With affordability at near historical lows and price becoming an even greater consideration for buyers, industry experts have identified a number of affordable suburbs they believe are well positioned for growth in 2026.
Every year, a group of property experts nominate suburbs based on factors such as affordability, amenity, family appeal, location and investment potential. Those selected make up realestate.com.au's Hot 100 list of suburbs with promising growth prospects in the upcoming year.
To determine the hottest affordable suburbs from this years list, we looked into suburbs with median prices below their respective state medians.
More than half of the Hot 100 met this criteria, which is in line with current market conditions. With the time needed to save for a deposit increasing and mortgage serviceability well above historical averages, affordability has become and will continue to be a key driver of demand and future price growth.
| Suburb | Median house price | Median unit price |
| Dubbo | $615,000 | $351,000 |
| Bathurst | $660,000 | $458,000 |
| East Tamworth | $680,000 | $339,000 |
| Boambee East | $793,000 | $590,000 |
| Wyoming | $930,000 | $628,000 |
| Broadmeadow | $983,000 | $750,000 |
| Charlestown | $985,000 | $690,000 |
| Calderwood | $990,000 | N/A |
| Austral | $1,018,000 | N/A |
| St Marys | $1,058,000 | $691,000 |
| Hornsby | $1,850,000 | $725,000 |
In New South Wales, the regional suburbs of Dubbo, Bathurst and East Tamworth were among some of the most affordable of those selected. Compared to the state's respective medians of $1,050,000* for houses and $775,000 for units, prices were much lower.
Boambee East and Wyoming homes were also more affordable than the typical home in the state. The relative affordability of these areas places them in a strong position for future growth.
| Suburb | Median house price | Median unit price |
| Ararat | $390,000 | $270,000 |
| Carisbrook | $495,000 | N/A |
| Mildura | $520,000 | $344,000 |
| Winter Valley | $570,000 | N/A |
| Huntly | $599,000 | N/A |
| Kennington | $603,000 | $500,000 |
| Werribee | $639,000 | $445,000 |
| Tarneit | $663,000 | $440,000 |
| Grovedale | $682,000 | $508,000 |
| Cranbourne East | $735,000 | N/A |
| Clyde North | $740,000 | N/A |
| Herne Hill | $755,000 | $340,000 |
| Lalor | $756,000 | $565,000 |
| Footscray | $916,000 | $447,000 |
| Brunswick West | $1,313,000 | $490,000 |
| Oakleigh | $1,366,000 | $573,000 |
The regional Victoria suburbs of Ararat, Carisbrook and Mildura are projected to outperform in 2026, with affordability being one of their main drawcards.
Median house prices were at least 30% less than the state median, while units were less than or close to half of Victoria's median unit price.
While Brunswick West and Oakleigh house prices were above the state's median of $748,000, units were comparably quite affordable for buyers who are looking to live closer to the CBD.
| Suburb | Median house price | Median unit price |
| Bundaberg West | $543,000 | $450,000 |
| Mackay | $558,000 | $368,000 |
| Lowood | $681,000 | N/A |
| Logan Central | $734,000 | $425,000 |
| Plainland | $787,000 | N/A |
| Ripley | $790,000 | N/A |
| Baringa | $850,000 | N/A |
| Bray Park | $864,000 | N/A |
| Cairns City | N/A | $673,000 |
| Townsville City | N/A | $455,000 |
In Queensland, Bundaberg West, Mackay and Lowood were among the top suburbs primed for growth in the upcoming year.
Houses and units in these areas were priced well below the state's median house price of $865,000 and median unit price of $701,000 and are expected to attract demand from buyers as a result of their affordability.
Logan Central, Plainlands and Ripley in the Logan - Beaudesert and Ipswich regions were also featured in the Hot 100 for their competitively priced homes.
| Suburb | Median house price | Median unit price |
| Renmark | $436,000 | N/A |
| Elizabeth North | $510,000 | N/A |
| Murray Bridge | $545,000 | $403,000 |
| Port Adelaide | $719,000 | $603,000 |
| Brooklyn Park | $990,000 | $465,000 |
The suburbs of Renmark, Elizabeth North and Murray Bridge made the 2026 hottest suburbs list and were chosen for their affordable housing options.
Houses in these areas saw double digit price growth and were 30-45% lower than the state median of $790,000.
| Suburb | Median house price | Median unit price |
| Nollamara | $700,000 | $600,000 |
| South Bunbury | $700,000 | $525,000 |
| Baldivis | $710,000 | $558,000 |
| Ellenbrook | $725,000 | $480,000 |
| Alkimos | $730,000 | $625,000 |
| Rockingham | $760,000 | $485,000 |
Nollamara, South Bunbury and Baldivis in Western Australia are projected to perform strongly in the upcoming year, according to property experts.
Relative to the state's median, houses in these suburbs were more affordable whereas units were priced lower or around the same level as what is typically seen in the state.
Ellenbrook and Alkimos were also among the hottest affordable suburbs.
| Suburb | Median house price | Median unit price |
| Acton | $411,000 | N/A |
| Invermay | $470,000 | N/A |
| New Norfolk | $470,000 | $425,000 |
| Brighton | $600,000 | $485,000 |
The Tasmanian suburbs of Acton, Invermay and New Norfolk were features in the Hot 100 list as well.
The relative affordability of their homes is expected to contribute to strong future growth in these areas.
| Suburb | Median house price | Median unit price |
| Millner | $610,000 | $350,000 |
| Suburb | Median house price | Median unit price |
| Bonython | $880,000 | $708,000 |
| Giralang | $885,000 | $765,000 |
| Melba | $891,000 | N/A |
| Denman Prospect | $1,289,000 | $585,000 |
| O'Connor | $1,609,000 | $595,000 |
Bonython, Giralang and Melba were among the 100 suburbs experts identified as having promising growth prospects due to their affordability.
Median house prices in these locations were below the state median of $960,000 and have grown strongly over the past decade.
As housing affordability becomes more constrained and households take longer to save, we expect property prices to increasingly shape where people choose to live and invest.
Buyers are likely to be drawn to suburbs that are priced at more accessible levels, such as those in the Hot 100, supporting stronger price growth in these areas in the short to medium term.
*State median sale prices reflect figures from November 2025.
