Anglicare WA: Rental Affordability Snapshot
Anglicare WA conducts the Rental Affordability Snapshot each year to develop a better understanding of how our rental market is changing
and the implications for Western Australians living on low incomes.
The 2022 Snapshot highlights the lack of affordable options for low-income households, particularly those that rely on Government benefits and, increasingly, the working poor on the minimum wage.
Background
This year’s Snapshot shows the number of affordable and appropriate homes for rent for people on low incomes over the weekend of 19/20 March 2022. It is based on 3,457 available private rentals in the Perth metro area, South West and Great Southern, and the North West.
Key Findings for WA
The Rental Affordability Snapshot 2022 found median rents increased around $50 per week since last year’s Snapshot:
- 12 per cent in the Perth metro area ($480).
- 13.5 per cent in the South West and Great Southern ($420).
- 9 per cent in the North West ($600).
- Availability in Perth metro and the North West worsened from the previous year, while the South West and Great Southern improved. Prices totally unaffordable.
- Rising rents and housing stress were compounded by the rising costs of other essentials.
- Stagnant wages equate to a real cut in income that captures more households in housing stress and poverty.
Read the Snapshot here.
