PropertyScout Research · Government Data Study

Australia's Most Rent-Stressed Suburbs (2026)

Our finding: the most rent-stressed suburb in our ranking is Lake Munmorah, NSW, where the median rent absorbs 59.7% of local household income.

Housing economists call a household “rentally stressed” when rent takes 30% or more of gross income — Australia’s long-standing affordability benchmark. We divided each suburb’s annual median rent by its median household income to find where rent bites hardest. A higher ratio means rent crowds out more of the local budget; the renter-share column shows how large the rental market actually is in each suburb.

# Suburb Rent-to-Income Ratio Median Weekly Rent Median Household Income Renter Share
1 Lake Munmorah NSW 59.7% $690/wk $60,060 26.5%
2 Salamander Bay NSW 59.6% $660/wk $57,564 30.4%
3 Lake Illawarra NSW 58.9% $630/wk $55,588 64.5%
4 Harrington NSW 58.9% $520/wk $45,916 21.7%
5 Anna Bay NSW 58.9% $700/wk $61,828 26.5%
6 Tea Gardens NSW 58.5% $580/wk $51,532 18.8%
7 Villawood NSW 57.8% $550/wk $49,452 78.5%
8 Ettalong Beach NSW 57.1% $615/wk $56,004 46.4%
9 Yamba NSW 57.0% $630/wk $57,512 34.7%
10 Woodberry NSW 56.3% $668/wk $61,724 55.6%
11 Lake Haven NSW 56.2% $575/wk $53,196 49.9%
12 South West Rocks NSW 56.1% $550/wk $50,960 31.2%
13 Berkeley NSW 56.1% $683/wk $63,284 54.6%
14 Sylvania NSW 56.1% $1,100/wk $101,972 33.8%
15 Koonawarra NSW 55.6% $700/wk $65,416 60.9%
16 Kincumber NSW 55.6% $735/wk $68,692 35.8%
17 Toronto NSW 55.6% $650/wk $60,840 48.2%
18 Ashcroft NSW 55.1% $600/wk $56,628 72.3%
19 Toukley NSW 55.1% $575/wk $54,288 56.5%
20 Fairfield NSW 54.9% $600/wk $56,784 73.2%
21 Matraville NSW 54.9% $1,140/wk $107,900 52.3%
22 Tanilba Bay NSW 54.8% $620/wk $58,812 38.5%
23 Bilambil Heights NSW 54.4% $850/wk $81,224 29.9%
24 South Granville NSW 54.3% $600/wk $57,408 69.4%
25 Long Jetty NSW 54.1% $650/wk $62,452 56.2%
26 Kingscliff NSW 54.0% $850/wk $81,900 40.1%
27 Unanderra NSW 53.7% $650/wk $62,972 60.4%
28 Warners Bay NSW 53.5% $800/wk $77,688 34.6%
29 Nelson Bay NSW 53.5% $698/wk $67,860 41.9%
30 Wauchope NSW 53.4% $595/wk $57,928 47.1%
31 Sanctuary Point NSW 53.4% $570/wk $55,536 40.3%
32 Ashmont NSW 53.3% $530/wk $51,688 70.0%
33 Georges Hall NSW 53.2% $950/wk $92,820 32.3%
34 Gateshead NSW 53.2% $655/wk $64,064 66.2%
35 Beresfield NSW 53.1% $668/wk $65,364 46.7%
36 Lismore NSW 53.1% $550/wk $53,820 66.9%
37 Warwick Farm NSW 53.0% $600/wk $58,864 86.2%
38 Woolgoolga NSW 52.9% $630/wk $61,880 40.0%
39 Toormina NSW 52.9% $560/wk $55,068 52.8%
40 Chippendale NSW 52.9% $849/wk $83,512 89.6%
41 Forster NSW 52.8% $533/wk $52,468 35.0%
42 Gloucester NSW 52.8% $520/wk $51,220 33.9%
43 Lake Cathie NSW 52.8% $673/wk $66,300 24.7%
44 Seaforth NSW 52.6% $2,200/wk $217,568 29.5%
45 Watanobbi NSW 52.5% $690/wk $68,380 65.5%
46 Avalon Beach NSW 52.4% $1,300/wk $129,012 25.8%
47 Belmont NSW 52.3% $670/wk $66,560 43.1%
48 Warriewood NSW 52.0% $1,350/wk $135,096 36.1%
49 West Kempsey NSW 51.9% $480/wk $48,100 54.5%
50 Albion Park Rail NSW 51.7% $730/wk $73,372 43.9%
📎 Cite this research

Journalists and writers are welcome to reference these rankings. Please attribute to PropertyScout AU with a link to this page.

Source: PropertyScout AU — Rental Stress Map: Where Rent Eats Most Income 2026 (https://propertyscoutau.com.au/studies/rental-stress-suburbs-australia-2026)
Methodology & sources

Source: Australian government public data (state Valuer-General / land offices, ABS Census, official rental & crime statistics). Compiled by PropertyScout AU. Rankings cover 50 suburbs and exclude records flagged as anomalous, stale (pre-2022) or based on very small samples (population under 3,000). Figures are indicative and reflect the most recent published data per suburb. Not financial advice — always do your own due diligence.

❓ FAQs
How is the Rental Stress Map: Where Rent Eats Most Income 2026 list compiled?
We rank suburbs directly from Australian government public data — state Valuer-General and land-office medians, ABS Census demographics, and official rental and crime statistics — applying quality filters to exclude anomalous or stale records.
How often is this updated?
The rankings regenerate automatically from our government data pipeline. Figures reflect the most recent published data for each suburb and can change as new data is released.
Can I use this data?
Yes — you're welcome to cite these rankings with attribution to PropertyScout AU (propertyscoutau.com.au). The underlying figures are public government data.
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