Is Freshwater or Manly more expensive?

Manly has the higher median house price ($4.50M) compared with $3.75M in Freshwater.

Which is better for renters — Freshwater or Manly?

Median weekly rent is $900/wk in Freshwater and $1000/wk in Manly, making Freshwater the more affordable rental market.

Is Freshwater or Manly at higher flood risk?

Flood mapping coverage varies by postcode — see the flood risk pages for both suburbs for authoritative NSW data.

How many schools are in Freshwater vs Manly?

Freshwater has 3 schools in the postcode, and Manly has 2. Note that school catchments can extend across postcode boundaries.

Suburb comparison

Freshwater vs Manly: which Sydney suburb suits you?

The key differences: Manly commands a $745K premium on median property price over Freshwater; Freshwater is $100/wk cheaper per week to rent; Freshwater has more schools within the postcode. The table below covers all available metrics.

Last refreshed April 2026 (most cards). Per-card sources show exact dates.

Northern Beaches

Freshwater

2096

Northern Beaches

Manly

2095

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of Freshwater (2096) and Manly (2095) across 13 metrics in four sections.
Metric	Freshwater	Manly
SAFETYSafety Freshwater leads on 2 of 2
Sub-grade	B+▲(1)	C+(0)
Flood zone coverage	—	—
Bushfire zone coverage	0.0%▲	54.6%
FAMILYFamily Freshwater leads on 2 of 2
Sub-grade	B▲(1)	B(0)
SEIFA advantage decile	10/10	10/10
Schools in postcode	3▲	2
FINANCEFinance Even (1 each)
Sub-grade	C(0)	B-▲(0)
Median house price	$3.75M	$4.50M
Median unit price	$1.16M	$1.88M
Median weekly rent	$900/wk	$1000/wk
Annual price growth	+2.9%▲	+2.3%
LIFESTYLELifestyle Manly leads on 2 of 2
Sub-grade	C+(0)	B-▲(0)
Walkability percentile	52	83▲

Median prices show levels, not better-or-worse for a buyer. See the suburb pages for context.

Which suits you?

Choose Freshwater if...

Freshwater leads on Safety, Family
You want a lower entry price for a house
You are renting first and want lower weekly outgoings
School options within walking distance matter

Tied on Finance.

Choose Manly if...

Manly leads on Lifestyle

Tied on Finance.

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Common questions

Is Freshwater or Manly more expensive?: Manly has the higher median house price ($4.50M) compared with $3.75M in Freshwater.
Which is better for renters — Freshwater or Manly?: Median weekly rent is $900/wk in Freshwater and $1000/wk in Manly, making Freshwater the more affordable rental market.
Is Freshwater or Manly at higher flood risk?: Flood mapping coverage varies by postcode — see the flood risk pages for both suburbs for authoritative NSW data.
How many schools are in Freshwater vs Manly?: Freshwater has 3 schools in the postcode, and Manly has 2. Note that school catchments can extend across postcode boundaries.

Full suburb profiles

Freshwater 2096 →Manly 2095 →