The changing face of share houses in Australia as cost of living bites

When we hear the term “share house” most of us think of uni students or people in their 20s hosting parties with a kitchen sink full of ice and bottles of wine. But that’s not the case anymore.

The type of people you see in your average share house in Australia is changing as more and more people look to save money due to the rising cost of living.

When we hear the term “share house” most of us think of university students or people in their 20s hosting parties with a kitchen sink full of ice and bottles of wine.

But due to the rising cost of living and a nationwide rental crisis, more people are looking for share accommodation, either as a creative way to find their next home or out of sheer necessity due to costs.

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Committee for Economic Development of Australia data shows there are 12 million spare rooms across the country and while we wait for new homes to be built, there’s an opportunity to work with what we have.

For flatmates.com.au, Australia’s largest share accommodation platform, 2023 has been its busiest year as more and more people use it.

And the demographics of those living in share houses today might surprise you.

The fastest growing age group is people aged 45-65, which has had a 10 per cent increase since May last year.

The result is that a spare room in Ivanhoe could earn an average of $250 a week.

But older Australians are also going into share houses for reasons other than financial.

Empty-nesters, divorcees or those who’ve lost a spouse and single parents are turning to share house living in search of companionship.

Having someone around the house to leave the light on, share a cuppa with or to work and share the weekly chores roster with, are just some of the many benefits that come with shared living.

Flatmates.com.au community manager Claudia Conley

And the ratio of people looking to rent a room still far outweighs the number available.

In Melbourne there are seven people looking for every room available on flatmates.com.au, with some suburbs, such as Fitzroy attracting 60 people for every room listed.

So, if you’re sitting in a spare room in your home thinking about the latest rate rise, consider renting it out to someone who needs a place to call home.

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Claudia Conley is community manager at flatmates.com.au

Originally published as The changing face of share houses in Australia as cost of living bites