State Demand & Supply Analysis
State-level housing demand vs supply: waitlist trends, building approvals, social housing completions, and demographics.
Waitlist (2024)
24,600
+9.8% YoY
Annual Approvals
20,000
74% detached houses
Social Completions
980
+240 affordable
Years to Clear Waitlist
25
At current delivery rate
Western Australia — DPLH — Dept. of Planning, Lands and Heritage
WA's waitlist hit a decade low in 2019–20 as the mining boom's affordability pressure eased, but has since surged 43% in four years driven by post-COVID population growth, interstate migration, and a rental market vacancy rate under 1%. Supply is overwhelmingly detached houses — but over half of waitlist applicants are singles who need 1–2 bedroom apartments or units. The mismatch between what's being built and what's needed is structural.
WA's waitlist hit a decade low in 2019–20 as the mining boom's affordability pressure eased, but has since surged 43% in four years driven by post-COVID population growth, interstate migration, and a rental market vacancy rate under 1%. Supply is overwhelmingly detached houses — but over half of waitlist applicants are singles who need 1–2 bedroom apartments or units. The mismatch between what's being built and what's needed is structural.
Accessible vs Private Supply (%)
6.1% accessible · 93.9% private
Building Approvals by Type
Social + Affordable Completions
Supply Reality: Western Australia is delivering 6.1% accessible housing from its total approvals pipeline of 20,000 dwellings/year. Against a waitlist of 24,600, at current delivery rates it would take approximately 25 years to clear the list — assuming no new applications.
Waitlist Trend — Western Australia
State Comparison — Waitlist 2024
Waitlist Demographics — Western Australia
Household Size Trend — Western Australia
Declining household size means each person added to the population requires more dwellings.