Manly Vale vs Fairlight

In both, most households own their home. In Manly Vale, most homes are flats or apartments. In Fairlight, about half of homes are flats or apartments and about half of households are couple families. Units cost more in Fairlight: a median of $1.96 million, against $1.05 million in Manly Vale, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Manly Vale tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Manly Vale

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (9 vs 2)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 0)
  • But Fairlight carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 38/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Manly Vale

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper units ($1,050,000 vs $1,955,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($2,780,000 vs $4,115,000)

Weighs house prices, unit prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

Manly Vale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($550/wk vs $720/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

Nothing among the 4 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs distance, drive time, rail access, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Fairlight

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (22/100 vs 38/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Manly Vale

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • returns a higher gross yield on units (4.7% vs 4.0%)

Weighs unit yield and population growth.

Where they sit

Manly Vale and Fairlight drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Manly Vale Fairlight
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Manly Vale Fairlight
Walkability 88 / 91
Manly Vale — Walkability: 88/100 Fairlight — Walkability: 91/100
Safety 62 / 78
Manly Vale — Safety: 62/100 Fairlight — Safety: 78/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Manly Vale — Low fire risk: 100/100 Fairlight — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Fairlight has higher household incomes ($169,052 vs $122,252); Fairlight rents higher ($720/wk vs $550/wk).

Manly Vale Fairlight
Population 6,389
+4% vs other
 6,141
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.7% +5.2%
Median age 38 39
Median household income $122,252/yr $169,052/yr
+38% vs other
Median weekly rent $550/wk $720/wk
+31% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Manly Vale Fairlight
0-4 5.8% / 6.6%
Manly Vale — 0-4: 5.8% Fairlight — 0-4: 6.6%
5-14 12.8% / 10.6%
Manly Vale — 5-14: 12.8% Fairlight — 5-14: 10.6%
15-19 4.5% / 4.9%
Manly Vale — 15-19: 4.5% Fairlight — 15-19: 4.9%
20-24 4.4% / 4.3%
Manly Vale — 20-24: 4.4% Fairlight — 20-24: 4.3%
25-34 16.6% / 15.6%
Manly Vale — 25-34: 16.6% Fairlight — 25-34: 15.6%
35-44 16.7% / 15.9%
Manly Vale — 35-44: 16.7% Fairlight — 35-44: 15.9%
45-54 14.7% / 13.9%
Manly Vale — 45-54: 14.7% Fairlight — 45-54: 13.9%
55-64 10.2% / 12.9%
Manly Vale — 55-64: 10.2% Fairlight — 55-64: 12.9%
65-74 7.2% / 8.6%
Manly Vale — 65-74: 7.2% Fairlight — 65-74: 8.6%
75-84 3.9% / 5.2%
Manly Vale — 75-84: 3.9% Fairlight — 75-84: 5.2%
85+ 3.2% / 1.7%
Manly Vale — 85+: 3.2% Fairlight — 85+: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.7%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Manly Vale 42.7% couple families
Manly Vale — Couple Families: 42.7% Manly Vale — Lone Person: 37.1% Manly Vale — One Parent Families: 13.3% Manly Vale — Group Household: 5.6% Manly Vale — Other Families: 1.3%
Fairlight 46.3% couple families
Fairlight — Couple Families: 46.3% Fairlight — Lone Person: 33.8% Fairlight — One Parent Families: 10.0% Fairlight — Group Household: 9.0% Fairlight — Other Families: 0.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Manly Vale 41.6% renting
Manly Vale — Owned Outright: 24.4% Manly Vale — Mortgage: 34.0% Manly Vale — Renting: 41.6%
Fairlight 35.7% renting
Fairlight — Owned Outright: 34.1% Fairlight — Mortgage: 30.2% Fairlight — Renting: 35.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Manly Vale Fairlight
Bachelor Degree 22.7% / 28.0%
Manly Vale — Bachelor Degree: 22.7% Fairlight — Bachelor Degree: 28.0%
Postgraduate Degree 7.8% / 12.1%
Manly Vale — Postgraduate Degree: 7.8% Fairlight — Postgraduate Degree: 12.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.8% / 9.0%
Manly Vale — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.8% Fairlight — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0%
Certificate III & IV 9.2% / 5.7%
Manly Vale — Certificate III & IV: 9.2% Fairlight — Certificate III & IV: 5.7%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.7% / 3.2%
Manly Vale — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7% Fairlight — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (28.0%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Manly Vale Fairlight
England 8.4% / 11.5%
Manly Vale — England: 8.4% Fairlight — England: 11.5%
New Zealand 2.4% / 2.3%
Manly Vale — New Zealand: 2.4% Fairlight — New Zealand: 2.3%
South Africa 1.5% / 2.1%
Manly Vale — South Africa: 1.5% Fairlight — South Africa: 2.1%
Brazil 1.7% / 1.0%
Manly Vale — Brazil: 1.7% Fairlight — Brazil: 1.0%
China 2.1% / —
Manly Vale — China: 2.1% Fairlight — China: not among its largest
Ireland — / 1.0%
Manly Vale — Ireland: not among its largest Fairlight — Ireland: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (11.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Manly Vale 62.0% flats / apartments
Manly Vale — Flats / Apartments: 62.0% Manly Vale — Houses: 33.7% Manly Vale — Townhouses: 4.3%
Fairlight 51.3% flats / apartments
Fairlight — Flats / Apartments: 51.3% Fairlight — Houses: 26.4% Fairlight — Townhouses: 22.4%
Flats / Apartments Houses Townhouses

