The three-bedroom property at 15 Glenlyon Drive, Wulguru, is for lease for $620 per week. Picture: realestate.com.au
Townsville rents have shot up in the past 12 months despite a flat start to 2025, with new data showing Townsville tenants were now paying $540 on average to rent a house.
The latest REA Group Market Insight found the Townsville median dwelling rent increased 8.5 per cent year-on-year and 2 per cent quarter-on-quarter in March to sit at $510 per week.
Townsville house rents remained unchanged in the March quarter but were up 8 per cent year-on-year to sit at $540 on average.
Unit rents were up 1.2 per cent since the start of 2025 and 7.5 per cent since March 2024 to a median of $540 per week.
Ray White Townsville managing director, Santo Spinella said while the Townsville rental market was beginning to stabilise, the lower end of the market continued to drive growth.
“Lower rents are being increased to meet the market, which is driving that median price higher across the board,” he said.
Ray White Townsville managing director Santo Spinella pictured with fellow managing director Giovanni Spinella.
Mr Spinella said strong demand and lack of supply were also playing a part in rent increases.
“The market is still very tight and we’ve definitely seen a reduction in investors in the market, so there is less rental stock coming to the market,” he said.
“There’s also a lack of new builds coming out of the ground.”
Mr Spinella said rental demand remained high off the back of population growth, including an increase in the number of military members being posted to Townsville.
“I don’t see (the rental market) changing in the next 12 months,” he said.
“We’ll continue to see supply restraints and high demand.”
The REA report showed Regional Queensland, along with Regional Wester Australia, recorded the highest weekly rents of any regional area in the country, sitting at $650 on average.
The median rent in Regional Queensland surged 3.2 per cent in the past three months and 8.2 per cent in the year to March.
The home at 2 Fantail Ct, Douglas, is for rent for $500 per week. Picture: realestate.com.au
Regional Queensland house rents shot up 6.2 per cent year-on-year to a median of $650, despite flat growth in the March quarter.
The average weekly rent for a unit increased 6.1 per cent year-on-year and 1.7 per cent quarter-on-quarter to $610.
Brisbane recorded the highest annual growth in rents among capital cities, lifting 8.3 per cent since March 2024 to a median of $650.
REA Group senior economist, Anne Flaherty said nationally, rents were up 5 per cent year-on-year to a median of $630, but while rents were rising at a quicker pace in 2025, rent growth remained well below the peak levels seen in2022 and 2023.
“Sydney remains the most expensive city to rent in, with renters paying an additional $70 per week compared with those in the second most expensive city, Perth,” she said.
“Compared with Melbourne, a renter in Sydney is typically paying $9,100 more per year in rent.
“Melbourne is the second cheapest capital city to rent in, behind only Hobart, maintaining its relative affordability.
“It is also the capital with the smallest gap between median house and unit rents.
“Looking ahead, the more modest pace of rent growth seen over the past 12 months is expected to continue throughout the rest of this year.”
TOWNSVILLE RENTAL GROWTH – MARCH 2025
| Houses | Units | Dwellings | ||||||
| Median weekly rent | Q-O-Q change | Y-O-Y change | Median weekly rent | Q-O-Q change | Y-O-Y change | Median weekly rent | Q-O-Q change | Y-O-Y change |
| $540 | 0.00% | 8.00% | $430 | 1.20% | 7.50% | $510 | 2.00% | 8.50% |
(Source: REA)
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