You'll need $98,800/yr to live in Barwon Heads.
The 30%-rule benchmark for a single person, based on quarterly government bond data.
Location
Geelong, VIC
Rent trend
Quarterly median rent
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Pick your bracket to see weekly leftover, budget breakdown and cheaper alternatives in Barwon Heads
Closest to the $98,800/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 Barwon Heads
Barwon Heads's median weekly rent is $570 a week, which lands in the upper half of the 12 Geelong suburbs NestLedger tracks. Most of the surrounding market is cheaper, so renters here are paying a premium over the typical local asking rent.
Rents have been broadly steady over the past year (+1.8%). Bond-lodgement medians go from $550 in 2023-Q4 to $570 in 2025-Q3. Stability makes budgeting easier, though it says nothing about how the suburb compares on price.
Using the 30% affordability benchmark, a single renter needs about $98,800 a year to take on Barwon Heads's median weekly rent without overextending (based on the $570/wk all-dwellings median, single household). On the local median household income, Barwon Heads stays under the 30% line: the typical household here is not in rental stress.
If Barwon Heads stretches the budget, the nearest cheaper options NestLedger tracks are Grovedale ($340/wk), Belmont ($340/wk), Geelong ($380/wk), close enough to keep the same commute patterns while cutting the weekly rent.
Is Barwon Heads expensive to rent in?
Barwon Heads's median weekly rent is $570/wk, above the middle of the 12 Geelong suburbs NestLedger tracks (8 tracked suburbs are cheaper).
What salary do I need to rent in Barwon Heads?
About $98,800 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $570/wk all-dwellings median, single household.
Is rent in Barwon Heads going up?
Over the past year the median weekly rent moved +1.8%, from $550 in 2023-Q4 to $570 in 2025-Q3.
What are cheaper suburbs near Barwon Heads?
Grovedale at $340/wk, Belmont at $340/wk, Geelong at $380/wk, the closest tracked suburbs with a lower single-basis rent.
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.