Sydney City and Inner South as well as Parramatta were shock inclusions in the list.
A new liveability study has revealed a grim reality, with many of popular areas now ranked among Australia’s worst places to live.
The findings come from health insurance comparison service iSelect, which set out to measure whether Australians are truly happy where they live – and how location impacts health, wellbeing and lifestyle outcomes.
Areas that are now seeing some of the biggest growth in the country for housing estates were on the list which was led by Greater Brisbane region’s Moreton Bay North.
Moreton Bay South has popular facilities for lifestyle buyers.
n iSelect statement said where people live “doesn’t just shape our lives and routines – it can affect our health and wellbeing”, adding that feeling settled and connected can reduce stress, support mental health, and even contribute to a longer, healthier life.
The result saw some shock inclusions in the bottom 25 SA4 regions for liveability – led by Brisbane’s Moreton Bay North, which ranked as the worst on the list and is also one of the fastest-growing housing development areas in the country.
It includes suburbs and regions such as Sydney’s Blacktown, Parramatta, City and Inner South, Adelaide’s North, NSW’s Hunter Valley, Melbourne’s Inner, West and North West, Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, Mandurah in WA, and Brisbane’s Ipswich and Logan–Beaudesert.
The assessment looked at 88 SA4 regions across Australia, analysing 10 key factors including income, employment, health, safety, environment, housing affordability and community connection.
It also compared liveability outcomes with health metrics to better understand whether the most liveable regions were associated with stronger physical and mental wellbeing.
Canals and homes of Mandurah in Western Australia – an SA4 region which was also a shock inclusion on the list.
The result is a national snapshot of where Australians are least likely to feel they can thrive.
Many of the lowest-ranked regions recorded weaker results across key measures such as housing affordability pressure, commute times, access to healthcare, safety and overall work-life balance.
Queensland – currently experiencing one of its biggest housing and population booms in history – dominates the bottom tier, particularly across fast-growing outer suburban corridors and regional centres.
Several parts of Sydney’s west – including Parramatta, Blacktown and surrounding growth corridors – also appear on the list, reflecting the strain of rapid population growth in established metro regions.
Melbourne and Adelaide suburbs, along with regional centres in Western Australia and New South Wales, also feature among the lowest-ranked areas, reinforcing a broader national trend where Australia’s fastest-growing housing markets are not consistently delivering the strongest liveability outcomes.
The suburbs remain popular with first-home buyers and families seeking affordability, but the trade-offs is liveability according to these results – particularly around infrastructure strain, lifestyle balance and access to services.
Australia’s 25 lowest-ranked liveability regions
Moreton Bay – North (QLD)
Northern Territory – Outback (NT)
Ipswich (QLD)
Logan – Beaudesert (QLD)
Wide Bay (QLD)
Western Australia – Outback (North) (WA)
Queensland – Outback (QLD)
Mandurah (WA)
Hunter Valley (exc Newcastle) (NSW)
Sydney – City and Inner South (NSW)
Townsville (QLD)
Adelaide – North (SA)
Central Queensland (QLD)
Far West and Orana (NSW)
Melbourne – North West (VIC)
Sydney – South West (NSW)
Melbourne – West (VIC)
Western Australia – Outback (South) (WA)
New England and North West (NSW)
Melbourne – Inner (VIC)
Sydney – Parramatta (NSW)
Murray (NSW)
Sydney – Outer South West (NSW)
Sydney – Blacktown (NSW)
Mornington Peninsula (VIC)
(Source: iSelect)
Australia’s 25 best liveability regions
Sydney – Sutherland (New South Wales)
Adelaide – Central and Hills (South Australia)
Sydney – Northern Beaches (New South Wales)
Sydney – Baulkham Hills and Hawkesbury (New South Wales)
Perth – Inner (Western Australia)
Warrnambool and South West (Victoria)
Sydney – North Sydney and Hornsby (New South Wales)
Western Australia – Wheat Belt (Western Australia)
Melbourne – Outer East (Victoria)
Brisbane – West (Queensland)
Bunbury (Western Australia)
Melbourne – Inner East (Victoria)
Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
South Australia – South East (South Australia)
Hobart (Tasmania)
Hume (Victoria)
Barossa – Yorke – Mid North (South Australia)
Melbourne – Inner South (Victoria)
Capital Region (New South Wales)
Perth – North West (Western Australia)
Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven (New South Wales)
Sunshine Coast (Queensland)
Adelaide – South (South Australia)
Sydney – Ryde (New South Wales)
South East (Tasmania)
(Source: iSelect)
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