During the fiscal year 2022, approximately 0.33 megaliters of water were consumed per household in the Northern Territory, the highest per household consumption in Australia. In the same year, households in Victoria consumed around 0.16 megaliters of water on average. 

Household spend on water services

The expenditure on water per kiloliter in Australia remained fairly stable between 2015 and 2022. The household expenditure on distributed water and wastewater services was relatively evenly split. While per household consumption was highest in the Northern Territory, the overall household expenditure on water services was the greatest in New South Wales, likely due to the size of its population.

Sources and usage

The leading water source in Australia is surface water, followed by groundwater, with just a small portion sourced from desalination plants. Water is a limited resource in most of Australia, due to its dry climate and the fact that the largest part of the country is desert or semi-arid. While household consumption of water is an important consideration, when looking at the distribution of water usage in Australia, the majority is used by the agriculture industry.

Map and 2014 data from Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Land Account: South Australia, Experimental Estimates, 2006-2011 (cat. No. 4609.4.55.001) http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestpr…Show full descriptionMap and 2014 data from Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Land Account: South Australia, Experimental Estimates, 2006-2011 (cat. No. 4609.4.55.001) http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/4609.4.55.001Feature Article1002006 - 2011?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=4609.4.55.001&issue=2006 - 2011&num=&view= Data tables list 2011 SA1s within the 2011 Adelaide Urban Centre/Locality with property area calculations for specified time periods (1990 - 2014), as well corresponding mean building size and mean building size to property area ratio based on 2014 Valuer-General data. The VG data is from a single point in time and contains information for properties as of 2014. (eg. including extensions/renovations or where subdivision has been undertaken, which would include any increases in floor area or decreases in land area that occurred as a result of these). The VG oversee valuations for State Government property transactions and the making and return of council rating valuations. The primary data items used include Land Use, Property Area, Equivalent Main Area and Year built. "Equivalent main area" is the total area under the main roof excluding area of eg. carports, garages, verandahs etc. rather than the building footprint. Only landuse codes with a classification of "Private" were included in the analysis. State Office Land Use Classification 2007 was used to analyse Valuer General data. Only records classified as Single Unit Houses (land use code 1100-1119) were included in the analysis (80% of VG records), but this will include multistory houses. Because the area calculation for multistory houses could exceed the size of the land parcel, a "MeanAreaRatio_adj field has been included - Where the Pre1980_MeanAreaRatio for a property is greater than 100.0, then this has been adjusted down to 100.0 The analysis was restricted to Private Single Unit Houses (excluding multiple unit dwellings and commercial buildings) in an effort to enable the data to be used to understand residential backyard sizes and how these have changed over time. Note that although the figure heading notes a year range of 1990-2014 the original output dataset for Statistical Area Level 1 s(SA1) included records with a null year field (326 records) as well as records dating back to 1838. Map relates to Figure BLT24 in the Built environment theme of the 2016 State of the Environment Report, available at http://www.soe.environment.gov.au The map service can be viewed at http://soe.terria.io/#share=s-3nePG4Ns8PitiB0Qo1SBf6SYwc1 Downloadable spatial data also available below.

The rent price index in Australia in the first quarter of 2025 was *****, marking an increase from the same quarter of the previous year. Rent prices had decreased in 2020; in Melbourne and Sydney, this was mainly attributed to the absence of international students during the coronavirus outbreak. The current state of the rental market in Australia The rental market in Australia has been marked by varying conditions across different regions. Among the capital cities, Sydney has long been recognized for having some of the highest average rents. As of March 2025, the average weekly rent for a house in Sydney was *** Australian dollars, which was the highest average rent across all major cities in Australia that year. Furthermore, due to factors like population growth and housing demand, regional areas have also seen noticeable increases in rental prices. For instance, households in the non-metropolitan area of New South Wales’ expenditure on rent was around ** percent of their household income in the year ending June 2024. Housing affordability in Australia Housing affordability remains a significant challenge in Australia, contributing to a trend where many individuals and families rent for prolonged periods. The underlying cause of this issue is the ongoing disparity between household wages and housing costs, especially in large cities. While renting offers several advantages, it is worth noting that the associated costs may not always align with the expectation of affordability. Approximately one-third of participants in a recent survey stated that they pay between ** and ** percent of their monthly income on rent. Recent government initiatives, such as the 2024 Help to Buy scheme, aim to make it easier for people across Australia to get onto the property ladder. Still, the multifaceted nature of Australia’s housing affordability problem requires continued efforts to strike a balance between market dynamics and the need for accessible housing options for Australians.

