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Mortgage Stress Report

OURTOP10 CAPITAL CITY INDEX • VOL.03 • RELEASED OCTOBER 2026

Mortgage Stress Report Q3 2026

Postcode-level analysis of household mortgage stress across Australia by OurTop10 Research,
powered by Digital Finance Analytics’ rolling survey of 52,000 households.

450,539STRESSED HOUSEHOLDS ACROSS 77 RANKED POSTCODES
+31,318NET RISE THIS QUARTER (≈7.5%)
+79,072NET RISE OVER 12 MONTHS (≈21%)
61/77POSTCODES ROSE THIS QUARTER

Hear the report explained

Mansour Soltani, Head of Research at OurTop10, talks through the Q3 2026 findings with host Craig on the Aussie Real Estate Podcast: why more than 450,000 households in the ranked postcodes are spending more than they earn, why Melbourne has the biggest concentration of stretched households, and what is happening in regional areas.

Listen on Podbean

National snapshot

Across the 77 ranked mortgage stress postcodes nationally, the number of stressed households rose by a net 31,318 in Q3 2026, an increase of around 7.5% in three months. That takes the total to 450,539. The rise is measured across the 76 postcodes with a June figure, which climbed from 417,989 to 449,307; one postcode is new this quarter. 61 of the 77 ranked postcodes went up. It is the third quarterly rise in a row since the index launched. Over the year the same 76 postcodes added 79,072 stressed households (+21%).

Melbourne leads on size. Victoria’s top 10 added 10,501 stressed households in three months (+11%), the largest rise of any market, and now holds 104,325, the biggest total in the index.
Cairns produced the sharpest postcode jump in the country. Manunda (QLD 4870) rose 156% in a quarter, from 2,194 to 5,616 stressed households.
Tasmania rose fastest as a market. Every ranked Tasmanian postcode went up and the state’s total climbed 14% in three months. Perth, last quarter’s leader, slowed to +5%.

New this quarter: a separate edition for each of the six states and the ACT, each with its own top-10 table, a March-to-September tracker and a severe-stress list. Jump to NSW, Victoria, Queensland, WA, SA, Tasmania or the ACT, or download all eight PDFs under Downloads.

Net new stressed households by market — Q3 2026

Melbourne/VIC+10,501
Brisbane/QLD+6,295
Sydney/NSW+5,923
Perth/WA+3,994
Hobart/TAS+2,725
Adelaide/SA+1,418
Canberra/ACT+1,388

Total stressed households — Q2 vs Q3 2026

Melbourne/VIC93,824 → 104,325
Sydney/NSW88,536 → 94,459
Perth/WA72,807 → 76,801
Brisbane/QLD69,092 → 75,387
Adelaide/SA40,121 → 41,539
Canberra/ACT23,763 → 25,151
Hobart/TAS19,921 → 22,646

End Q2 2026   End Q3 2026

MarketPostcodesNet increase (Q3 2026)% change (qtr)Total stressed households
Melbourne/VIC10+10,501+11.2%104,325
Brisbane/QLD10+6,295+9.1%75,387
Sydney/NSW10+5,923+6.7%94,459
Perth/WA10+3,994+5.5%76,801
Hobart/TAS7+2,725+13.7%22,646
Adelaide/SA10+1,418+3.5%41,539
Canberra/ACT10+1,388+5.8%25,151

The seven markets shown add up to 440,308 stressed households. National totals also include ten Northern Territory postcodes, which are not reported separately this quarter.

Martin North, Principal of Digital Finance Analytics

“This past quarter has seen a marked rise in households experiencing mortgage stress across the country. Stress is spreading into more wealthy areas, who in theory have more buffers and options, but in practice have bigger living expenses, and bigger mortgages to match their bigger incomes. Next time, we expect stress to go higher still and continue to spread. We are at a tipping point.”

Martin North, Principal of Digital Finance Analytics
Mansour Soltani, Head of Research, OurTop10

“Melbourne is now the centre of the story: more stressed households than any other market, and the biggest rise. But the sharpest moves are in the regions — Cairns, Toowoomba, Launceston.”

Mansour Soltani, Head of Research, OurTop10

Biggest movers

Biggest quarterly increases

  1. QLD 4870 (Manunda, Cairns)+156%
  2. ACT 2614 (Macquarie, Canberra)+83%
  3. QLD 4053 (McDowall, Brisbane)+78%
  4. VIC 3030 (Derrimut, Wyndham)+54%
  5. WA 6163 (Samson, Cockburn)+50%
  6. NSW 2148 (Blacktown, Blacktown)+33%
  7. TAS 7249 (Youngtown, Launceston)+30%
  8. ACT 2611 (Weston, Canberra)+27%
  9. VIC 3029 (Tarneit, Wyndham)+26%
  10. TAS 7250 (Riverside, Launceston)+25%

Biggest annual increases

  1. ACT 2614 (Macquarie, Canberra)+84%
  2. QLD 4053 (McDowall, Brisbane)+69%
  3. SA 5038 (South Plympton, Marion)+68%
  4. ACT 2905 (Calwell, Canberra)+65%
  5. TAS 7249 (Youngtown, Launceston)+62%
  6. WA 6164 (Success, Cockburn)+60%
  7. VIC 3064 (Roxburgh Park, Hume)+53%
  8. TAS 7010 (Rosetta, Glenorchy)+50%
  9. NSW 2148 (Blacktown, Blacktown)+47%
  10. QLD 4870 (Manunda, Cairns)+47%

Ranked by percentage change in stressed households. Postcodes with no prior-period figure are excluded; movements off small bases (ACT, Tasmania) can be volatile.

Infographics you can use

Free to publish with credit to the OurTop10 Mortgage Stress Report. Click any picture to open it full size. Each state section below has its own, and all eleven are in the media kit.

Infographic: 450,539 households in mortgage stress across 77 ranked postcodes, up 31,318 in three monthsInfographic: stressed households by market, Melbourne highest at 104,325Infographic: the ten postcodes where mortgage stress rose fastest, led by Manunda in Cairns at +156%Infographic: the ten postcodes with the most stressed households, led by Liverpool at 15,553

Where stress is growing: March to September 2026

Each ranked postcode traced back through the March and June reports. Across the 71 postcodes with a March figure, stressed households rose from 353,131 to 419,989, up 19% in six months, and 64 of the 71 rose. The 15 fastest risers among the reported markets are below; each state section carries the full list for its market.

#PostcodeSuburbMarketSep 2025Mar 2026Jun 2026Sep 20266-month change
16163SamsonPerth/WA6,0322,3894,3686,539▲ +174%
26155Canning ValePerth/WA5,7712,4485,0286,072▲ +148%
34300Bellbird ParkBrisbane/QLD5,8825,3708,0347,838▲ +46%
44350ToowoombaBrisbane/QLD11,70010,22813,17814,853▲ +45%
56112ArmadalePerth/WA5,3394,3627,1706,316▲ +45%
62904MonashCanberra/ACT9861,0141,3891,423▲ +40%
73037SydenhamMelbourne/VIC7,2476,2638,6658,698▲ +39%
87140New NorfolkHobart/TAS2,0231,6592,2112,270▲ +37%
92148BlacktownSydney/NSW4,8815,3295,3877,189▲ +35%
105125Golden GroveAdelaide/SA3,0912,8023,5973,771▲ +35%
112614MacquarieCanberra/ACT9111,2639161,679▲ +33%
125251Mount BarkerAdelaide/SA3,5012,8683,2083,760▲ +31%
136164SuccessPerth/WA4,7825,8787,1977,665▲ +30%
146061BalgaPerth/WA4,4144,9266,0826,419▲ +30%
154305IpswichBrisbane/QLD6,4116,3026,8328,151▲ +29%

March figures come from the March 2026 extract or, where a postcode was not ranked in March, from the June extract’s prior-quarter column. The September 2025 column shows whether a rise is new pressure or a recovery of an earlier fall. Samson and Canning Vale in Perth, for example, are back near their year-ago levels after a dip in March.

