You'll need $78,000/yr to live in Cranbrook.
The 30%-rule benchmark for a single person, based on quarterly government bond data.
Location
Townsville, 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 Cranbrook
Closest to the $78,000/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 Cranbrook
Cranbrook's median weekly rent is $450 a week, which puts it in the cheapest quarter of the 33 Townsville suburbs NestLedger tracks. Only 2 tracked suburbs ask less, so for renters working to a tight budget it is one of the area's genuine value options.
Rents have climbed a moderate 4.7% over the past year. Bond-lodgement medians go from $400 in 2024-Q2 to $450 in 2026-Q1. That is a steady drift upward rather than a spike, but it still compounds against a flat salary.
Using the 30% affordability benchmark, a single renter needs about $78,000 a year to take on Cranbrook's median weekly rent without overextending (based on the $450/wk all-dwellings median, single household). On the local median household income, Cranbrook stays under the 30% line: the typical household here is not in rental stress.
If Cranbrook stretches the budget, the nearest cheaper options NestLedger tracks are Gulliver ($235/wk), close enough to keep the same commute patterns while cutting the weekly rent.
Is Cranbrook expensive to rent in?
Cranbrook's median weekly rent is $450/wk, below the middle of the 33 Townsville suburbs NestLedger tracks (2 tracked suburbs are cheaper).
What salary do I need to rent in Cranbrook?
About $78,000 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $450/wk all-dwellings median, single household.
Is rent in Cranbrook going up?
Over the past year the median weekly rent moved +4.7%, from $400 in 2024-Q2 to $450 in 2026-Q1.
What are cheaper suburbs near Cranbrook?
Gulliver at $235/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.