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Property platform realestate.com.au has released its Hot 100 Suburbs list for 2026, showcasing which Australian suburbs might be the next property hotspots.
The list was compiled by a panel of industry experts – including the heads of national real estate agencies, buyer’s agents, researchers, investors and an academic – and complemented by data and economic analysis provided by PropTrack.
The 100 suburb list has been selected based on several factors of growth that should not only support property value but also see prices outperform against the broader market.
Of the 100 entries, 22 were in Victoria, 25 in New South Wales (NSW), 17 in Queensland, nine in South Australia, nine in Western Australia, five in Australian Capital Territory (ACT), eight in Tasmania and five in the Northern Territory.
The cheapest suburb on the list has a median house price below $400,000, and several suburbs offer a gross rental yield of more than 7 per cent.
The hotspots this year have shown a market shifting to affordability, lifestyle appeal and metro convenience, with two-thirds of the list being capital city suburbs and the remainder spread across regional hubs.
Trends to look out for
Many of the suburbs topping the list are benefiting - or are set to benefit from - major infrastructure projects such as a new airport, metro line or stadium.
One quarter of this year's Hot 100 list are in NSW, with many picks centred around the state government's rezoning frenzy and the soon-to-open Western Sydney Airport.
Western suburbs included Austral, Leppington and Silverdale, while the inner city was represented by suburbs such as Redfern, Newtown and Roseberry. Outside of Sydney, rapidly developing regional towns to watch are Dubbo, Charlestown in Newcastle and Calderwood, near Wollongong.
“Generally, price growth and investor interest tend to concentrate where new employment, upgraded transport, and new home delivery with anticipated population growth are intersecting,” said REA Group senior economist Elenor Creagh.
QLD
With 17 nominations in this year's Hot 100, the theme across Queensland is affordability and growth - with many picks for outer fringe Brisbane, and the locations set to benefit from the upcoming Olympics.
Suburbs to watch around Brisbane include Bray Park, Griffin and Herston. Townsville, Cairns and Bundaberg were also noted as towns to watch.
Vic
After years of sluggish growth, home prices in Melbourne returned to a record high in September, eclipsing the previous peak in 2022.
Of the 22 nominations across Victoria, nine are located in regional areas. To name a few, Grovedale and Herne Hill in Geelong and Huntly and Kennington in Bendigo made the list, as well as Clyde North, Cranbourne East and Elsternwick in Melbourne.
SA
For South Australia, Adelaide dominated the list. Of the nine SA nominations in this year's Hot 100, just two were located outside the capital city. Affordability was the main theme as rapidly rising home prices across the state put pressure on those trying to crack into the market for the first time.
Suburbs included Brompton, Brooklyn Park and Elizabeth North. Renmark and Murray Bridge made the list from outside the capital.
WA
The nine nominations across WA are expected to continue on an upward trajectory in 2026, having already seen very strong price growth over the past 12 months. Every single pick has recorded double-digit annual price growth for either houses or units - some across both. Suburbs to look at in Perth include Alkimos, Applecross and Baldivis.
TAS
Tasmania's property market is yet to return to its Covid-era record highs, with the median property price in Hobart around 3 per cent below the previous peak. But the pace of growth is rising compared to a year ago. Suburbs such as Acton, Battery Point and Brighton could be ones to watch, according to the panel.
ACT
The nation's capital received five nominations in this year's list, with a strong theme for family-friendly suburbs offering larger homes on oversized blocks such as Bonython and Giralang.
NT
The Top End has emerged as a remarkable turnaround story in the past 12 months as investors seek affordable options offering solid yields.
Emerging as the standout capital city after a decade of underperformance, Darwin is only behind Perth in terms of capital city price growth over the past 12 months. With five nominations, the NT has more suburbs in the 2026 Hot 100 than the previous three years combined. These include Millner, Rapid Creek and Rosebery.
Creagh said: “Over the past year, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne and Sydney have seen the fastest acceleration in annual gains, as previously softer markets regain momentum."
“Meanwhile, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth continue to record strong price rises, but growth is no longer accelerating relative to this time last year.”
Outside of the capital cities, affordability emerges as a key theme – though these regional hotspots aren’t one-industry towns.
“The regional picks tend to centre on larger regional hubs with more diversified economies supported by health, education, agriculture, logistics, and tourism,” Creagh added.
For the full list, click here.
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