New South Wales: top 10 mortgage stress postcodes

+7%THIS QUARTER
+21%OVER 12 MONTHS
9/10POSTCODES ROSE
94,459STRESSED HOUSEHOLDS, TOP 10
Biggest riser: 2148 Blacktown — +33% this quarter (5,387 → 7,189). Biggest six-month rise: 2148 Blacktown, +35% since March.

The ten worst-hit NSW postcodes now hold 94,459 stressed households. That is about 5,900 more than in June: up 6.7% for the quarter and 21.2% for the year. Nine of the ten went up.

Blacktown (2148) moved most, up 33% from 5,387 to 7,189. It also has the strongest annual growth in the state, at 47%. South Tamworth (2340) was next, up 19% from 6,379 to 7,608.

Liverpool (2170) is still the biggest hotspot in NSW, with 15,553 stressed households. That is 6% more than three months ago.

Most of the stress still sits in the south-west and north-west growth corridors: Liverpool, Campbelltown, Camden and Riverstone. Two regional centres, Tamworth and Orange, are now inside the NSW top 10.

Under pressure in Sydney? A local mortgage broker can review your loan and tell you what your options are.

Download the NSW edition (PDF) NSW data (CSV) Infographic: the most stressed postcodes in Sydney and New South Wales, September quarter 2026

Top 10 NSW postcodes – biggest quarterly risers first

#PostcodeSuburbLGAStressed now3 mos ago12 mos agoQtr changeAnnual change
12148BlacktownBlacktown7,1895,3874,881▲ +33.5%▲ +47.3%
22340South TamworthTamworth7,6086,3795,640▲ +19.3%▲ +34.9%
32800OrangeOrange7,4426,5876,549▲ +13.0%▲ +13.6%
42170LiverpoolLiverpool15,55314,70512,704▲ +5.8%▲ +22.4%
52171Hoxton ParkLiverpool7,3667,0025,495▲ +5.2%▲ +34.0%
62567Mount AnnanCamden8,6838,4587,084▲ +2.7%▲ +22.6%
72560CampbelltownCampbelltown13,29012,94611,842▲ +2.7%▲ +12.2%
82765RiverstoneBlacktown9,7379,4858,676▲ +2.7%▲ +12.2%
92770Mount DruittBlacktown6,6706,4985,943▲ +2.6%▲ +12.2%
102570CamdenCamden10,92111,0899,140▼ -1.5%▲ +19.5%

Six-month tracker – March to September 2026

#PostcodeSuburbSep 2025Mar 2026Jun 2026Sep 20266-month change
12148Blacktown4,8815,3295,3877,189▲ +35%
22570Camden9,1408,63611,08910,921▲ +26%
32171Hoxton Park5,4956,2537,0027,366▲ +18%
42170Liverpool12,70413,41814,70515,553▲ +16%
52567Mount Annan7,0847,5028,4588,683▲ +16%
62800Orange6,5496,7686,5877,442▲ +10%
72765Riverstone8,6768,8949,4859,737▲ +9%
82560Campbelltown11,84212,14012,94613,290▲ +9%
92770Mount Druitt5,9436,0936,4986,670▲ +9%
102340South Tamworth5,640–6,3797,608n/a*

Severe mortgage stress – top 10 NSW postcodes

#PostcodeSuburbLGASevere now3 mos ago12 mos agoQtr changeAnnual change
12047DrummoyneCanada Bay1,591224274▲ +610.3%▲ +480.7%
22077HornsbyHornsby1,555400–▲ +288.8%n/a*
32070LindfieldKu-ring-gai1,813980892▲ +85.0%▲ +103.3%
42093BalgowlahNorthern Beaches1,6521,1191,045▲ +47.6%▲ +58.1%
52031RandwickRandwick2,2421,769–▲ +26.7%n/a*
62075St IvesKu-ring-gai1,6121,335400▲ +20.7%▲ +303.0%
72088MosmanMosman3,0982,6121,722▲ +18.6%▲ +79.9%
82026Bondi BeachWaverley3,7103,274202▲ +13.3%▲ +1736.6%
92021PaddingtonSydney2,105–1,457n/a*▲ +44.5%
102209Beverly HillsCanterbury-Bankstown2,061–303n/a*▲ +580.2%

Ranked by quarterly change. Postcodes with no prior-period reading show n/a*; movements off small bases can be volatile.

Victoria: top 10 mortgage stress postcodes

+11%THIS QUARTER
+25%OVER 12 MONTHS
9/10POSTCODES ROSE
104,325STRESSED HOUSEHOLDS, TOP 10
Biggest riser: 3030 Derrimut — +54% this quarter (6,493 → 10,020). Biggest six-month rise: 3037 Sydenham, +39% since March.

Victoria has the biggest total in the index: 104,325 stressed households across its top 10 postcodes. The quarter added around 10,500, an 11.2% rise, and the annual increase is 25.4%. Nine of the ten postcodes rose.

Derrimut (3030) jumped 54%, from 6,493 to 10,020. Tarneit (3029) rose 26%, from 9,276 to 11,663. Both are in Wyndham, in Melbourne’s west.

Roxburgh Park (3064) is the largest hotspot and the fastest grower over the year: 13,624 stressed households, up 15% on the quarter and 53% in 12 months.

The western growth belt is now moving as fast as the south-east, and Roxburgh Park in Hume has overtaken the Casey corridor as the state’s biggest single hotspot.

In Melbourne and feeling the squeeze? A local mortgage broker can go through your loan with you.

Download the VIC edition (PDF) VIC data (CSV) Infographic: the most stressed postcodes in Melbourne and Victoria, September quarter 2026

Top 10 VIC postcodes – biggest quarterly risers first

#PostcodeSuburbLGAStressed now3 mos ago12 mos agoQtr changeAnnual change
13030DerrimutWyndham10,0206,4937,243▲ +54.3%▲ +38.3%
23029TarneitWyndham11,6639,2768,426▲ +25.7%▲ +38.4%
33064Roxburgh ParkHume13,62411,8758,926▲ +14.7%▲ +52.6%
43350BallaratBallarat10,8559,5479,013▲ +13.7%▲ +20.4%
53810PakenhamCardinia11,04210,4918,988▲ +5.3%▲ +22.9%
63806BerwickCasey10,3579,8789,036▲ +4.8%▲ +14.6%
73977CranbourneCasey8,8868,5098,018▲ +4.4%▲ +10.8%
83805Narre WarrenCasey11,57111,2729,729▲ +2.7%▲ +18.9%
93037SydenhamBrimbank8,6988,6657,247▲ +0.4%▲ +20.0%
103199FrankstonFrankston7,6097,8186,563▼ -2.7%▲ +15.9%

