Housing affordability, occupation and location in Australian cities and regions

Summary

Up until 2001 there was little direct evidence that housing affordability problems were heightening labour shortages, as low-income jobs moved to low cost suburbs, and those jobs in the inner city – such as hospitality or retail jobs – were filled by young people who were more likely to share housing costs in group households.


Project Number: 60279
Research Theme: Housing_Affordability
Project Leader: Yates, Judith
Funding Year: 2004
Research Centre: Sydney

Research and Policy Bulletin

Research & Policy Bulletin

Issue 074: Are housing affordability problems creating labour shortages?

Up until 2001 there was little direct evidence that housing affordability problems were heightening labour shortages, as low-income jobs moved to low cost suburbs, and those jobs in the inner city—such as hospitality or retail jobs—were filled by young people who were more likely to share housing costs in group households.

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236KB PDF Document

Description

Using 1996-2001 Census data the project examined the housing affordability and residential and employment locations of a range of occupations. Given the focus on housing affordability and occupation, the research focuses on households in employment only.

The key findings of the research are:

  • Amongst those in employment, an average of 10 per cent of households experience housing affordability problems,  that is they pay more than 30 per cent of their income in housing costs.
  • The occupations that have an over representation of those with housing affordability problems are characterised by low incomes and include hospitality workers (27%), sales assistants (18%), cleaners (16%), carers and aides (16%) and various service workers (15%).
  • Public sector occupations such as nurses (9%), school teachers (6%) and police officers (6%) have an under representation of those experiencing housing affordability problems, relative to the average.
  • Between 1996 and 2001 a trend towards living and working in the CBD was apparent for relatively higher paid occupations such as nursing and computer professionals.

More Information

Download now Positioning Paper: No. 084: Housing affordability, occupation and location in Australian cities and regions
2.2 MB PDF Document

Download now Final Report: No. 091: Housing affordability, occupation and location in Australian cities and regions
707 KB PDF Document

Download now Research and Policy Bulletin: Issue 074: Are housing affordability problems creating labour shortages?
236KB PDF Document

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