Housing in Western NSW remains affordable despite a nationwide decline in regional rental affordability, according to the 2024 Rental Affordability Index. 

"Anything you see happening in a city or urban area, we see happening amplified in regional zones," CEO of Shelter NSW John Engeler said. 

The index measures rental affordability based on what people pay in rent in relation to their gross annual income. 

The gross annual income for households in NSW outside of the Greater Sydney area was identified as $89,277, compared to $123,415 in the metropolitan area. 

"In regional Australia, incomes are a bit lower,"  economic consultancy firm SGS Economics and Planning principal and partner Ellen Witte said.

Cobar, Coonamble, Walgett, and Warren were all ranked as affordable with an index score above 200, meaning that on average renters pay 15 percent or less for their rent. 

Coonabarabran, Gilgandra, Lightning Ridge, Nyngan, and Trangie also received an affordable index indicating that around 15 to 20 percent of the gross annual income went towards rent. 

Bourke, Condobolin, and Narromine received acceptable scores with around 20 to 25 percent of the average income going towards rent. 

The index scores are all within the acceptable rate, according to the study.

"Whenever people start to pay 30 percent of their income or more on rent, they're in situational housing stress. 

"That means they would not have enough funds to pay for their primary needs, such as food, electricity, transport, education, and medical needs," Ms Witte said. 

Data on other household profiles, such as pensioner couples, single working parents, and hospitality workers was largely unavailable in the index for the Western Plains region. 

For Cobar, the data showed that for a single person on benefits renting would find the average rent unaffordable. For other areas, there was no data on this household type.

In the index, all areas outside of the metropolitan cities, such as Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne are classified as regional. 

Despite rentals remaining affordable in the Western Plains area, the residential vacancy rate remains low leaving renters with few options. 

For example, according to SQM Research, Coonabarabran had a vacancy rate of 0.5 percent as of October 2024

Brewarrina has not had any vacancies since February 2020 while there have been no residential vacancies in Bourke since November 2022. 

Residential vacancy in Bourke. Photo: SQM Research