Why $130,000 a year is no longer enough to avoid housing stress in WA

A new report highlights that a salary of $130,000 annually is no longer sufficient to avoid housing stress in Western Australia, despite being considered a high income in many parts of the country. The findings come from the latest edition of the Priced Out report by the affordable housing advocacy group Everybody’s Home, which shows that even individuals earning this amount face significant financial strain due to soaring rental costs. The report, published on August 24, 2026, underscores the growing affordability crisis in both urban and regional areas of the state. According to the study, the northern regions of Western Australia, specifically the Pilbara and Kimberley, are now the most expensive places to rent in the entire country. In these areas, median rental prices surpass the disposable income of residents earning between $40,000 and $50,000 annually. For those making $60,000 a year, the cost of renting represents nearly 99 percent of their income. Meanwhile, in Perth, the capital city, even those earning $130,000 annually allocate 36 percent of their income toward housing, far exceeding the recommended threshold of 30 percent to prevent financial stress. The report notes that while Perth continues to rank among the least affordable capital cities in Australia, certain regional markets are even more extreme in terms of the ratio of rent to local income. This situation has placed immense pressure on lower-income earners, particularly in areas such as Busselton, where rising rents have made independent living increasingly difficult. Residents like Sharon, a 55-year-old woman who requested her surname not be used, illustrate the real-life consequences of the housing crisis. Living in Busselton, Sharon earns around $515 a week from Centrelink medical support payments but faces a weekly rent of $700. To manage, she shares her home with two others, reducing her individual share of the rent to approximately $240. However, she often finds herself in precarious situations when her housemates move out unexpectedly, leaving her responsible for the full rent until new tenants can be found. Sharon relies heavily on charitable organizations such as SecondBite, run by the St Mary’s Church Family Centre, and surplus food from a local bakery, which she also donates to the Salvation Army. Without these resources, she admits she would struggle significantly. Her experience reflects the broader challenge faced by many Australians who depend on social services and community support to survive the current rental landscape. Maiy Azize, a spokesperson for Everybody’s Home, emphasized that regional Australia is no longer a haven for renters, with some areas experiencing rental prices comparable to those in major cities. She pointed out that national rents have increased by nearly $50 per week over the past 18 months, placing a heavy burden on low-income workers. For someone earning $40,000 annually, this increase equates to nearly four and a half weeks of wages lost to rent alone. Azize attributed the crisis to decades of policy decisions that have led to a decline in public and community housing. She argued that these types of homes are essential for ensuring affordability and are typically not built by private developers. Calling for urgent action, she urged the federal government to commit to constructing nearly one million public and community housing units over the next 15 years, mirroring the efforts already taken to assist first-time homebuyers. Despite these calls for intervention, Sharon holds local councils accountable, particularly in Busselton, where the proliferation of short-term rental accommodations like Airbnb has exacerbated the problem. With eight such properties on her street alone and about 20 within a 200-meter radius, she believes the presence of these rentals contributes to the scarcity of long-term, affordable housing options. While she acknowledges the economic benefits of the short-term rental market, she argues that it comes at a steep cost for permanent residents struggling to find stable housing.