Six-month tracker – March to September 2026

#PostcodeSuburbSep 2025Mar 2026Jun 2026Sep 20266-month change
13037Sydenham7,2476,2638,6658,698▲ +39%
23029Tarneit8,4269,2229,27611,663▲ +26%
33064Roxburgh Park8,92611,25211,87513,624▲ +21%
43030Derrimut7,2438,3186,49310,020▲ +20%
53810Pakenham8,9889,29210,49111,042▲ +19%
63350Ballarat9,0139,1659,54710,855▲ +18%
73977Cranbourne8,0187,5128,5098,886▲ +18%
83805Narre Warren9,72910,19311,27211,571▲ +14%
93806Berwick9,0369,2639,87810,357▲ +12%
103199Frankston6,5637,0057,8187,609▲ +9%

Severe mortgage stress – top 10 VIC postcodes

#PostcodeSuburbLGASevere now3 mos ago12 mos agoQtr changeAnnual change
13184ElwoodPort Phillip1,989558–▲ +256.5%n/a*
23122HawthornBoroondara1,499624–▲ +140.2%n/a*
33124CamberwellBoroondara2,0251,118–▲ +81.1%n/a*
43146Glen IrisBoroondara1,6611,797–▼ -7.6%n/a*
53187Brighton EastBayside2,1662,460558▼ -12.0%▲ +288.2%
63101KewBoroondara1,7622,385–▼ -26.1%n/a*
73186BrightonBayside1,7992,653–▼ -32.2%n/a*
83104Balwyn NorthBoroondara1,5542,8652,385▼ -45.8%▼ -34.8%
93163CarnegieGlen Eira1,835––n/a*n/a*
103145Malvern EastStonnington1,398–807n/a*▲ +73.2%

Ranked by quarterly change. Postcodes with no prior-period reading show n/a*; movements off small bases can be volatile.

Queensland: top 10 mortgage stress postcodes

+9%THIS QUARTER
+22%OVER 12 MONTHS
7/10POSTCODES ROSE
75,387STRESSED HOUSEHOLDS, TOP 10
Biggest riser: 4870 Manunda — +156% this quarter (2,194 → 5,616). Biggest six-month rise: 4300 Bellbird Park, +46% since March.

Queensland’s top 10 postcodes hold 75,387 stressed households, about 6,300 more than in June. That is up 9.1% in three months and 21.7% over the year. Seven of the ten rose and three fell.

Manunda in Cairns (4870) went from 2,194 to 5,616, a 156% rise and the steepest of any postcode in Australia. McDowall (4053), in Brisbane, climbed 78% from 2,942 to 5,234.

Toowoomba (4350) is the largest hotspot with 14,853 stressed households, up 13% on the quarter. McDowall has grown fastest over 12 months, up 69%.

Much of Queensland’s stress is regional. Outside Sydney and Melbourne, no postcode in the country has more stressed households than Toowoomba.

Brisbane borrowers can ask a local mortgage broker to check whether a better deal is available.

Download the QLD edition (PDF) QLD data (CSV) Infographic: the most stressed postcodes in Brisbane and Queensland, September quarter 2026

Top 10 QLD postcodes – biggest quarterly risers first

#PostcodeSuburbLGAStressed now3 mos ago12 mos agoQtr changeAnnual change
14870ManundaCairns5,6162,1943,814▲ +156.0%▲ +47.2%
24053McDowallBrisbane5,2342,9423,102▲ +77.9%▲ +68.7%
34305IpswichIpswich8,1516,8326,411▲ +19.3%▲ +27.1%
44306Pine MountainIpswich7,3096,2827,401▲ +16.3%▼ -1.2%
54350ToowoombaToowoomba14,85313,17811,700▲ +12.7%▲ +26.9%
64352HighfieldsToowoomba6,2345,6395,050▲ +10.6%▲ +23.4%
74034GeebungBrisbane7,8587,6556,578▲ +2.7%▲ +19.5%
84300Bellbird ParkIpswich7,8388,0345,882▼ -2.4%▲ +33.3%
94152Camp HillBrisbane6,7068,1976,289▼ -18.2%▲ +6.6%
104740Mount PleasantMackay5,5888,1395,703▼ -31.3%▼ -2.0%

Six-month tracker – March to September 2026

#PostcodeSuburbSep 2025Mar 2026Jun 2026Sep 20266-month change
14300Bellbird Park5,8825,3708,0347,838▲ +46%
24350Toowoomba11,70010,22813,17814,853▲ +45%
34305Ipswich6,4116,3026,8328,151▲ +29%
44034Geebung6,5786,9227,6557,858▲ +14%
54352Highfields5,0505,6945,6396,234▲ +9%
64152Camp Hill6,2896,8578,1976,706▼ -2%
74740Mount Pleasant5,7036,2298,1395,588▼ -10%
84306Pine Mountain7,4018,3456,2827,309▼ -12%
94870Manunda3,814–2,1945,616n/a*
104053McDowall3,102–2,9425,234n/a*

Severe mortgage stress – top 10 QLD postcodes

#PostcodeSuburbLGASevere now3 mos ago12 mos agoQtr changeAnnual change
14218Mermaid WatersGold Coast515244–▲ +111.1%n/a*
24007AscotBrisbane392209–▲ +87.6%n/a*
34567Sunrise BeachNoosa631767–▼ -17.7%n/a*
44220MiamiGold Coast810––n/a*n/a*
54216Paradise PointGold Coast758––n/a*n/a*
64573YaroombaSunshine Coast721––n/a*n/a*
74553Mooloolah ValleySunshine Coast628––n/a*n/a*
84568PomonaNoosa329––n/a*n/a*
94069Chapel HillBrisbane264––n/a*n/a*
104116CalamvaleBrisbane243––n/a*n/a*

Ranked by quarterly change. Postcodes with no prior-period reading show n/a*; movements off small bases can be volatile.

Western Australia: top 10 mortgage stress postcodes

+5%THIS QUARTER
+22%OVER 12 MONTHS
8/10POSTCODES ROSE
76,801STRESSED HOUSEHOLDS, TOP 10
Biggest riser: 6163 Samson — +50% this quarter (4,368 → 6,539). Biggest six-month rise: 6163 Samson, +174% since March.

Perth has cooled since leading the country last quarter. WA’s top 10 postcodes added about 4,000 stressed households, a 5.5% rise, to reach 76,801. The total is up 21.7% over the year, and eight of the ten rose.

Samson (6163, Cockburn) rose 50%, from 4,368 to 6,539. Canning Vale (6155) rose 21%, from 5,028 to 6,072.

Wanneroo (6065) is the largest hotspot at 13,756 stressed households, up 2% on the quarter. Success (6164) has grown fastest over 12 months, up 60%.

Samson, Success and Canning Vale in the Cockburn–Canning belt all rose. Samson and Canning Vale have both more than doubled since March, but each is back near its September 2025 level after a dip in March, so that is a recovery more than new pressure.

