Northern Rivers · NSW · 2473

You'll need $92,733/yr to live in The Gap.

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

Median rent
$535/wk
Annual rent change
+18.9%
Rental stress (median income)
Bonds lodged

Location

Northern Rivers, 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 The Gap

Closest to the $92,733/yr the 30% rule needs is highlighted.

Rent details

Annual change
+18.9%
Quarterly change
-2.7%

Suburb affordability ledger

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

Household income (est. 2026)
$0/wk
Median age
0
Avg household size
0
Rent-to-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.

About renting in The Gap

The Gap's median weekly rent is $535 a week, a little under the middle of the 263 Northern Rivers suburbs NestLedger tracks, with 75 tracked suburbs coming in cheaper. It is not a bargain pocket, but renters get in below the local median.

Rents here have climbed hard, up 18.9% over the past year, well ahead of typical wage growth. 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 $92,733 a year to take on The Gap's median weekly rent without overextending (based on the $535/wk all-dwellings median, single household).

Rents in The Gap's immediate area sit right at its own level: nearby Evans Head also asks $535/wk, so renters trading down generally need to change area rather than suburb.

Is The Gap expensive to rent in?

The Gap's median weekly rent is $535/wk, below the middle of the 263 Northern Rivers suburbs NestLedger tracks (75 tracked suburbs are cheaper).

What salary do I need to rent in The Gap?

About $92,733 a year for a single renter under the 30% rule: annual income = (weekly rent × 52) ÷ 0.3, using based on the $535/wk all-dwellings median, single household.

Is rent in The Gap going up?

Over the past year the median weekly rent moved +18.9%.

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.