Uplift Index

Uplift Index: where Australia isn't building enough homes

The Uplift Index compares population growth with new dwellings approved across Australian council areas, ranking each market by the gap between demand and supply. Areas with high scores are growing quickly but approving too few homes, signalling undersupply and development pressure.

State

Show small markets

Perth

Darwin

Brisbane

Sydney

Canberra

Melbourne

Adelaide

Hobart

Uplift Score

0–20

20–40

40–60

60–80

80–100

The 20 most undersupplied council areas

Ranked by Uplift Score.

Rank ↑	Council area	State	Uplift Score	New residents per new home	Homes approved (2024-25)
1	Cottesloe	WA	100	18.0	4
2	Strathfield	NSW	100	5.8	115
3	Moonee Valley	VIC	99	13.3	96
4	Joondalup	WA	99	5.5	440
5	Kingston (Vic.)	VIC	99	5.8	343
6	Whitehorse	VIC	98	7.1	343
7	Vincent	WA	98	4.3	161
8	Canning	WA	98	4.2	390
9	Bayswater	WA	97	5.0	224
10	Glen Eira	VIC	97	9.1	274
11	Kalamunda	WA	97	4.9	197
12	Perth	WA	96	3.5	208
13	Gosnells	WA	96	4.1	654
14	Manningham	VIC	96	7.0	222
15	Blacktown	NSW	96	4.4	2221
16	Maroondah	VIC	95	5.2	227
17	Monash	VIC	95	14.4	224
18	Greater Dandenong	VIC	95	6.1	316
19	Willoughby	NSW	94	7.8	103
20	Cambridge	WA	94	7.8	70

A figure around 2.5 means supply is keeping pace, since that's the average household size. Higher means more people are arriving than homes are being approved.

Data sources

The Uplift Index is built entirely from publicly available data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Population: ABS, Regional Population (cat. no. 3218.0), Estimated resident population and components of population change by Local Government Area, including births, deaths, net internal migration and net overseas migration.

Dwelling approvals: ABS, Building Approvals, Australia (cat. no. 8731.0), small area data by Local Government Area. Total dwelling units approved, all sectors, all types of work.

Demolitions: ABS, Building Approvals, Australia, dwellings approved for demolition by Local Government Area.

Household size: the national average of approximately 2.5 people per household, ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021.

Boundaries and map locations: ABS, Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3, Local Government Areas.

ABS material is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics. The Uplift Index is the work of Laurent Visuals and is not produced, endorsed or verified by the ABS.

Current data: Population to 30 June 2025; approvals to July 2026. Dwelling approvals are updated monthly. Population data is updated annually, usually in March.

How the score is calculated

For each council area, population growth is compared with the number of new dwellings approved (less demolitions) over the same period. The Uplift Score combines the latest year (50%), the three-year average (20%), the recent trend in approvals (20%) and the size of population growth (10%), then ranks every area against the rest of Australia on a scale of 0 to 100. The score is a relative ranking, not an absolute measure.

Limitations

Dwelling approvals are not completions. Some approved dwellings are built years later and some are never built. Population data is published annually and runs around nine months behind. Demolition figures count approvals only, and are understated in South Australia, where most demolitions no longer require approval. Council areas with small populations or few approvals can change sharply from year to year; these are marked as small markets and hidden by default. The index does not consider land availability, zoning, planning controls, construction costs, prices, rents or the feasibility of any site.

Disclaimer

The Uplift Index is general information only. It is not financial, investment, property, planning or legal advice, and it is not a forecast or valuation. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making any decision about land, development or investment, obtain independent professional advice and undertake your own due diligence.

While we take care in preparing the index, Laurent Visuals makes no warranty that the data or analysis is accurate, complete or current, and source data may be revised by the ABS after publication. To the extent permitted by law, Laurent Visuals accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising from any use of, or reliance on, the Uplift Index or the information on this page.