Download the WA edition (PDF) WA data (CSV) Infographic: the most stressed postcodes in Perth and Western Australia, September quarter 2026

Top 10 WA postcodes – biggest quarterly risers first

#PostcodeSuburbLGAStressed now3 mos ago12 mos agoQtr changeAnnual change
16163SamsonCockburn6,5394,3686,032▲ +49.7%▲ +8.4%
26155Canning ValeCanning6,0725,0285,771▲ +20.8%▲ +5.2%
36230Carey ParkBunbury6,4525,8054,633▲ +11.1%▲ +39.3%
46164SuccessCockburn7,6657,1974,782▲ +6.5%▲ +60.3%
56061BalgaStirling6,4196,0824,414▲ +5.5%▲ +45.4%
66018InnalooStirling6,4406,1175,432▲ +5.3%▲ +18.6%
76065WannerooWanneroo13,75613,44212,780▲ +2.3%▲ +7.6%
86030MerriwaWanneroo9,4229,3077,531▲ +1.2%▲ +25.1%
96069EllenbrookSwan7,7208,2916,376▼ -6.9%▲ +21.1%
106112ArmadaleArmadale6,3167,1705,339▼ -11.9%▲ +18.3%

Six-month tracker – March to September 2026

#PostcodeSuburbSep 2025Mar 2026Jun 2026Sep 20266-month change
16163Samson6,0322,3894,3686,539▲ +174%
26155Canning Vale5,7712,4485,0286,072▲ +148%
36112Armadale5,3394,3627,1706,316▲ +45%
46164Success4,7825,8787,1977,665▲ +30%
56061Balga4,4144,9266,0826,419▲ +30%
66065Wanneroo12,78011,05513,44213,756▲ +24%
76030Merriwa7,5317,6809,3079,422▲ +23%
86069Ellenbrook6,3766,4548,2917,720▲ +20%
96018Innaloo5,4325,8046,1176,440▲ +11%
106230Carey Park4,6336,0375,8056,452▲ +7%

Severe mortgage stress – top 10 WA postcodes

#PostcodeSuburbLGASevere now3 mos ago12 mos agoQtr changeAnnual change
16153Mount PleasantMelville657311–▲ +111.3%n/a*
26008SubiacoSubiaco667421–▲ +58.4%n/a*
36156AttadaleMelville750551755▲ +36.1%▼ -0.7%
46011CottesloeCottesloe1,1551,125–▲ +2.7%n/a*
56159North FremantleFremantle619603–▲ +2.7%n/a*
66010Mount ClaremontNedlands2,364––n/a*n/a*
76014WembleyCambridge1,636––n/a*n/a*
86015City BeachCambridge1,012––n/a*n/a*
96026KingsleyJoondalup942––n/a*n/a*
106158East FremantleEast Fremantle634––n/a*n/a*

Ranked by quarterly change. Postcodes with no prior-period reading show n/a*; movements off small bases can be volatile.

South Australia: top 10 mortgage stress postcodes

+4%THIS QUARTER
+19%OVER 12 MONTHS
9/10POSTCODES ROSE
41,539STRESSED HOUSEHOLDS, TOP 10
Biggest riser: 5118 Gawler East — +23% this quarter (3,373 → 4,154). Biggest six-month rise: 5125 Golden Grove, +35% since March.

Adelaide was the steadiest of the big markets. Its top 10 postcodes hold 41,539 stressed households, about 1,400 more than in June: up 3.5% for the quarter and 19.0% for the year. Even so, nine of the ten rose.

Gawler East (5118, Gawler) led, up 23% from 3,373 to 4,154. Mount Barker (5251), in the hills, rose 17% from 3,208 to 3,760.

Paralowie (5108) is the largest hotspot with 7,475 stressed households, up 4% on the quarter. South Plympton (5038) has grown most over 12 months, up 68%.

Yattalunga (Playford) went the other way, falling sharply after a big rise last quarter.

Download the SA edition (PDF) SA data (CSV) Infographic: the most stressed postcodes in Adelaide and South Australia, September quarter 2026

Top 10 SA postcodes – biggest quarterly risers first

#PostcodeSuburbLGAStressed now3 mos ago12 mos agoQtr changeAnnual change
15118Gawler EastGawler4,1543,3732,961▲ +23.2%▲ +40.3%
25251Mount BarkerMount Barker3,7603,2083,501▲ +17.2%▲ +7.4%
35085ClearviewPort Adelaide Enfield4,5863,9753,187▲ +15.4%▲ +43.9%
45162Morphett ValeOnkaparinga4,5524,0353,766▲ +12.8%▲ +20.9%
55169Seaford RiseOnkaparinga3,6823,3603,229▲ +9.6%▲ +14.0%
65043MarionMarion3,4143,1812,535▲ +7.3%▲ +34.7%
75125Golden GroveTea Tree Gully3,7713,5973,091▲ +4.8%▲ +22.0%
85108ParalowieSalisbury7,4757,1736,204▲ +4.2%▲ +20.5%
95038South PlymptonMarion3,0883,0081,834▲ +2.7%▲ +68.4%
105114YattalungaPlayford3,0575,2114,613▼ -41.3%▼ -33.7%

Six-month tracker – March to September 2026

#PostcodeSuburbSep 2025Mar 2026Jun 2026Sep 20266-month change
15125Golden Grove3,0912,8023,5973,771▲ +35%
25251Mount Barker3,5012,8683,2083,760▲ +31%
35085Clearview3,1873,5833,9754,586▲ +28%
45169Seaford Rise3,2292,8943,3603,682▲ +27%
55108Paralowie6,2046,4247,1737,475▲ +16%
65162Morphett Vale3,7664,0834,0354,552▲ +11%
75118Gawler East2,9613,7943,3734,154▲ +9%
85038South Plympton1,8342,8213,0083,088▲ +9%
95114Yattalunga4,6133,6965,2113,057▼ -17%
105043Marion2,535–3,1813,414n/a*

Tasmania: top 7 mortgage stress postcodes

+14%THIS QUARTER
+21%OVER 12 MONTHS
7/7POSTCODES ROSE
22,646STRESSED HOUSEHOLDS, TOP 7
Biggest riser: 7249 Youngtown — +30% this quarter (1,669 → 2,163). Biggest six-month rise: 7140 New Norfolk, +37% since March.

All seven ranked Tasmanian postcodes rose, the only market where that happened. Together they hold 22,646 stressed households, around 2,700 more than in June. The 13.7% quarterly rise is the fastest of any market, and the annual rise is 21.1%.

Youngtown (7249), in Launceston, rose 30% from 1,669 to 2,163 and is up 62% over the year, the strongest annual growth in the state. Riverside (7250) rose 25%, from 5,978 to 7,446.

Riverside is also the state’s largest hotspot, so Launceston carries the biggest numbers this quarter.

Five postcodes ranked in June, including Kingston (7050), did not appear in the September sample, so the list is not a like-for-like match with last quarter.

Download the TAS edition (PDF) TAS data (CSV) Infographic: the most stressed postcodes in Hobart and Tasmania, September quarter 2026

Top 7 TAS postcodes – biggest quarterly risers first

#PostcodeSuburbLGAStressed now3 mos ago12 mos agoQtr changeAnnual change
17249YoungtownLaunceston2,1631,6691,335▲ +29.6%▲ +62.0%
27250RiversideLaunceston7,4465,9786,379▲ +24.6%▲ +16.7%
37010RosettaGlenorchy2,3812,0781,587▲ +14.6%▲ +50.0%
47011BerriedaleGlenorchy2,2812,0371,997▲ +12.0%▲ +14.2%
57140New NorfolkDerwent Valley2,2702,2112,023▲ +2.7%▲ +12.2%
67018WarraneClarence4,0033,9003,567▲ +2.6%▲ +12.2%
77009MoonahGlenorchy2,1022,0481,806▲ +2.6%▲ +16.4%

Percentage movements in smaller postcodes can be volatile quarter-to-quarter because of smaller household bases. The September extract lists seven distinct Tasmanian postcodes (three entries were repeated in the source data), so Tasmania’s figures cover seven ranked postcodes rather than ten.

