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NSW Essential Workers Report 2025

On the weekend of 15-16 March 2025, 17,028 rental listings advertised on the realestate.com.au website across NSW were tested for affordability for single people in sixteen key worker occupations.

The Snapshot defined an affordable rental property as one which required up to 30% of a worker's income in rent. Exceeding the 30% benchmark is seen as an indicator of housing stress.
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The sixteen essential worker occupations were:

 

1.  Aged care worker
2. Ambulance officer
3. Childcare worker
4. Cleaner
5. Construction worker
6. Delivery driver
7. Dispatcher
8. Firefighter

 

9.  Freight driver
10. Hospitality worker
11. Meat packer
12. Nurse
13. Postal worker
14. Retail worker
15. School teacher
16. Social and community services worker

Key Findings

On the Snapshot weekend,
17,028 
private rentals were
advertised for rent in
NSW.
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74% of
these were in
Greater Sydney

The situation for key workers who rent in NSW is difficult

Of 17,028 advertised rental properties...

162

(1%)
were affordable
for a hospitality worker

228

(1%)
were affordable for a
social and community
services worker

306

(1%)
were affordable for an
aged care worker

553

(1%)
were affordable for a
school teacher
*Affordability for single-person households in these occupations
Smiling male nurse leaning on white wall. Healthcare worker is wearing medical scrubs at hospital. He is looking at camera.

Michael

Michael's commute to and from work from an outer western Sydney suburb to his inner-city workplace takes up to an hour and a half each way, involving a train and two buses. His commute time depends on each of the modes of transport syncing and there being no delays, cancellations or interruptions to service. 


There are several reasons why Michael cannot relocate closer to work. The cost of renting in the inner city is too high and the accommodation available is not appropriate. He has animals to care for which would not be possible in an inner-city unit. He reflects... “it’s the same for all health care workers, none of us can afford to live where we work”.

Low angle view of a brick building with large balconies against a blue sky.

The proportion of affordable rentals for key workers was lower in Greater Sydney than the rest of NSW

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Which regions of NSW had the most and least affordable rentals for essential workers?

An aerial view of Emmaville with houses and fields in NSW, Australia

 

Regions with largest number of affordable rentals for essential workers.
1. Newcastle and Lake Macquarie
2. New England and North West
3. Central West
4. Riverina

6 month Real Estate Licence purchased 2/2/22-2/7/22. For more information contact Chris Lawn.

 

Regions with NO affordable rentals for essential workers
1. Sydney – Northern Beaches
2. Sydney – Sutherland

Anjali

Anjali’s daily commute is at least an hour to her workplace but frequently longer depending on the reliability of public transport since she does not drive.

Living closer to work is not an option because of the housing cost. She says that houses cost on average $1 million in the suburb where her workplace is.

However, she likes where she lives because she has friends, relatives and is involved in the community. The downside of the long daily commute is the lack of time to enjoy such things as the gym and after work activities. Leaving early and getting home later makes for long and tiring days.

What can be done? 

NSW Government to supply more build-to-rent housing for essential workers
Expand the program of build-to-rent housing on Government-owned land.
Allow churches and charities to utilise land for housing
Enable SP2-zoned land owned by religious groups and charities to be used for essential worker housing in NSW.
Incentivise Community Housing Providers to supply essential worker housing
Provide grants for CHPs to supply affordable rental housing for essential workers.
10% of new builds to be essential worker housing
Introduce mandatory inclusionary zoning for all major developments across NSW to include essential worker housing.
Incentivise development of essential worker housing
Fast-track approvals for developments with essential worker housing and introduce tax concessions for investment in essential worker housing.
Meanwhile use for essential workers
Allow suitably renovated vacant or underused buildings awaiting development approvals to be used for short-term housing for essential workers in NSW.
NSW Essential Workers Report

Rental Affordability Snapshot 2025

Click here if you would like to read the Rental Affordability Snapshot 2025 report about people on income support and the minimum wage renting in Greater Sydney, the Illawarra, Southern Highlands and the Shoalhaven.
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