You'll need $43,333/yr to live in Backwater.
The 30%-rule benchmark for a single person, based on quarterly government bond data.
Location
Armidale, NSW
Rent trend
Quarterly median rent
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Pick your bracket to see weekly leftover, budget breakdown and cheaper alternatives in Backwater
Closest to the $43,333/yr the 30% rule needs is highlighted.
Rent details
Suburb affordability ledger
ABS Census 2021 (income WPI-indexed to 2026) · rent vs household income
Household income is the 2021 Census median indexed forward to 2026 by ABS wage growth; rent-to-income and stress compare current rent to that estimate.
Nearby suburbs
About renting in Backwater
Backwater's 1-bedroom median rent is $250 a week, which puts it in the cheapest quarter of the 48 Armidale suburbs NestLedger tracks. No tracked suburb asks less on current data, so for renters working to a tight budget it is one of the area's genuine value options.
Rents here have climbed hard, up 26.7% over the past year, well ahead of typical wage growth. Renters signing a new lease should budget for the current figure, not last year's.
Using the 30% affordability benchmark, a single renter needs about $43,333 a year to take on Backwater's 1-bedroom median rent without overextending (based on the $250/wk 1BR median, single household). On the local median household income, Backwater sits in rental stress: the median rent takes more than 30% of gross income.
Within its immediate area, Backwater is already one of the cheaper picks: nearby Oban asks $420/wk. Renters trading down from here generally need to change area rather than suburb.
Is Backwater expensive to rent in?
Backwater's 1-bedroom median rent is $250/wk, below the middle of the 48 Armidale suburbs NestLedger tracks (0 tracked suburbs are cheaper).
What salary do I need to rent in Backwater?
About $43,333 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $250/wk 1BR median, single household.
Is rent in Backwater going up?
Over the past year the 1-bedroom median rent moved +26.7%.
How is the salary needed calculated?
The salary needed uses the 30% rule: annual income required = (weekly rent x 52) / 0.3. This is a widely used affordability benchmark: spending more than 30% of gross income on rent is considered "rental stress".
Where does the rent data come from?
Rent data comes from government bond lodgement records: NSW DCJ, QLD RTA, VIC DFFH, SA Consumer and Business Services via SA Housing Authority, and Tasmania Department of Justice rental bond data. This covers actual bonds lodged, making it one of the most reliable rent data sources in Australia.