ABC News
Rents in Western Australia have surged more than 3.5 times faster than wages over the past five years off the back of the highest growth in rental prices in the country, according to data from property research firm Cotality.
Figures show the average rent in WA has increased by 66 per cent in the five years to September 2025, while wages have only risen 18.5 per cent over the same period.
It has sparked fresh calls for the state government to do more to help struggling renters at risk of homelessness.
Cotality research director Tim Lawless said rental affordability in WA was at an all-time low.”Even with wages growing a little faster than the national average, they have come nowhere near keeping up with housing costs in that state.”