Next up in our suburban hunt is Preston, located about 9 kilometers northeast of the CBD. Let's dig into the details to see if it could be a good fit for our family.
Rental Prices
Rent here for a three-bedroom house ranges from $520 to $600 per week. The houses are pretty average, nothing fancy, but livable.
Safety
Here’s where things get a little worrying. Preston has a crime rate of 20/100, which is higher than some other areas we’ve looked at. In 2023, there were 1,677 reported thefts. That makes me a bit cautious, especially with two young kids to think about. It’s definitely something to consider.
Schools
On the school front, we looked at Preston Primary School, which has an ICSEA score of 1105 and NAPLAN Year 3 scores of 457. With 71% of students from an English-speaking background, that’s a solid mix.
For high school, Preston High School caught my eye. The ICSEA is 1098, and NAPLAN scores for Year 7-9 range from 573 to 608. The school has a Google rating of 3.8, which isn’t bad at all.
Convenience
Preston seems well-connected and convenient. It’s got buses, a train station, libraries, supermarkets, fresh markets, and hospitals nearby. So, no complaints in terms of day-to-day ease of living.
Natural Disasters
Thankfully, natural disasters don’t seem to be a big concern here. The risk is pretty low, sitting below 0.6%, which is a relief.
Population Diversity
The population here is a nice mix too. Here’s a quick snapshot of the top birthplaces:
- China: 3%
- Italy: 3%
- Greece: 2.8%
- India: 2.5%
- Vietnam: 2.2%
It's quite a diverse suburb, which we appreciate.
So, that’s a quick look at Preston. The rent is on the higher side, and the safety is something I’m definitely keeping in mind. However, the schools seem decent, and the convenience of living here looks great. But, with the higher crime rate, I’m feeling a bit hesitant.
We'll keep it on the list, but I think we need to weigh the pros and cons carefully.