Geelong rent affordability — Q1 2026
Data period: January – March 2026 · Source: Consumer Affairs Victoria rental bond data + ABS Census · 12 suburbs tracked
Top movers
Quarter-on-quarter change
Most affordable suburbs
By lowest 1-bedroom weekly rent
Least affordable suburbs
By highest 1-bedroom weekly rent
Affordability geography
Where affordability patterns cluster
Geelong remains one of Victoria's most affordable city markets. The northern industrial suburbs — Corio ($320/wk) and North Geelong ($330/wk) — anchor the affordable end. Even the most expensive tracked suburb (Portsea, $393/wk) sits well below Melbourne's median 1-bedroom rent. The compact market of 13 tracked suburbs shows low variance, reflecting Geelong's comparatively balanced housing supply.
The 30% rule in context
What income do these rents require?
The 30% rule is a common benchmark: spending more than 30% of gross income on rent is considered rental stress. Figures above use the median rent per bedroom type across all 12 tracked suburbs in Geelong.
Methodology
Rent figures are derived from residential rental bond lodgement data published by state tenancy authorities and cross-referenced with ABS Census household income data. Medians are calculated across all bonds active within the quarter, grouped by bedroom count.
Read the full methodology →Update schedule
This snapshot covers January – March 2026 bond data. It is a permanent archive — this page remains live as Q2 and later snapshots publish.
Next snapshot expected when Q2 2026 bond data publishes (~August 2026).
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