Property market

Manly Vale Fairlight
Median house price $2,780,000 $4,115,000
Median unit price $1,050,000 $1,955,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 20 days
from 15 sales
 22 days
from 20 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Manly Vale Fairlight
3 bed $2.57M / $3.75M
Manly Vale — 3 bed: $2.57M (12 sales) Fairlight — 3 bed: $3.75M (19 sales)

12 vs 19 sales

4 bed $3.06M / $4.25M
Manly Vale — 4 bed: $3.06M (10 sales) Fairlight — 4 bed: $4.25M (15 sales)

10 vs 15 sales

5 bed $3.4M / $5.03M
Manly Vale — 5 bed: $3.4M (7 sales) Fairlight — 5 bed: $5.03M (7 sales)

7 vs 7 sales

Unit price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Manly Vale Fairlight
1 bed $812K / $852K
Manly Vale — 1 bed: $812K (38 sales) Fairlight — 1 bed: $852K (8 sales)

38 vs 8 sales

2 bed $1.22M / $1.73M
Manly Vale — 2 bed: $1.22M (85 sales) Fairlight — 2 bed: $1.73M (25 sales)

85 vs 25 sales

3 bed $1.3M / $2.53M
Manly Vale — 3 bed: $1.3M (6 sales) Fairlight — 3 bed: $2.53M (26 sales)

6 vs 26 sales

Zoning mix

Manly Vale Fairlight
Residential 54% 67%
Parks and recreation 36% 24%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 4%
Environmental 0% 4%
Commercial 2% 1%
Planning zones cover 100% of Manly Vale and 99% of Fairlight. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Manly Vale Fairlight
New dwellings approved 620
across Northern Beaches
same for both
Approvals change year on year +51%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Manly Vale Fairlight
Houses 3.6%
$1,875/wk on $2.7M
 —
Units 4.7%
$850/wk on $950K
 4.0%
$988/wk on $1.27M

Ranking within NSW

Manly Vale Fairlight
House price Higher than 93% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
Income Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 98% of NSW
Schools Higher than 94% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 97% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 10% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 98% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 81% of NSW Higher than 84% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 52% of NSW —
Rental yield (units) Higher than 51% of NSW Higher than 25% of NSW

Liveability

Fairlight scores higher overall (95 vs 88).

Manly Vale Fairlight
Grade A+
same for both
Score 88/100 95/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
same for both

Risk profile

Manly Vale carries more crime risk (38 vs 22).

Manly Vale Fairlight
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
38/100
 Low
22/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Manly Vale Fairlight
Inside the suburb 3 0
Rated above peers 2 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0
Universities within 10 km 1
Australian Catholic University-North Sydney Campus, 8.0 km
 1
Australian Catholic University-North Sydney Campus, 7.7 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.8% 2.5%

Schools in Manly Vale

  • Northern Beaches Secondary College Mackellar Girls Campus Government · Secondary above peers
  • St Kieran's Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary above peers
  • Manly Vale Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Fairlight

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Manly Vale Fairlight
Supermarkets 1 0
Cafes & restaurants 3 5
Parks & reserves 9 2
Childcare 4 3
GPs 2 1
Pharmacies 1
same for both
Fuel stations 1 0
Waterways 9 2

Mobility

Manly Vale Fairlight
Walkability score 88/100 91/100
Distance to Sydney 13.9 km
+2% vs other
 13.6 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 23 min 24 min
Public transport score 94/100
Bus
same for both
Peak arrivals per hour 176.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 154.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 2.9%
postcode 2093
 3.5%
postcode 2094
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 25
postcode 2093
 15
postcode 2094

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Manly Vale Fairlight
Worked from Home 52.2% / 66.3%
Manly Vale — Worked from Home: 52.2% Fairlight — Worked from Home: 66.3%
Car (driver) 35.2% / 25.3%
Manly Vale — Car (driver): 35.2% Fairlight — Car (driver): 25.3%
Bus 5.0% / 2.7%
Manly Vale — Bus: 5.0% Fairlight — Bus: 2.7%
Walked Only 3.1% / 3.6%
Manly Vale — Walked Only: 3.1% Fairlight — Walked Only: 3.6%
Car (passenger) 2.5% / 1.2%
Manly Vale — Car (passenger): 2.5% Fairlight — Car (passenger): 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (66.3%).

Setting

Manly Vale Fairlight
Elevation 25 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 33 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 1.7 km
1.7 km to a named beach
 628 m
663 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Manly Vale Fairlight
Connectivity score 74/100 75/100
Most common technology Hybrid fibre-coaxial
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 3%
2,939 premises
 0%
2,783 premises

Climate

Manly Vale Fairlight
Annual rainfall 1,176 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Manly Vale Fairlight
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 13.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.84 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Manly Vale Fairlight
Average residential rate $1,696/yr
same for both
Council Northern Beaches
same for both

Federal electorate

Manly Vale Fairlight
Division Warringah
same for both
Member Zali Steggall
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Manly Vale Fairlight
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Manly Vale

Apartments Coastal Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Professionals River Transport Hub Urban

Fairlight

Apartments Beach Coastal Easy Commute Middle-Ring Parks Premium Professionals Townhouses Transport Hub Urban

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Manly Vale

Manly Vale vs Manly Manly Vale vs Balgowlah Manly Vale vs Allambie Heights Manly Vale vs North Balgowlah Manly Vale vs North Manly

Other comparisons with Fairlight

Fairlight vs Manly Fairlight vs Balgowlah
Full data on Manly Vale Full data on Fairlight
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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