Book a call ↗Supply & Demand · Updated Sept 2026
What is a Rental Vacancy Rate in Australia?
Formula / Rule: (Vacant Rental Listings > 21 Days ÷ Total Established Rental Stock) × 100
Ripehouse Benchmark: Under 1.5% (Tight Rental Market). Check any market live in our Suburb R-Score tool or Street Score tool.
How to Read Rental Vacancy Rate in Australian Property
| Reading / Tier | Market Interpretation | What It Means for Property Investors |
|---|---|---|
| 0.1% – 1.4% | Tight / Undersupplied | High tenant competition, rapid leasing times, and rising weekly asking rents |
| 1.5% – 2.9% | Balanced Equilibrium | Normal tenant turnover with stable weekly rents |
| 3.0%+ | Loosening / Oversupplied | Extended vacancy periods; common in high-rise apartment precincts |
Why vacancy rates lead capital growth in affordable corridors
When a suburb’s rental vacancy rate drops below 1.0% and stays there for multiple quarters, weekly rents rise sharply. As rents climb, two things happen: gross rental yields expand (attracting interstate investors), and local tenants realise that mortgage repayments on a modest house are comparable to their rising weekly rent (converting renters into first-home buyers).
Top Australian Suburbs Measured this Month (Sept 2026)
| Suburb | State & Council (LGA) | R-Score | Median Price | Gross Yield | Vacancy | Drill Down |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wickham (6714) | WA · Karratha | 97/100 | $360,000 | 10.1% | 0.2% | Suburb · Streets → |
| Brendale (4500) | QLD · Moreton Bay | 95/100 | $710,000 | 5.5% | 0.2% | Suburb · Streets → |
| Numurkah (3636) | VIC · Moira | 94/100 | $475,000 | 5.5% | 0.2% | Suburb · Streets → |
| Berri (5343) | SA · Berri and Barmera | 90/100 | $512,500 | 5% | 0.2% | Suburb · Streets → |
| Fulham Gardens (5024) | SA · Charles Sturt | 80/100 | $1,420,000 | 2.7% | 0.2% | Suburb · Streets → |
| Princes Hill (3054) | VIC · Yarra | 99/100 | $1,335,000 | 5.5% | 0.3% | Suburb · Streets → |
| Griffith (2680) | NSW · Griffith | 95/100 | $608,000 | 4.9% | 0.3% | Suburb · Streets → |
| Risdon Park (5540) | SA · Port Pirie City and Dists | 94/100 | $367,000 | 5.7% | 0.3% | Suburb · Streets → |
Apply the Data to Your Portfolio
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Keep Exploring the Glossary
Gross Rental Yield
Ripehouse Suburb R-Score
Ripehouse Street Score
Days on Market (DOM)
Owner-Occupier Ratio
Public Housing Concentration (SA1)
Rental Vacancy Rate FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions: Rental Vacancy Rate
What is a Rental Vacancy Rate in Australia?
A rental vacancy rate is the percentage of all formal long-term rental properties in a suburb or city that are currently unoccupied and available for lease for more than 21 days. In Australian residential property analysis, a vacancy rate around 2.5% to 3.0% is considered a balanced market, while anything below 1.5% indicates an acute rental shortage with upward pressure on weekly rents. Ripehouse Advisory tracks suburb-level vacancy monthly across 15,000+ suburbs as a key input to the R-Score.
How is Rental Vacancy Rate calculated or measured in Australia?
Rental Vacancy Rate is measured using the formula: (Vacant Rental Listings > 21 Days ÷ Total Established Rental Stock) × 100. Ripehouse Advisory’s target benchmark band is: Under 1.5% (Tight Rental Market).
How can I check Rental Vacancy Rate for any Australian suburb or street?
You can inspect live monthly R-Scores, median prices, weekly rents, gross yields, vacancy rates, and ABS SA1 Street Scores across 15,000+ suburbs and 518,400+ streets for free at ripehouseadvisory.com.au/suburbs and /streets.