Six-month tracker – March to September 2026

#PostcodeSuburbSep 2025Mar 2026Jun 2026Sep 20266-month change
17140New Norfolk2,0231,6592,2112,270▲ +37%
27011Berriedale1,9971,8602,0372,281▲ +23%
37249Youngtown1,3351,7951,6692,163▲ +21%
47010Rosetta1,5871,9762,0782,381▲ +20%
57009Moonah1,8061,8022,0482,102▲ +17%
67018Warrane3,5673,6573,9004,003▲ +9%
77250Riverside6,379–5,9787,446n/a*

Australian Capital Territory: top 10 mortgage stress postcodes

+6%THIS QUARTER
+18%OVER 12 MONTHS
8/10POSTCODES ROSE
25,151STRESSED HOUSEHOLDS, TOP 10
Biggest riser: 2614 Macquarie — +83% this quarter (916 → 1,679). Biggest six-month rise: 2904 Monash, +40% since March.

The ACT’s top 10 postcodes hold 25,151 stressed households, about 1,400 more than in June. That is a 5.8% rise for the quarter and 18.2% for the year. Eight of the ten rose.

Macquarie (2614), in the inner north, moved fastest. It went from 916 to 1,679 stressed households in three months, an 83% rise, and is up 84% over the year.

Amaroo (2914) is the territory’s largest hotspot with 5,531 stressed households, up 5% on the quarter. Weston (2611) bounced back 27%, from 2,510 to 3,192, after falling sharply last quarter.

Stress is still concentrated in Gungahlin and Tuggeranong.

Download the ACT edition (PDF) ACT data (CSV) Infographic: the most stressed postcodes in Canberra and the ACT, September quarter 2026

Top 10 ACT postcodes – biggest quarterly risers first

#PostcodeSuburbLGAStressed now3 mos ago12 mos agoQtr changeAnnual change
12614MacquarieCanberra1,679916911▲ +83.3%▲ +84.3%
22611WestonCanberra3,1922,5102,769▲ +27.2%▲ +15.3%
32906BanksCanberra1,6131,5031,167▲ +7.3%▲ +38.2%
42914AmarooCanberra5,5315,2755,040▲ +4.9%▲ +9.7%
52902KambahCanberra3,0712,9912,736▲ +2.7%▲ +12.2%
62904MonashCanberra1,4231,389986▲ +2.4%▲ +44.3%
72903WanniassaCanberra1,6901,6541,381▲ +2.2%▲ +22.4%
82615LathamCanberra3,0522,9943,043▲ +1.9%▲ +0.3%
92905CalwellCanberra1,9382,2411,174▼ -13.5%▲ +65.1%
102913NgunnawalCanberra1,9622,2902,074▼ -14.3%▼ -5.4%

Six-month tracker – March to September 2026

#PostcodeSuburbSep 2025Mar 2026Jun 2026Sep 20266-month change
12904Monash9861,0141,3891,423▲ +40%
22614Macquarie9111,2639161,679▲ +33%
32903Wanniassa1,3811,3591,6541,690▲ +24%
42914Amaroo5,0404,6965,2755,531▲ +18%
52902Kambah2,7362,8052,9913,071▲ +9%
62615Latham3,0432,8392,9943,052▲ +8%
72913Ngunnawal2,0741,8432,2901,962▲ +6%
82905Calwell1,1741,8362,2411,938▲ +6%
92906Banks1,1671,5611,5031,613▲ +3%
102611Weston2,7693,9222,5103,192▼ -19%

Local editions

Six local cuts of the September data for suburban and regional papers. Jump to Yarra Ranges, Fremantle and surrounds, The Hills Shire and Hawkesbury, Limestone Coast, Fleurieu Peninsula and southern Onkaparinga, Greater Perth.

Yarra Ranges: local edition

11,733STRESSED HOUSEHOLDS, 10 POSTCODES
+3.2%THIS QUARTER
+20.3%OVER 12 MONTHS
5/10POSTCODES ROSE

11,733 households are in mortgage stress across the ten Yarra Ranges postcodes with the most stressed households. That is 364 more than in June and 1,976 more than a year ago.

Chirnside Park nearly doubled. Stressed households in 3116 went from 491 to 938 in three months, a 91% rise.
Mount Evelyn and Belgrave are at the ceiling. Every borrowing household in 3796 and 3160 is counted as stressed, so those numbers now move with the number of borrowers.
It was an even split. Five of the ten postcodes rose this quarter and five fell. Upwey (down 22%) and Seville (down 19%) eased most.
Download the Yarra Ranges edition (PDF) Download the full media kit (ZIP) Download the numbers (CSV) Download the table as a picture (PNG) Martin North headshot Mansour Soltani headshot

Yarra Ranges mortgage stress infographic, September quarter 2026

Free to publish with credit to the OurTop10 Mortgage Stress Report. Click the picture for the full-size file.

Yarra Ranges – most stressed postcodes

#PostcodeSuburbCouncilStressed now3 mos ago12 mos agoQtr changeAnnual change
13796Mount EvelynYarra Ranges2,4452,3822,179▲ +2.6%▲ +12.2%
23160BelgraveYarra Ranges2,2572,1992,011▲ +2.6%▲ +12.2%
33765MontroseYarra Ranges1,4751,232925▲ +19.7%▲ +59.5%
43138MooroolbarkYarra Ranges1,4151,5071,747▼ -6.1%▼ -19.0%
53799WarburtonYarra Ranges1,2031,3281,024▼ -9.4%▲ +17.5%
63116Chirnside ParkYarra Ranges938491435▲ +91.0%▲ +115.6%
73797Gladysdale / Yarra JunctionYarra Ranges584529439▲ +10.4%▲ +33.0%
83158UpweyYarra Ranges565720356▼ -21.5%▲ +58.7%
93139SevilleYarra Ranges492610454▼ -19.3%▲ +8.4%
103775Yarra GlenYarra Ranges359371187▼ -3.2%▲ +92.0%

Ranked by households in mortgage stress, September 2026. Changes compare postcodes that have a figure in both periods; n/a* means no earlier figure. Small postcodes have small survey samples, so their numbers swing more. Figures are scaled up from a survey of about 4,500 households a month, so a suburb with no survey responses this quarter is not listed.

Martin North, Principal of Digital Finance Analytics

“To explain, it is quite possible for all households in a particular suburb to have cash flow stress, as they cut back on living expense, things like dental treatment, school fees, or insurance, to prioritise their mortgage payments.”

Martin North, Principal of Digital Finance Analytics
Mansour Soltani, Head of Research, OurTop10

“The Yarra Ranges has close to 2,000 more households in mortgage stress than a year ago. In Mount Evelyn and Belgrave every borrowing household is now counted as stressed. These are families whose bills outrun their income every month.”

Mansour Soltani, Head of Research, OurTop10

Fremantle and surrounds: local edition

17,829STRESSED HOUSEHOLDS, 6 POSTCODES
+13.5%THIS QUARTER
+26.8%OVER 12 MONTHS
2/6POSTCODES ROSE

17,829 households are in mortgage stress across six postcodes in and around Fremantle, up 13.5% in three months and 26.8% in a year. Almost all of the rise came from the Cockburn side.

