Overview
- The 2025 analysis tested more than 51,000 listings against full-time wages for 16 frontline jobs and found affordability rates as low as 0.8% for hospitality and early childhood educators, 1.5% for nurses, 3.2% for firefighters and 3.3% for teachers.
- A NSW snapshot of 17,028 listings found only 553 homes statewide were affordable for a teacher, with Greater Sydney offering 0.2% to 0.9% of listings to key workers and none on the Northern Beaches or in Sutherland for several occupations.
- Western Australia’s survey of 3,523 rentals identified just 16 properties affordable for the lowest‑earning essential workers, with only four in the Pilbara and Kimberley and none in Bunbury for the roles assessed.
- The shortage is reshaping daily life, with reports of long commutes, employers leasing homes for staff, workers living in vehicles, and stark gaps in markets such as the Gold Coast where someone on minimum wage could afford only two of 1,563 rentals.
- Governments point to supply actions such as conversions to social housing and medium‑ to high‑density projects, yet Anglicare notes listings rose 13% without improving affordability and calls for renter protections, tax changes and 25,000 public and community homes each year.