How does NextSuburb rank Australian suburbs?

We score every suburb 0–100 across eight investment-grade signals — capital growth, population growth, supply tightening, rental yield, vacancy rate, income growth, infrastructure pipeline exposure and affordability headroom — then weight them by the strategy you choose (Growth, Balanced, or Yield).

What data sources do you use?

ABS, ATO, SQM Research, Domain, realestate.com.au and the infrastructure portals of every state and territory. Full list and update cadence on /sources.

Is NextSuburb financial advice?

No. NextSuburb is a screening tool. Scores describe how well a suburb fits a filter today — not a forecast and not a recommendation to buy.

How often is the data updated?

Full dataset rebuilt monthly. Listings, vacancy and rent monthly. ABS and ATO annually. Infrastructure quarterly.

Why is NextSuburb free?

Because the data underneath it is mostly public. We'll launch a paid pro tier with saved alerts and deeper analytics — the core suburb screen will stay free.

Best Australian suburbs to invest in.

Name: NextSuburb AU Suburb Investment Index
Creator: NextSuburb
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Tell us your budget and strategy. Get the three best suburbs for your filter in 30 seconds — scored across eight investment-grade signals. Free. No signup.

9,375 suburbs · ABS · ATO · SQM Research · Domain · realestate.com.au · State infrastructure authorities

Your recommended picks

Best buys under $400k

Best overall pick for you

🥇Balanced pick

Mount Gambier

Best all-rounder on the index — no single dimension dominates and none lags.

Why it wins · Most balanced profile in your filter — +4 pts over Whyalla.

Stable but fully pricedSA · 5290$395k median

46Moderate

View whyDetails

Drivers

Capital growth8.2%/yr
Population growth+6.5% (5y)

Risks

At top of budget (99% of cap)
No major construction project in this state

Mount Gambier · scored against your filter

Open detail page →

🥈Secondary pickGrowth

Murray Bridge

58Moderate

9.2%/yr capital growth with population +6.5% over five years.

SA · $395kView why

Drivers

Capital growth9.2%/yr
Population growth+6.5% (5y)
Rental yield3.2%

Risks

At top of budget (99% of cap)
No major construction project in this state

Stable but fully priced

Open →

🥉Alternative pickYield

Port Augusta

52Moderate

Strongest cashflow position in your filter at 3.4% gross yield.

SA · $295kView why

Drivers

Capital growth7.4%/yr
Rental yield3.4%
Population growth+6.5% (5y)

Risks

No major construction project in this state

Stable entry point

Open →

Score legend · 0–40 weak · 40–60 moderate · 60–75 strong · 75+ exceptional. Scores blend growth, yield, demand and infrastructure signals against your strategy. Full methodology →

WeakModerateStrongStandoutExceptional

040607585+

Last updated May 2026Next refresh 3 June 2026Informational only — not financial advice

Compare Murray Bridge · Port Augusta · Mount Gambier side-by-side under $400kCompare picks

9,375 suburbs · 0 investors this month · 0 shortlists saved

Explore the full ranking

All ranked suburbs

Top 5 SA suburbs under $400k

Why am I seeing this? Ranked across every suburb that fits your filter — click any card for the full breakdown.

How is this calculated?

We score every suburb 0–100 against eight benchmarks a working buyer's agent watches: capital growth, rental yield, vacancy, listings trend, population growth, income growth, budget headroom, and the construction pipeline within reach.

The composite is a weighted average. The Top Picks above re-rank under a Growth-tilted, Yield-tilted, and Balanced scheme so each investor profile gets a single recommendation.

WeakModerateStrongStandoutExceptional

040607585+

Market mode

Base market Infrastructure-weighted ⭐

Sort

Tier CC — ModerateScore 40–594 suburbs

#1
Murray Bridge
9.2%/yr capital growth, population +6.5% (5y).
5y growth · 9.2%/yr
9.2%/yr 5y growth
49
Growth🟡 Near cap
Drivers
Capital growth9.2%/yr
Population growth+6.5% (5y)
Rental yield3.2%
Risks
At top of budget (99% of cap)
No major construction project in this state
5253 · Murray BridgeCompare investment case
#2
Port Augusta
7.4%/yr capital growth, 3.4% gross yield.
Growth + yield · 7.4% · 3.4%
7.4%/yr 5y growth
48
Balanced🟢 Under budget
Drivers
Capital growth7.4%/yr
Rental yield3.4%
Population growth+6.5% (5y)
Risks
No major construction project in this state
5700 · Port AugustaCompare investment case
#3
Mount Gambier
8.2%/yr capital growth, population +6.5% (5y).
5y growth · 8.2%/yr
8.2%/yr 5y growth
46
Growth🟡 Near cap
Drivers
Capital growth8.2%/yr
Population growth+6.5% (5y)
Risks
At top of budget (99% of cap)
No major construction project in this state
5290 · Mount GambierIn compare set
#4
Whyalla
4.2% gross yield, 7.2%/yr capital growth.
Growth + yield · 7.2% · 4.2%
7.2%/yr 5y growth
42
Balanced🟢 Under budget
Drivers
Rental yield4.2%
Capital growth7.2%/yr
Population growth+6.5% (5y)
Risks
Only 3,609 residents — illiquid, slow to sell
No major construction project in this state
5600 · WhyallaCompare investment case

Tier DD — Below trendScore <401 suburb

#5
Port Pirie
7.8%/yr capital growth, population +6.5% (5y).
Growth + yield · 7.8% · 3.2%
7.8%/yr 5y growth
26
Balanced🟢 Under budget
Drivers
Capital growth7.8%/yr
Population growth+6.5% (5y)
Rental yield3.2%
Risks
Only 176 residents — illiquid, slow to sell
No major construction project in this state
5540 · Port Pirie RegionalCompare investment case

Compare 1/3Mount Gambier

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Your recommended picks

Top 5 SA suburbs under $400k

Tier CC — Moderate·Score 40–59·4 suburbs

Tier DD — Below trend·Score <40·1 suburb

Tier CC — ModerateScore 40–594 suburbs

Tier DD — Below trendScore <401 suburb