By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Rental and mortgage stress has more than doubled in Greater Dandenong, according to Census 2021 data released on 27 June.
Since the 2016 census, households are paying more than 10 per cent more for housing.
Rental stress stuck a third of tenant households – up from 14 per cent in 2016.
Mortgage stress also soared, striking 22 per cent of mortgagee households. The rate was just 9 per cent in 2016.
Both rates were higher than the Victorian average.
Housing stress is defined by rent or mortgage payments absorbing 30 per cent or more of household income.
In Greater Dandenong, 35 per cent of residents are renting – higher than the 29 per cent state average.
Median weekly rents rose 15 per cent from $300 to $346, with the most rent-stress in Bangholme (36 per cent), Dandenong South (48 per cent), and Dandenong (35.8 per cent).
It should be noted Dandenong South’s sample was low – just 125 people.
The most affordable rents were in Dandenong ($319 a week), Bangholme ($176), Dandenong South ($245), Eumemmerring ($323) and Noble Park ($341).
The most expensive were in Keysborough ($421) and Lyndhurst ($430).
Meanwhile, median monthly mortgage repayments in Greater Dandenong went up 11.5 per cent from $1600 to $1785.
Mortgage-stress was highest in Bangholme (32 per cent), Doveton (23.8 per cent) and Dandenong (23.7 per cent).
Median mortgage repayments were also highest in Lyndhurst and Keysborough – both $2167.
Overall, household income was up Greater Dandenong from $1168 to $1453 – still well short of the state average of $1759 and neighbouring city Casey’s $1918.
The gap between the most affluent suburb Lyndhurst ($2446) doubled Dandenong South ($821), Eumemmerring ($1257), Dandenong ($1267) and Doveton ($1273).
The most common residence type were three-bedroom houses (down 1 per cent to 46 per cent). Townhouses were up by 1 per cent to 18 per cent, and flats down 1 per cent to 10 per cent.
In the five years between 2016-’21, Greater Dandenong’s population grew to 158,208 (up more than 6000).
Most of the growth was in Keysborough, up 4233 to 30,018. It closed in on Greater Dandenong’s largest suburbs Noble Park (32,357) and Dandenong (30,127).
