Ipswich · QLD · 4304

You'll need $85,800/yr to live in Booval.

The 30%-rule benchmark for a single person, based on quarterly government bond data.

Median rent
$495/wk
Annual rent change
+17.9%
Rental stress (median income)
Yes
Bonds lodged

Location

Ipswich, QLD

Rent trend

Quarterly median rent

Can you afford it on your salary?

Pick your bracket to see weekly leftover, budget breakdown and cheaper alternatives in Booval

Closest to the $85,800/yr the 30% rule needs is highlighted.

Rent details

3 BR
$580/wk
Annual change
+17.9%
Quarterly change
+5.3%

Suburb affordability ledger

ABS Census 2021 (income WPI-indexed to 2026) · rent vs household income

Household income (est. 2026)
$1,173/wk
Median age
43
Avg household size
2
Rent-to-income
42%

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.

About renting in Booval

Booval's median weekly rent is $495 a week, which puts it in the cheapest quarter of the 56 Ipswich suburbs NestLedger tracks. Only 4 tracked suburbs ask less, so for renters working to a tight budget it is one of the area's genuine value options.

Rents here have climbed hard, up 17.9% over the past year, well ahead of typical wage growth. Bond-lodgement medians go from $420 in 2024-Q2 to $495 in 2026-Q1. 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 $85,800 a year to take on Booval's median weekly rent without overextending (based on the $495/wk all-dwellings median, single household). On the local median household income, Booval sits in rental stress: the median rent takes more than 30% of gross income.

If Booval stretches the budget, the nearest cheaper options NestLedger tracks are Newtown (4350) ($320/wk), close enough to keep the same commute patterns while cutting the weekly rent.

Is Booval expensive to rent in?

Booval's median weekly rent is $495/wk, below the middle of the 56 Ipswich suburbs NestLedger tracks (4 tracked suburbs are cheaper).

What salary do I need to rent in Booval?

About $85,800 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $495/wk all-dwellings median, single household.

Is rent in Booval going up?

Over the past year the median weekly rent moved +17.9%, from $420 in 2024-Q2 to $495 in 2026-Q1.

What are cheaper suburbs near Booval?

Newtown (4350) at $320/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.