Fremantle’s own postcodes fell. Fremantle (6160), Beaconsfield (6162) and North Fremantle (6159) went from 2,946 stressed households to 2,517, down 14.6%. They are still 11.1% higher than a year ago.
Samson jumped 50%. Stressed households in 6163 went from 4,368 to 6,539. That is mostly a recovery: the postcode is only 8% above its level a year ago.
Success is the biggest hotspot. 7,665 stressed households in 6164, up 6.5% on the quarter and 60% over the year.
Download the Fremantle and surrounds edition (PDF) Download the full media kit (ZIP) Download the numbers (CSV) Download the table as a picture (PNG) Martin North headshot Mansour Soltani headshot

Fremantle and surrounds mortgage stress infographic, September quarter 2026

Free to publish with credit to the OurTop10 Mortgage Stress Report. Click the picture for the full-size file.

Fremantle and surrounds – most stressed postcodes

#PostcodeSuburbCouncilStressed now3 mos ago12 mos agoQtr changeAnnual change
16164SuccessCockburn7,6657,1974,782▲ +6.5%▲ +60.3%
26163SamsonCockburn6,5394,3686,032▲ +49.7%▲ +8.4%
36160FremantleFremantle1,1251,168887▼ -3.7%▲ +26.8%
46166CoogeeCockburn1,1081,193984▼ -7.1%▲ +12.6%
56162BeaconsfieldFremantle7731,0891,065▼ -29.0%▼ -27.4%
66159North FremantleFremantle619689314▼ -10.2%▲ +97.1%

Ranked by households in mortgage stress, September 2026. Changes compare postcodes that have a figure in both periods; n/a* means no earlier figure. Figures are scaled up from a survey of about 4,500 households a month, so a suburb with no survey responses this quarter is not listed.

Severe mortgage stress: North Fremantle (6159) 619, from 603 three months ago; Fremantle (6160) 535, from 561 three months ago.

Martin North, Principal of Digital Finance Analytics

“Next time, we expect stress to go higher still and continue to spread. We are at a tipping point.”

Martin North, Principal of Digital Finance Analytics
Mansour Soltani, Head of Research, OurTop10

“Fremantle itself eased this quarter, but next door in Cockburn the numbers kept climbing. Success alone has 7,665 households in mortgage stress, 60% more than a year ago.”

Mansour Soltani, Head of Research, OurTop10

The Hills Shire and Hawkesbury: local edition

29,395STRESSED HOUSEHOLDS, 10 POSTCODES
-2.1%THIS QUARTER
+9.1%OVER 12 MONTHS
6/10POSTCODES ROSE

29,395 households are in mortgage stress across the ten most stressed postcodes in the Hills and Hawkesbury. The total slipped 2.1% this quarter but is 9.1% higher than a year ago.

The Hills rose, the Hawkesbury fell. The six postcodes wholly in the Hills went up 4.0% in three months to 15,765. The three Hawkesbury postcodes fell 27.8% to 3,893, led by Richmond (down 52%) and Pitt Town / Windsor (down 34%).
Two postcodes more than doubled. Glenhaven (2156) went from 539 to 1,228 stressed households and Kurrajong (2758) from 371 to 879.
Riverstone / Box Hill is the biggest by far. Postcode 2765 has 9,737 stressed households, which is every borrowing household in the postcode. Most of it sits in Blacktown, with parts in the Hills and Hawkesbury.
Download The Hills Shire and Hawkesbury edition (PDF) Download the full media kit (ZIP) Download the numbers (CSV) Download the table as a picture (PNG) Martin North headshot Mansour Soltani headshot

The Hills Shire and Hawkesbury mortgage stress infographic, September quarter 2026

Free to publish with credit to the OurTop10 Mortgage Stress Report. Click the picture for the full-size file.

The Hills Shire and Hawkesbury – most stressed postcodes

#PostcodeSuburbCouncilStressed now3 mos ago12 mos agoQtr changeAnnual change
12765Riverstone / Box HillHills / Blacktown9,7379,4858,676▲ +2.7%▲ +12.2%
22155Beaumont HillsThe Hills Shire5,5284,6544,444▲ +18.8%▲ +24.4%
32154Castle HillThe Hills Shire4,3345,2515,769▼ -17.5%▼ -24.9%
42153Baulkham HillsThe Hills Shire2,3112,7622,910▼ -16.3%▼ -20.6%
52756Pitt Town / WindsorHawkesbury2,2383,3922,280▼ -34.0%▼ -1.8%
62125West Pennant HillsThe Hills Shire1,6051,3031,161▲ +23.2%▲ +38.2%
72156GlenhavenThe Hills Shire1,228539281▲ +127.8%▲ +337.0%
82758KurrajongHawkesbury879371399▲ +136.9%▲ +120.3%
92753RichmondHawkesbury7761,628726▼ -52.3%▲ +6.9%
102158DuralThe Hills Shire759647296▲ +17.3%▲ +156.4%

Ranked by households in mortgage stress, September 2026. Changes compare postcodes that have a figure in both periods; n/a* means no earlier figure. Small postcodes have small survey samples, so their numbers swing more. Figures are scaled up from a survey of about 4,500 households a month, so a suburb with no survey responses this quarter is not listed.

Severe mortgage stress: Baulkham Hills (2153) 1,022, from 564 three months ago; Beaumont Hills (2155) 645, from 1,496 three months ago; West Pennant Hills (2125) 555, from 442 three months ago.

Martin North, Principal of Digital Finance Analytics

“Stress is spreading into more wealthy areas, who in theory have more buffers and options, but in practice have bigger living expenses, and bigger mortgages to match their bigger incomes.”

Martin North, Principal of Digital Finance Analytics
Mansour Soltani, Head of Research, OurTop10

“People think of the Hills and the Hawkesbury as comfortable, but Glenhaven and Kurrajong both more than doubled in three months. A big income does not help much when the mortgage and the bills are bigger again.”

Mansour Soltani, Head of Research, OurTop10

Limestone Coast: local edition

3,461STRESSED HOUSEHOLDS, 7 POSTCODES
-11.0%THIS QUARTER
+10.8%OVER 12 MONTHS
2/5POSTCODES ROSE (5 HAVE A JUNE FIGURE)

3,461 households are in mortgage stress across seven Limestone Coast postcodes. Mount Gambier (5290) accounts for almost half of them and is up 6.8% in three months.

Mount Gambier rose, the district around it fell. Stressed households in 5290 went from 1,470 to 1,570 this quarter. The surrounding district (5291) went from 1,047 to 645.
Millicent eased, but is well up on last year. 5280 fell 13.5% in three months to 712 stressed households. A year ago the figure was 483.
The Tatiara is mixed. Keith (5267) rose from 123 to 211 while Bordertown (5268) fell from 278 to 192. These are small postcodes, so the numbers swing more.
Download the Limestone Coast edition (PDF) Download the full media kit (ZIP) Download the numbers (CSV) Download the table as a picture (PNG) Martin North headshot Mansour Soltani headshot

Limestone Coast mortgage stress infographic, September quarter 2026

Free to publish with credit to the OurTop10 Mortgage Stress Report. Click the picture for the full-size file.

