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School Zone Premium Calculator

See how much extra a sought-after public school catchment costs over a chosen horizon, and whether buying out of zone and paying private school fees works out cheaper on your numbers.

  • About 3 minutes
  • Data verified May 2026
  • Free, no sign-up

In the school catchment

Pre-filled when you pick a listed suburb. Override with a specific property price if you have one.

Outside the catchment

A nearby comparable suburb without the catchment uplift.

Loan and horizon

Private school fees

Years 1 to 6, per child.

Years 7 and beyond, per child.

Zone premium

Pick two suburbs

Pick or type a suburb in the school catchment and one outside it, with their median prices, to see the catchment premium and how it compares with private school fees.

Private fees, 13 years
$931,281

What to watch

Things that can change the answer, whichever path costs less.

Catchments and Priority Enrolment Areas change

State education departments redraw catchments and Priority Enrolment Areas when populations shift. Confirm the property is in zone with the state school finder before settlement, and re-check the year your child enrols.

Private school fees historically rise faster than CPI

ISCA and Edstart cost-of-education reports show long-run private school fee growth of around 4% per year, well above the 2.5% CPI midpoint. The projection above already applies that uplift each year.

Selective-entry schools do not have an address catchment

Schools like Sydney Boys, James Ruse, Melbourne High and the Queensland Academies admit by exam, not by address. Buying in a nearby suburb does not influence admission - results above apply only to address-based public catchments.

Compares two financial paths only: financing the catchment premium, and private school fees with yearly fee inflation. It leaves out travel, before and after school care, uniforms, selective-entry schools and any difference in capital growth between the suburbs. Data as of May 2026.

Keep going

Tools people usually open after the School Zone Premium Calculator.

What Can I Afford?Interactive suburb explorer based on your borrowing power and government schemes.3 minTrue Cost CalculatorHidden costs of house and land: site works, landscaping, fencing, coverings.3 minFirst-Year Cost SimulatorSee month-by-month what the first year of ownership actually costs - mortgage plus every other line that nobody mentions.3 minBorrowing PowerHow much you can borrow, and how government schemes extend your capacity.2 min

School zone premiums explained

Buying in a sought-after public school catchment usually means paying more for an otherwise comparable house. That higher price flows into a bigger loan, more interest over the loan term, higher stamp duty and a larger deposit. The premium is the extra cost of choosing the in-zone address over a comparable out-of-zone one.
Data verified May 2026

For illustration only. This tool does not constitute personal financial advice. Grant amounts, caps, and eligibility rules may change. Federal scheme caps shown are for capital city/regional centres and may differ for other areas. Always verify with your state revenue office and Housing Australia, and consider seeking independent financial advice before making decisions.