Home / Why Co-Living
A Structural Shift in How Victorians Live
Renting is now how nearly 1.7 million Victorians live. At the 2021 Census, 713,277 Victorian households were renting, 28.4% of all households, and 35.7% more than a decade earlier. Group households are projected to keep growing well ahead of the broader housing market.
Third-party data, shown for illustration only. Not financial advice.
Who's Renting
Singles, Couples, and the Shape of Demand
The rental market is not dominated by families. At Census 2021, Victorian rental households broke down as: one person 31.0%, couple with children 21.1%, couple with no children 19.8%, one parent 14.2%, and group households 9.5% (Renting in Victoria: Snapshot 2022). Roughly six in ten renting households are singles, couples without children, or groups, yet most new detached housing is built to a family template.
Purpose-built co-living homes are designed for the actual market: private ensuite rooms with generous shared living, layouts that suit professional management, and materials chosen for long-term durability.
Renting has scaled fast
713,277 Victorian households were renting at Census 2021, a 35.7% jump from 525,605 in 2011 and 15.6% up on 2016.
The rental squeeze
Melbourne unit rents rose almost 47% between March 2021 and September 2025, with vacancy near historic lows.
Group households growing
Victoria in Future 2023 projects group and other households to rise from 135,000 in 2021 to 179,000 by 2036, +33%.
Household size stays flat
Average Victorian household size is projected to stay at 2.5 people through 2036 even as total households grow from 2.57M to 3.36M (VIF 2023).
Where the Data Comes From
Figures on this page are drawn from two primary sources: Renting in Victoria: Snapshot 2022, Commissioner for Residential Tenancies (Census 2021 data) and Victoria in Future 2023, Victorian Government. We're happy to point you to the exact tables on request.
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