Overview

• Over 210,000 households in WA now consider housing unaffordable, a 91% increase since 2022, according to the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre report
• Perth’s rental market faces a 7,700-home deficit against population growth, pushing median weekly rents up 76% to $740 since 2020
• Average build times in WA have more than doubled to over 15 months, inflating new home costs by about $100,000
• Despite completing over 20,000 homes in 2024—the highest since 2017—WA still missed the National Housing Accord target by 4,000 units
• The report urges expanding rental assistance, making rent relief permanent and boosting homelessness services to ease social and health pressures