanwhile, 40 streets score below 50 due to lower owner-occupation or public housing concentration above 5%.
How much deposit and weekly cashflow is needed to buy a median house in Elermore Vale?
At Elermore Vale’s median house price of $1,070,000, an 80% LVR purchase ($856,000 loan) requires approximately $265,360 in cash or usable home equity ($214,000 deposit plus around $51,360 for stamp duty and acquisition costs). At $740/wk rent and a 6.25% interest-only benchmark, estimated pre-tax cashflow is -$515/wk before tax deductions.
What is the housing supply pipeline and economic profile of Newcastle Council?
Elermore Vale is located in the Newcastle (NSW) Local Government Area (population around 178,935, +4.2% 3yr growth). Annual building approvals sit at 1.2% of existing dwelling stock. Tracked major infrastructure spend is $9.9B. Top employment sectors are Health Care and Social Assistance (19%), Education and Training (9%), Accommodation and Food Services (8%).
General information only. It does not take your objectives, financial situation or needs into account, and nothing here is legal, financial, taxation or investment advice specific to your circumstances.