News Corp Australia
First published 10 Jun 2026, 8:44am
New figures have revealed the high-performing Australian state schools turning local postcodes into hot property markets.
The analysis provided exclusively to News Corp identifies the top primary and secondary state schools with strong academic results that are attracting keen house hunters.
The snapshot by Excel Academics shows the suburbs high on property wish lists and home to schools with impressive results have median property prices ranging from just $437,000 to almost $3.6 million.
Melbourne is home to the nation’s most competitive postcode, with the city’s selective entry Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School’s well above average year 9 NAPLAN scores helping to attract more than 15,500 interested buyers.
Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School is a local drawcard for those sending or wanting to send their daughters to the select-entry school. Supplied.
In New South Wales, Wollongong’s Smiths Hill High School’s results have contributed to a surge in buyer demand locally, while in South Australia schools including Adelaide Botanic High School have helped to attract buyer interest in the thousands for the city centre.
Queensland schools including those in New Farm and South Brisbane have also emerged as property drawcards, along with Lenah Valley Primary School in Tasmania.
The data, compiled by Excel Academics, used NAPLAN and, in some cases, year 12 results to determine the top-performing government schools in each state and crosscheck this with suburbs with high buyer demand. The number of interested buyers does fluctuate.
REIV chief executive Toby Balazs says desirable schools drive property markets. Picture: Supplied.
Real Estate Institute of Victoria CEO Toby Balazs said school zones could significantly impact property values.
“Properties located within desirable school catchment zones often command price premiums. In many cases, zoning appears to create a property microeconomy, pushing prices well above those in areas just outside the school zone,” he said.
See the full national details here.
VICTORIA
Victoria took out the top three spots nationally based on school performance and high buyer demand, with Mac.Robertson Girls’ High, South Yarra’s Melbourne High School and Southbank’s South Melbourne Primary School’s strong academic performances fuelling interest in those locations.
The state took out eight of the top 20 high performing state school locations with high buyer demand.
See the rest of the Victorian schools listed here.
Birralee Primary School in Doncaster is a top school and property driver. Picture: Stuart Milligan.
NEW SOUTH WALES
In New South Wales, selective entry Caringbah High School’s results are among drawcards for about 3400 buyers searching for a home south of Sydney.
The state had the most schools in the top 20 Australian list of top state schools in coveted locations.
See the rest of the NSW schools listed here.
Smiths Hill High School in Wollongong featured highly in the analysis of top schools in top property markets. Picture: Supplied.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
In addition to Adelaide Botanic High School in the CBD, almost 1000 home hunters want to live close to Norwood Primary School, which has NAPLAN results above the national average.
See the rest of the SA schools listed here.
Ben Smith, 38, and his son Grayson, 9, live near high performing school North Adelaide Primary School, which is also located in a popular housing market. Picture: Brett Hartwig.
QUEENSLAND
The suburbs of New Farm and South Brisbane are hot property locations boasting high performing state schools.
The state has a mix of primary and secondary schools helping to fuel local property markets.
See the rest of the Queensland schools listed here.
TASMANIA
Lenah Valley Primary School’s strong NAPLAN performance is boosting the natural appeal of the picturesque location for hundreds of potential home buyers.
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