Map and 1990 data from Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Land Account: South Australia, Experimental Estimates, 2006-2011 (cat. No. 4609.4.55.001) http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/4609.4.55.001Feature%20Article1002006%20-%202011?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=4609.4.55.001&issue=2006%20-%202011&num=&view=

Data tables list 2011 SA1s within the 2011 Adelaide Urban Centre/Locality with property area calculations for specified time periods (1990 - 2014), as well corresponding mean building size and mean building size to property area ratio based on 2014 Valuer-General data. The VG data is from a single point in time and contains information for properties as of 2014. (eg. including extensions/renovations or where subdivision has been undertaken, which would include any increases in floor area or decreases in land area that occurred as a result of these). The VG oversee valuations for State Government property transactions and the making and return of council rating valuations. The primary data items used include Land Use, Property Area, Equivalent Main Area and Year built. "Equivalent main area" is the total area under the main roof excluding area of eg. carports, garages, verandahs etc. rather than the building footprint. Only landuse codes with a classification of "Private" were included in the analysis. State Office Land Use Classification 2007 was used to analyse Valuer General data. Only records classified as Single Unit Houses (land use code 1100-1119) were included in the analysis (80% of VG records), but this will include multistory houses. Because the area calculation for multistory houses could exceed the size of the land parcel, a "MeanAreaRatio_adj field has been included - Where the Pre1980_MeanAreaRatio for a property is greater than 100.0, then this has been adjusted down to 100.0 The analysis was restricted to Private Single Unit Houses (excluding multiple unit dwellings and commercial buildings) in an effort to enable the data to be used to understand residential backyard sizes and how these have changed over time. Note that although the figure heading notes a year range of 1990-2014 the original output dataset for Statistical Area Level 1 s(SA1) included records with a null year field (326 records) as well as records dating back to 1838.

Map relates to Figure BLT24 in the Built environment theme of the 2016 State of the Environment Report, available at http://www.soe.environment.gov.au

The map service can be viewed at http://soe.terria.io/#share=s-vLsXubDrmmC2at735prq96fFQzB

Downloadable spatial data also available below.

Graph and download economic data for Real Disposable Personal Income (DSPIC96) from Jan 1959 to May 2025 about disposable, personal income, personal, income, real, and USA.

The Australia Commercial Real Estate Market Report is Segmented by Property Type (Offices, Retail and More), by Business Model (Rental and Sales), by End User (Individuals / Households, Corporates & SMEs and More) and by Region (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and More). The Report Offers Market Size and Forecasts in Value (USD) for all the Above Segments.

In 2024, Sydney had the highest price per square meter of land across major cities in Australia. Lot buyers expected to pay a premium of 1,617 Australian dollars per square meter in the capital of New South Wales. Conversely, lot buyers in Adelaide expected to spend around 750 Australian dollars per square meter of land. Prices through the roof Over the past decade, the surge in land and housing costs has been attributed to rapid population growth, driving up median prices for property and land, particularly in cities. In Sydney, the per square meter price of land has almost tripled since 2010, while the number of new property listings has declined over the years. A shortage of residential land available to build on has exacerbated the housing affordability crisis in Australia. Will lending rates continue to climb? The homeownership dream is out of reach for the average Australian without a housing loan. Nevertheless, Australia's high mortgage interest rates for both owner-occupiers and investors have impacted current and aspiring mortgage holders, with the value of household lending trending downwards over the past two years. While rates remained high in the first half of 2024, they likely reached their peak, as shown by the gradual plateau in the second half of the year. This stabilization should, in turn, accelerate buying, selling, and lending activities.