55.9% of 3011 rented. A one-bed prints $450. The Census already asked if those households could pay it.
The 2021 Census printed 29.2% of Footscray renter households in rental stress: rent greater than 30% of household income. West Footscray was 26.0%. Victoria was 30.9%. So 3011 was not worse than the state on the rate. It was a renter suburb walking into a $450 one-bed. Median weekly household income was $1,763 in 3011 against $1,759 statewide. That median includes owners. RAID is renters only, August 2021, not this morning's Domain ad. Inspect after 9pm. Then open Domain.
Retrieved 2026-09-20. Licence CC BY 4.0.
Street fact
Were Footscray renters in rental stress?
29.2%of 3011 renter households paid more than 30% of income in rent.2021 Census RAID
Rent over 30% of income
Below Victoria. The renter pool is the story.
Footscray 3011
29.2%
West Footscray 3012
26.0%
Victoria
30.9%
Rent 30% or less
Footscray 3011
63.9%
West Footscray 3012
67.0%
Victoria
60.7%
What this hides. 29.2% is not worse than Victoria at 30.9%. West Footscray is 26.0%. The tell is tenure: 55.9% of occupied 3011 dwellings were rented. A slightly lower stress rate on a much larger renter pool is still a lot of households. 1,202 renter households in Footscray printed over the line. RAID is 2021 occupied renters, not a 2025 bond, and not comparable with 2016 QuickStats.
See the full table
Renter households, 2021 Census QuickStats RAID. Footscray SAL20935, West Footscray SAL22756, Victoria on the same table. Not all occupied dwellings.
Measure
Footscray 3011
West Footscray 3012
Victoria
Rent over 30% of income
29.2%
26.0%
30.9%
Rent 30% or less
63.9%
67.0%
60.7%
Unable to determine
7.0%
7.3%
8.4%
The rate is not the scandal. 55.9% of 3011 already rented. Zoom into those renter households and most still cleared the 30% line on paper.
Street fact
Did most 3011 renters clear the 30% line?
63.9%of 3011 renter households paid 30% or less. 29.2% did not.2021 Census RAID, Footscray 3011
Footscray 3011 renter households
3011 renter households only. 7.0% could not be determined.
Rent over 30% of income29.2%
Rent 30% or less63.9%
What this hides. Do not add 29.2 and 63.9 and call it 100. 7.0% of 3011 renter households could not be determined because income or rent was missing. 2,634 households printed 30% or less. 1,202 printed over. Counts have ABS random adjustments, so they will not rebuild a perfect total. This is not a 2026 stress rate.
See the full table
Same RAID table as the card above. The split is Footscray 3011 only. West Footscray and Victoria stay in the fold-out table.
Measure
Footscray 3011
West Footscray 3012
Victoria
Rent over 30% of income
29.2%
26.0%
30.9%
Rent 30% or less
63.9%
67.0%
60.7%
Unable to determine
7.0%
7.3%
8.4%
So most 3011 renters cleared the line in 2021. The median household looks almost Victorian. That median is the trap.
Street fact
Did the median household have the money?
$1,763median weekly household income in 3011. Victoria printed $1,759.2021 Census median weekly income
Household
Almost the state household median
Footscray 3011
$1,763
West Footscray 3012
$1,989
Victoria
$1,759
Personal
Footscray 3011
$916
West Footscray 3012
$1,003
Victoria
$803
What this hides. Household income is every occupied dwelling, owners included. RAID is renters only. Do not divide a 2025 $450 one-bed by this $1,763 and call it today's stress. West Footscray household income is $1,989. Personal income in 3011 is $916, above Victoria at $803, because lone-person households are 37.6% against 25.9% statewide. The median household is not a renter.
See the full table
Median weekly incomes, 2021 Census. Household and family are place of enumeration. Personal is usual residence, people aged 15 and over. Not renter-only income.
Measure
Footscray 3011
West Footscray 3012
Victoria
Household
$1,763
$1,989
$1,759
Personal
$916
$1,003
$803
Family
$2,296
$2,586
$2,136
55.9% rent. $450 one-bed on the bond file. 29.2% of renter households already over the line in 2021. Inspect after 9pm. Then open Domain. Sign the street you walked.
Geography
Suburb and Locality 2021 boundaries. Footscray is SAL20935. West Footscray is SAL22756. Victoria is the state comparator printed on the same QuickStats RAID table. RAID is renter households in occupied private dwellings, excluding visitor-only and other non-classifiable households. It is not Maribyrnong LGA and not comparable with 2016 QuickStats rent-stress rows. Small random adjustments protect confidentiality.
Questions people ask next
What does rental stress mean on this page?
ABS QuickStats RAID for renter households: rent payments greater than 30% of household income. It is not all dwellings. It is not owners. It is not a 2025 bond. Footscray printed 29.2%, West Footscray 26.0%, Victoria 30.9%.
Is Footscray worse than Victoria on rent stress?
Not on the 2021 rate. 29.2% against 30.9% statewide. West Footscray is 26.0%. The suburb is a renter machine: 55.9% of occupied 3011 dwellings were rented against 28.5% in Victoria. Cite the pool and the rate separately.
Can I use 29.2% as a 2026 budget?
No. RAID is August 2021 occupied renters. Homes Victoria one-beds are $450 on the moving annual to September 2025. Those are different machines. We do not print a 2026 stress rate because the ABS has not. Inspect after 9pm, then open Domain.
Does the $1,763 household median describe renters?
No. That is all occupied private dwellings in Footscray SAL20935. Owners lift it. West Footscray printed $1,989. Victoria printed $1,759. RAID stays the renter file.
Why do the RAID percentages not add to 100?
Unable to determine is a published slice: 7.0% in 3011, 7.3% in 3012, 8.4% in Victoria. Income or rent was missing. Small random adjustments also sit on every Census cell.