Overcrowding, structural problems: suburbs with worst housing exposed

ocopd 2026年1月1日

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Overcrowding, structural problems: suburbs with worst housing exposed

Housing in Sydney’s Parramatta was considered the worst in the country. Photo: Damian Shaw

Pockets of Sydney and Melbourne have been revealed to have the worst housing in the country, with thousands of properties plagued by defects, overcrowding and structural problems.

Many of the areas flagged as having the worst housing problems in the sweeping national survey of housing conditions were home to large numbers of high-density or newly built mid-rise apartments.

The study from iSelect analyzed SA4 constituencies across 21 factors, including housing conditions, climate, population health, and access to healthcare.

The aim was to highlight suburbs where residents are most at risk of substandard housing.

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The results showed that Sydney and Melbourne had the worst structural problems and overcrowding problems, which while not affecting the majority of homes, were more common than the national average.

iSelect’s Sophie Ryan said some of Australia’s biggest housing markets were facing “real housing challenges”.

“Issues such as cracked walls, sinking foundations and plumbing problems were common, making it even more difficult for residents,” he said. “These housing problems don’t just affect comfort, they can have a negative impact on health.”

At the top of the list is Parramatta, where 11.8 per cent of houses have structural problems, including 4.8 per cent with large cracks and 3.5 per cent with sinking or moving foundations.

Overcrowding is reported to affect 10 per cent of homes in Parramatta, making the area the worst housing situation in the country.

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Housing within Sydney also had frequent overcrowding problems.

“Overcrowding has been linked to higher levels of stress and poorer physical and mental health in children and adults,” Ms Ryan said.

Inner south-west Sydney and south-west Sydney showed similar housing problems, with high levels of plumbing problems and other structural defects.

Central Sydney areas such as the inner west and CBD and the inner south experienced the worst problems with overcrowding, indicating poor housing conditions were not confined to the inner or outer suburbs.

Melbourne also stood out, with the South East, North West, and West showing slightly different problems, but still ranked in the top 10 with the worst housing conditions.

These areas had fewer cracked walls or floors but had higher rates of other structural problems and persistent overcrowding, the study showed.

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Some areas with a high rate of new house construction have common structural problems, according to iSelect.

Other Sydney districts, including Blacktown and Ryde, rounded out the top ten.

“Being informed about local housing conditions is important because it helps residents understand potential hazards, plan maintenance or repairs, and make decisions that protect their homes and families,” said Ms. Ryan.

The regions of Australia with the strongest housing conditions were clustered in Western Australia.

Mandurah tops the list, with the least number of homes affected due to structural problems, large cracks or overcrowding.

Other areas in and around WA’s capital, including south-west Perth, Bunbury, and north-west Perth, show similarly strong results, with significantly lower rates of foundation problems and pipe problems.

More remote regions, such as the Wheat Belt and parts of rural WA have maintained good housing standards compared to the national average.

Inner and south-east Perth was also ranked among the top 10 areas for quality housing.