A NSW Regional Housing Needs Report released by Shelter NSW outlines that the increase in rental pressure primarily affects low-income households, leaving a large portion of the population vulnerable to changes in interest rates, incomes and rental prices.
The report applies indicators based on the proportion of housing and social housing stock and waiting lists, mortgage financial impacts, and rental information gathered from the ABS Census 2021, NSW Department of Communities and the Australian Institute of Health and Wellbeing.
The top 10 higher needs regions have mainly remained the same compared to the 2021 Housing Need Index, with coastal regions scoring the highest.
Mortgage stress among low-income households is high in places such as Byron, Shellharbour, Wollongong, Central Coast and Wingecarribee.