MEDIA RELEASE
8 April 2014	Embargo: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	46/2014

Rent payments in Western Australia have grown more than every other state and territory in Australia, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Ms Lisa Conolly, ABS Director of Rural and Regional Statistics said Western Australia reported the biggest increase in median weekly rent, rising 77 per cent, from $170 in 2006 to $300 in 2011.

"Local Government Areas in Western Australia recorded some of the biggest growth in median rent payments in Australia, with eight out of the ten fastest growing regions located in Western Australia. However, Weipa, in far north Queensland, came in at the top, reflecting a change from employer owned housing to private rental arrangements," said Ms Conolly.

Local Government Areas in Greater Sydney continued to have the highest median rents in Australia, with the highest in Ku-ring-gai ($575 per week) and Woollahra ($550 per week).

Cottesloe ($450 per week) had the highest median rent in Western Australia, followed by Perth ($440 per week). In Victoria, Melbourne ($400 per week) and Bayside ($390 per week) were highest.

"It is important to note that the cost of renting in a region may change over time due to changes in workforce demand, population growth or decline, or changing tenure arrangements," added Ms Conolly.

"Nationally, rental costs increased by more than mortgage repayments with the median weekly household rent rising from $191 in 2006 to $285 in 2011 - an increase of 49 per cent. Whereas mortgage repayments have increased 39 per cent during this time.

"Rental costs have also increased by twice as much as wages with the median weekly household income increasing from $1,027 in 2006 to $1,234 in 2011, up 20 per cent," said Ms Conolly.

Further information can be found in Perspectives on Regional Australia: Housing Arrangements - Rental Rates in Local Government Areas, 2011 (cat. no. 1380.0.55.013), available for free download from the ABS website(www.abs.gov.au).

Media Note:

• Unless otherwise indicated, regions in this media release refer to Local Government Areas.
• The Census provides a snapshot of housing tenure and housing costs in Australia on Census Night.
• The median is the value that divides a set of data exactly in half. It is the middle value when the values in a set of data are arranged in order.
• When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
• Media requests and interviews - contact the ABS Communications Section on 1300 175 070.

Local Government Area	State/Territory	Median Rent Payment		Change
		2006 ($/week)	2011 ($/week)	($)	(%)
Weipa	Qld.	36	241	205	569.4
Ravensthorpe	WA	109	220	111	101.8
Serpentine-Jarrahdale	WA	155	309	154	99.4
Palmerston	NT	190	360	170	89.5
Bassendean	WA	160	300	140	87.5
Armadale	WA	155	290	135	87.1
Boddington	WA	120	224	104	86.7
Wanneroo	WA	190	350	160	84.2
Belmont	WA	163	300	137	84.0
Cockburn	WA	180	330	150	83.3
(a) Applicable to occupied private dwellings which were rented (or occupied rent-free) by a member of the household. Excludes 'Visitor only' and 'Other non-classifiable' households.
(b) LGAs with a total occupied private dwelling count under 500 dwellings are excluded from this table.
Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing, 2006 and 2011