Limestone Coast – most stressed postcodes

#PostcodeSuburbCouncilStressed now3 mos ago12 mos agoQtr changeAnnual change
15290Mount GambierMount Gambier1,5701,4701,164▲ +6.8%▲ +34.9%
25280MillicentWattle Range712823483▼ -13.5%▲ +47.4%
35291Mount Gambier district (Ob Flat)Mount Gambier6451,0471,034▼ -38.4%▼ -37.6%
45267KeithTatiara211123–▲ +71.5%n/a*
55268BordertownTatiara19227888▼ -30.9%▲ +118.2%
65278KalangadooWattle Range80––n/a*n/a*
75270MundullaTatiara51–91n/a*▼ -44.0%

Ranked by households in mortgage stress, September 2026. Changes compare postcodes that have a figure in both periods; n/a* means no earlier figure. Small postcodes have small survey samples, so their numbers swing more. Figures are scaled up from a survey of about 4,500 households a month, so a suburb with no survey responses this quarter is not listed.

Martin North, Principal of Digital Finance Analytics

“While home prices are still below prices in the main centres, income growth has stalled, and costs are rising fast – especially extra costs relating to extended travel, as the fuel prices have risen.”

Martin North, Principal of Digital Finance Analytics
Mansour Soltani, Head of Research, OurTop10

“Mortgage stress is not only a capital city story. Mount Gambier has about 400 more stressed households than it did a year ago, and Millicent is up almost half.”

Mansour Soltani, Head of Research, OurTop10

Fleurieu Peninsula and southern Onkaparinga: local edition

18,476STRESSED HOUSEHOLDS, 13 POSTCODES
-3.1%THIS QUARTER
+11.4%OVER 12 MONTHS
6/12POSTCODES ROSE (12 HAVE A JUNE FIGURE)

18,476 households are in mortgage stress across thirteen postcodes from Morphett Vale to Yankalilla. The total is 11.4% higher than a year ago, though it eased 3.1% this quarter.

Adelaide’s southern suburbs are still rising. Morphett Vale (5162) is up 12.8% to 4,552 stressed households, Seaford Rise (5169) up 9.6% to 3,682 and Port Noarlunga South (5167) up 7.1%.
Further south it eased. Aldinga Beach (5173) fell 16.3% to 805. Wirrina Cove (5204) fell from 506 to 223 and Yankalilla (5203) from 121 to 82.
Strathalbyn’s postcode went the other way. 5255, listed as Langhorne Creek, rose 12% to 1,471 stressed households. Victor Harbor and Goolwa are not listed this quarter.
Download the Fleurieu Peninsula and southern Onkaparinga edition (PDF) Download the full media kit (ZIP) Download the numbers (CSV) Download the table as a picture (PNG) Martin North headshot Mansour Soltani headshot

Fleurieu Peninsula mortgage stress infographic, September quarter 2026

Free to publish with credit to the OurTop10 Mortgage Stress Report. Click the picture for the full-size file.

Fleurieu Peninsula and southern Onkaparinga – most stressed postcodes

#PostcodeSuburbCouncilStressed now3 mos ago12 mos agoQtr changeAnnual change
15162Morphett ValeOnkaparinga4,5524,0353,766▲ +12.8%▲ +20.9%
25169Seaford RiseOnkaparinga3,6823,3603,229▲ +9.6%▲ +14.0%
35163Onkaparinga HillsOnkaparinga1,8712,2001,967▼ -15.0%▼ -4.9%
45159Happy ValleyOnkaparinga1,6972,3271,717▼ -27.1%▼ -1.2%
55255Langhorne CreekAlexandrina1,4711,3131,272▲ +12.0%▲ +15.6%
65168Noarlunga CentreOnkaparinga1,2931,2601,008▲ +2.6%▲ +28.3%
75167Port Noarlunga SouthOnkaparinga996930754▲ +7.1%▲ +32.1%
85165Christies BeachOnkaparinga930906829▲ +2.6%▲ +12.2%
95173Aldinga BeachOnkaparinga805962845▼ -16.3%▼ -4.7%
105161ReynellaOnkaparinga658923773▼ -28.7%▼ -14.9%
115204Wirrina Cove / NormanvilleYankalilla223506154▼ -55.9%▲ +44.8%
125202MypongaYankalilla216–192n/a*▲ +12.5%
135203YankalillaYankalilla82121–▼ -32.2%n/a*

Ranked by households in mortgage stress, September 2026. Changes compare postcodes that have a figure in both periods; n/a* means no earlier figure. Small postcodes have small survey samples, so their numbers swing more. Figures are scaled up from a survey of about 4,500 households a month, so a suburb with no survey responses this quarter is not listed.

Martin North, Principal of Digital Finance Analytics

“While home prices are still below prices in the main centres, income growth has stalled, and costs are rising fast – especially extra costs relating to extended travel, as the fuel prices have risen.”

Martin North, Principal of Digital Finance Analytics
Mansour Soltani, Head of Research, OurTop10

“Morphett Vale and Seaford Rise both rose this quarter and are well up on a year ago. Between them that is more than 8,000 households spending more each month than they earn.”

Mansour Soltani, Head of Research, OurTop10

Greater Perth: local edition

86,047STRESSED HOUSEHOLDS, 12 POSTCODES
+10.0%THIS QUARTER
+23.2%OVER 12 MONTHS
10/12POSTCODES ROSE

86,047 households are in mortgage stress across Perth’s twelve most stressed postcodes. That is up 10.0% in three months and 23.2% in a year, and ten of the twelve rose.

Three postcodes jumped about 50% or more. Beckenham (6107) went from 3,233 to 5,240 stressed households, Henley Brook (6055) from 3,338 to 5,189 and Samson (6163) from 4,368 to 6,539.
Wanneroo is the biggest hotspot. 13,756 stressed households in 6065, up 2.3% on the quarter. Merriwa (6030) is next with 9,422.
Two postcodes eased. Armadale (6112) fell 11.9% and Ellenbrook (6069) fell 6.9%. Both are still about 20% higher than a year ago.
Download the Greater Perth edition (PDF) Download the full media kit (ZIP) Download the numbers (CSV) Download the table as a picture (PNG) Martin North headshot Mansour Soltani headshot

Greater Perth mortgage stress infographic, September quarter 2026

Free to publish with credit to the OurTop10 Mortgage Stress Report. Click the picture for the full-size file.

Greater Perth – most stressed postcodes

#PostcodeSuburbCouncilStressed now3 mos ago12 mos agoQtr changeAnnual change
16065WannerooWanneroo13,75613,44212,780▲ +2.3%▲ +7.6%
26030MerriwaWanneroo9,4229,3077,531▲ +1.2%▲ +25.1%
36069EllenbrookSwan7,7208,2916,376▼ -6.9%▲ +21.1%
46164SuccessCockburn7,6657,1974,782▲ +6.5%▲ +60.3%
56163SamsonCockburn6,5394,3686,032▲ +49.7%▲ +8.4%
66018InnalooStirling6,4406,1175,432▲ +5.3%▲ +18.6%
76061BalgaStirling6,4196,0824,414▲ +5.5%▲ +45.4%
86112ArmadaleArmadale6,3167,1705,339▼ -11.9%▲ +18.3%
96155Canning ValeCanning6,0725,0285,771▲ +20.8%▲ +5.2%
106062MorleyBayswater5,2694,6543,702▲ +13.2%▲ +42.3%
116107BeckenhamCanning5,2403,2333,113▲ +62.1%▲ +68.3%
126055Henley BrookSwan5,1893,3384,580▲ +55.5%▲ +13.3%

Ranked by households in mortgage stress, September 2026. Changes compare postcodes that have a figure in both periods; n/a* means no earlier figure. Figures are scaled up from a survey of about 4,500 households a month, so a suburb with no survey responses this quarter is not listed. This list is Greater Perth only; the WA state edition ranks the whole state, including Bunbury, so its totals differ.

