Ballarat · VIC · 3350

You'll need $49,400/yr to live in Mount Clear.

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

1BR median rent
$285/wk
Annual rent change
+5.0%
Rental stress (median income)
No
Bonds lodged
i
Rent data is reported as a grouped area
Homes Victoria publishes a single median for Mount Clear together with Buninyong. The figures shown here apply to the whole grouped area.

Location

Ballarat, VIC

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 Mount Clear

Closest to the $49,400/yr the 30% rule needs is highlighted.

Rent details

1 BR
$285/wk
2 BR
$360/wk
3 BR
$390/wk
4+ BR
$480/wk
Annual change
+5.0%
Quarterly change
+0.5%

Suburb affordability ledger

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

Household income (est. 2026)
$1,725/wk
Median age
37
Avg household size
2.5
Rent-to-income
24%

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 Mount Clear

Mount Clear's 1-bedroom median rent is $285 a week, which puts it in the cheapest quarter of the 8 Ballarat suburbs NestLedger tracks. Only 1 tracked suburb asks less, so for renters working to a tight budget it is one of the area's genuine value options.

Rents have climbed a moderate 5.0% over the past year. Bond-lodgement medians go from $383 in 2023-Q4 to $420 in 2025-Q3. 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 $49,400 a year to take on Mount Clear's 1-bedroom median rent without overextending (based on the $285/wk 1BR median, single household). On the local median household income, Mount Clear stays under the 30% line: the typical household here is not in rental stress.

Within its immediate area, Mount Clear is already one of the cheaper picks: nearby Sebastopol asks $300/wk. Renters trading down from here generally need to change area rather than suburb.

Is Mount Clear expensive to rent in?

Mount Clear's 1-bedroom median rent is $285/wk, below the middle of the 8 Ballarat suburbs NestLedger tracks (1 tracked suburbs are cheaper).

What salary do I need to rent in Mount Clear?

About $49,400 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $285/wk 1BR median, single household.

Is rent in Mount Clear going up?

Over the past year the 1-bedroom median rent moved +5.0%, from $383 in 2023-Q4 to $420 in 2025-Q3.

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.