$388 ▲ +29.3%
Higher than 86% of remoteness area areas.
- 2011: $300
- 2016: $350
- 2021: $388
Median weekly rent paid by households renting their home.
Major Cities of Australia · Remoteness Area
Housing & Dwellings in Major Cities of Australia
Where and how people live — the homes, how they are held, and what they cost.
Typical monthly mortgage payments of $2,000 are much higher than most areas in the Major Cities of Australia. This high cost of living is a defining feature of urban housing, where rent and loan payments have both risen since 2011. While most people still live in houses, there is a growing shift toward different types of dwellings.
$388
▲ +29.3%
- $0–$18: 0 areas
- $18–$36: 0 areas
- $36–$54: 0 areas
- $54–$71: 0 areas
- $71–$89: 1 area
- $89–$107: 1 area
- $107–$125: 3 areas
- $125–$143: 0 areas
- $143–$161: 2 areas
- $161–$179: 1 area
- $179–$196: 2 areas
- $196–$214: 3 areas
- $214–$232: 1 area
- $232–$250: 1 area
- $250–$268: 5 areas
- $268–$286: 1 area
- $286–$304: 3 areas
- $304–$321: 4 areas
- $321–$339: 0 areas
- $339–$357: 1 area
- $357–$375: 0 areas
- $375–$393: 3 areas
- $393–$411: 1 area
- $411–$429: 0 areas
- $429–$446: 0 areas
- $446–$464: 2 areas
- $464–$482: 0 areas
- $482–$500: 0 areas
All remoteness area areas, 2021. The marker is Major Cities of Australia — higher than 86% of areas.
| Major Cities of Australia | $388 |
|---|---|
| Australia | $375 |
Housing costs
Rents, mortgages and crowding.
Weekly rents are much higher than most areas at $388, which is about the same as the national figure. Home loan payments have also climbed, rising $200 since 2011 to reach a typical monthly cost of $2,000.
$2,000 ▲ +11.1%
Higher than 89% of remoteness area areas.
- 2011: $1,800
- 2016: $1,800
- 2021: $2,000
Median monthly mortgage repayment for households with a mortgage.
Weekly rent distribution
View on map →In Major Cities of Australia, $350–$549 is the majority at 52%; $200–$349 is next at 25%.
Monthly mortgage distribution
View on map →In Major Cities of Australia, the largest group is $1,800–$2,999 at 37%, followed by $1,000–$1,799 (27%) and $3,000 or more (21%).
Owning & renting
How homes are owned or rented.
More people are renting now, with the share rising 3.0 points since 2011 to reach 30.6%. Meanwhile, the proportion of homes owned outright has fallen to 29.6%, which is a little below the Australian average.
30.6% ▲ +10.9%
Higher than 57% of remoteness area areas.
- 2011: 27.6%
- 2016: 30.4%
- 2021: 30.6%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are rented.
29.6% ▼ -9.4%
Lower than 64% of remoteness area areas.
- 2011: 32.7%
- 2016: 30.4%
- 2021: 29.6%
Share of occupied private dwellings owned outright (no mortgage).
How homes are owned or rented
View on map →In Major Cities of Australia, the largest group is Owned with a mortgage at 37%, followed by Rented (31%) and Owned outright (30%).
Types of homes
Houses, townhouses, apartments and bedrooms.
Separate houses are much less common here than in most areas, falling to 68.0% since 2011. The number of people per bedroom is among the highest at this level, though this has moved down since 2011.
0.90 ▼ -18.2%
Higher than 71% of remoteness area areas.
- 2011: 1.10
- 2016: 0.90
- 2021: 0.90
Average number of usual residents per bedroom — a crowding measure.
68.0% ▼ -6.3%
Lower than 89% of remoteness area areas.
- 2011: 72.5%
- 2016: 67.8%
- 2021: 68.0%
Share of occupied private dwellings that are separate houses.
72.2% ▼ -0.6%
Lower than 64% of remoteness area areas.
- 2011: 72.6%
- 2016: 71.1%
- 2021: 72.2%
Share of occupied private dwellings with three or more bedrooms.
Types of homes
View on map →In Major Cities of Australia, Separate house is the majority at 68%; Townhouse / semi-detached is next at 16%.
Bedrooms per home
View on map →In Major Cities of Australia, the largest group is 3 bedrooms at 40%, followed by 4 bedrooms (27%) and 2 bedrooms (21%).
Sources
- Census of Population and Housing — Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2021 (CC BY 4.0).
More for Major Cities of Australia
Cite this page
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021). Housing & Dwellings in Major Cities of Australia [Census of Population and Housing]. CensusAtlas, used under CC BY 4.0. https://censusatlas.au/region/ra/RA20/major-cities-of-australia/topic/housing-dwellings