Severe mortgage stress: Mount Claremont (6010) 2,364, no earlier figure; Wembley (6014) 1,636, no earlier figure; Cottesloe (6011) 1,155, from 1,125 three months ago; City Beach (6015) 1,012, no earlier figure.

Martin North, Principal of Digital Finance Analytics

“Next time, we expect stress to go higher still and continue to spread. We are at a tipping point.”

Martin North, Principal of Digital Finance Analytics
Mansour Soltani, Head of Research, OurTop10

“Beckenham and Henley Brook both jumped more than 55% in three months, and ten of the twelve Perth postcodes on this list went up. That is a lot of households whose bills now outrun their income.”

Mansour Soltani, Head of Research, OurTop10

Severe mortgage stress

MORTGAGE STRESSThe household’s regular monthly expenses, including the home loan repayment, add up to more than its income. It is running at a cash-flow loss, but is usually still making repayments — by cutting spending, drawing down savings or using credit.
SEVERE MORTGAGE STRESSThe same cash-flow gap, but much deeper and persistent. These households can no longer paper over it: they are behind on repayments, trying to refinance, seeking hardship help from their lender, or putting the property on the market.

The fastest-growing severe-stress postcodes this quarter are mostly established and affluent suburbs rather than outer growth corridors. Drummoyne (NSW 2047) rose 610%, from 224 to 1,591 households. Hornsby (+289%) and Elwood (+256%) followed. Bondi Beach (NSW 2026) is the largest severe-stress hotspot across the four states covered, at 3,710 households.

Top 10 severe stress risers – national

#PostcodeSuburbMarketSevere now3 mos agoQtr change
12047DrummoyneSydney/NSW1,591224▲ +610%
22077HornsbySydney/NSW1,555400▲ +289%
33184ElwoodMelbourne/VIC1,989558▲ +256%
43122HawthornMelbourne/VIC1,499624▲ +140%
56153Mount PleasantPerth/WA657311▲ +111%
64218Mermaid WatersBrisbane/QLD515244▲ +111%
74007AscotBrisbane/QLD392209▲ +88%
82070LindfieldSydney/NSW1,813980▲ +85%
93124CamberwellMelbourne/VIC2,0251,118▲ +81%
106008SubiacoPerth/WA667421▲ +58%

Ranked by quarterly percentage change in severely stressed households. Postcodes with no prior-quarter reading are excluded; movements off small bases can be volatile. The September extract carries severe-stress lists for NSW, Victoria, Queensland and WA only.

Who is under pressure

01
Recent first home buyers. Buyers who entered with small deposits — including users of the Government’s 5% deposit scheme — carry large mortgages relative to income. DFA’s ‘young growing families’ segment is especially exposed.
02
Urban-fringe households. Families in newer outer-suburban estates face higher basic living costs from longer commutes, higher transport costs and multiple vehicles. Roxburgh Park, Tarneit, Derrimut and Cranbourne in Melbourne, and Riverstone and Camden in Sydney, fit this pattern.
03
Affluent, heavily leveraged households. Stress is appearing in wealthier suburbs where large mortgages sit alongside investment properties now losing money in cash-flow terms. This quarter’s severe-stress risers are mostly in this group.

Methodology

The data comes from research by Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) and is based on a simple idea: what matters isn’t how much of your income goes to your mortgage — it’s whether you have any money left at the end of the month.

Mortgage stress refers to owner-occupier households in negative monthly cash flow, where regular expenses — including utilities, insurance, transport and day-to-day living costs — exceed income. That’s a different lens to the usual ‘30% of income’ rule, and it tends to reflect real pressure more accurately.

Data is captured from a rolling survey of around 4,500 households each month, scaled to the broader population and aligned with Census and lending data. Analysis is at postcode level; smaller areas can be less reliable, and percentage moves off small bases can be volatile. Figures reflect each state/territory’s top 10 ranked postcodes, which extend beyond strict metro boundaries. Suburb and LGA pairings are DFA representative localities derived from ABS statistical zones, not 1:1 postcode matches.

* n/a: no prior-period figure available, so a percentage change cannot be calculated. Tasmania’s September extract lists seven distinct postcodes (three entries were repeated in the source data), so the index covers 77 postcodes this quarter. National totals include ten Northern Territory postcodes, which are not reported separately this quarter.

FAQs

What is mortgage stress?

Mortgage stress refers to owner-occupier households in negative monthly cash flow — where regular expenses, including mortgage repayments, exceed income.

What is the difference between mortgage stress and severe mortgage stress?

Mortgage stress means a household's monthly outgoings, including the mortgage, exceed its income — it is cash-flow negative but generally still paying. Severe mortgage stress means that gap is deep and ongoing, and the household has already fallen behind on repayments, is trying to refinance, has asked its lender for hardship help, or is selling. Severe stress is a subset of mortgage stress.

Why might DFA mortgage stress results differ from other datasets?

DFA's model measures household financial pressure at a cash-flow level — whether regular income covers all ongoing expenses, not just mortgage repayments. Unlike the common '30% of gross income' rule, it identifies households running at a cash-flow deficit after all major living costs, which can produce different results to narrower surveys.

Is the data based on actual household data, modelling, or both?

Both. Around 4,500 households are surveyed each month, a rolling base of about 52,000 or roughly 0.5% of households, optimised against Census data, migration trends and postcode-level demographics, then scaled to Australia's roughly 10 million households and benchmarked against Census and RBA lending exposure data.

Why do some postcodes show close to 100% of mortgaged households in stress?

As a postcode approaches the upper bound, the model reports approximately 100% (with a margin of roughly ±2% depending on sample size). In those postcodes the quarterly change tracks the change in the number of borrowing households.

Why are the state lists not limited to the capital city?

The ranking covers the whole state or territory. Where a regional postcode has more stressed households than a metropolitan one, it ranks ahead of it — which is why Toowoomba, Cairns, Launceston and Tamworth appear in their state lists.

Downloads & media

All data in this report was produced by Digital Finance Analytics and is reproduced with permission. When reporting on these findings, please attribute to “the OurTop10 Mortgage Stress Report, powered by Digital Finance Analytics” and link to https://ourtop10.com.au/reports/mortgage-stress/.

Download the national report (PDF) Journalist cheat sheet — the report on one page Media kit — cheat sheet, city one-pagers + infographics Full pack — all eight PDFs, tables + infographics

State and territory editions

New South WalesNSW edition – PDFVictoriaVIC edition – PDFQueenslandQLD edition – PDFWestern AustraliaWA edition – PDFSouth AustraliaSA edition – PDFTasmaniaTAS edition – PDFAustralian Capital TerritoryACT edition – PDF

Data files

Full datasetExcel workbook, all marketsAll marketsCSVSix-month trackerCSVSevere stressCSVBiggest moversCSVNSW top 10CSVVIC top 10CSVQLD top 10CSVWA top 10CSVSA top 10CSVTAS top 10CSVACT top 10CSV

Media contact: Mansour Soltani, Head of Research · 0405 500 981 · [email protected]

Previous releases

Mortgage Stress Report — Q2 2026 · Mortgage Stress Report — Q1 2026

Where this report has been covered

Coverage of the Q3 2026 report:

Coverage of the Q2 2026 report: