Your Domain: The most-searched school zones around Australia

Forget a tennis court or a swimming pool, for house-hunting parents it is often a property’s proximity to good schools that takes priority on their wish list.

“Public schools are really the big next thing in property. People are now thinking I want to buy in an area with a great school in the catchment,” said Domain’s managing editor Alice Stolz onYour Domain.

“So much so that if you go on Domain.com.au, you can actually search by listings in the [school] catchments of your choice.”

As private school fees continue to rise, properties within popular school catchment areas are likely to enjoy a price boost with more buyers competing to secure the keys. Residents in these areas often stay put in their homes for longer, which limits supply and puts even more upward pressure on prices.

A study by Monash University in July showed that the right Sydney primary school zone could boost house prices by 2.5 per cent. For properties located in secondary school zones, this boost was 1.4 per cent.

“Across the road, property prices will drop quite considerably if you’re just outside a catchment zone,” said Stolz.

New Domain data has revealed the top school zones buyers are searching for in each state. Of the top five schools, all are co-educational and most are secondary schools.

Read on to see if your child’s school made the list:

1. McKinnon Secondary College, VIC

This high school has consistently ranked in the top non-selective government schools in Victoria for the past decade. Last year, it was ranked eighth in the state for VCE results. The same school zone also contains three primary schools, making it a great area for young families looking to grow in the area. 

2. Matthew Pearce Public School, NSW

This high-achieving primary school in Baulkham Hills is very popular in western Sydney. The school is part catchment, part selective opportunity for years 5 and 6 students, which keeps the school’s results strong.

3. Mansfield State High School, QLD

A co-ed secondary school known for its strong academic performance year-on-year. Based on academic reports for 2019, it’s in the top two public schools in the state. 

4. Glenunga International High School, SA

A secondary school in the inner city, it’s one of the state’s most elite public schools, offering International Baccalaureate and additional languages in senior years.

5. Rossmoyne Senior High School, WA

This secondary school leapt into the top 10 schools in the state this year after strong ATAR results from last year. It’s the highest ranked, non-selective public school in the state, pipping many expensive private schools.

Search by schools on Domain to find a property within the school catchment of interest