You'll need $132,600/yr to live in Darkes Forest.
The 30%-rule benchmark for a single person, based on quarterly government bond data.
Location
Wollongong, NSW
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 Darkes Forest
Closest to the $132,600/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 Darkes Forest
Darkes Forest's median weekly rent is $765 a week, placing it in the most expensive quarter of the 165 Wollongong suburbs NestLedger tracks. This is premium territory for the area, and budget-focused renters usually look at least one suburb further out.
Rents have fallen 6.7% over the past year, an uncommon move in the current market. Falling medians can reflect genuine softening or a change in what is being leased, so read it alongside the bond counts.
Using the 30% affordability benchmark, a single renter needs about $132,600 a year to take on Darkes Forest's median weekly rent without overextending (based on the $765/wk all-dwellings median, single household). On the local median household income, Darkes Forest stays under the 30% line: the typical household here is not in rental stress.
Within its immediate area, Darkes Forest is already one of the cheaper picks: nearby Maddens Plains asks $900/wk. Renters trading down from here generally need to change area rather than suburb.
Is Darkes Forest expensive to rent in?
Darkes Forest's median weekly rent is $765/wk, above the middle of the 165 Wollongong suburbs NestLedger tracks (136 tracked suburbs are cheaper).
What salary do I need to rent in Darkes Forest?
About $132,600 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $765/wk all-dwellings median, single household.
Is rent in Darkes Forest going up?
Over the past year the median weekly rent moved -6.7%.
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.