Mortgage stress is calculated based on the proportion of after-tax household income put towards home loan repayments.
According to its latest research, Roy Morgan says 24.7 per cent of Aussies at ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress.
The highest level of mortgage stress it has measured was in 2008 when 35.6 per cent of mortgage holders were in mortgage stress. This is when interest rates were hovering around 9 per cent.
The rate forecast for 2026 has been a changing feast. While many commentators were expecting further drops last year, the tide may now be turning and heading up again.
Not surprisingly, when interest rates go up mortgage stress follows.
“The number of Australians ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress has increased by 442,000 since May 2022 when the RBA began a cycle of interest rate increases which lifted official interest rates by a total of 4.25 per cent from 0.1 per cent to a high of 4.35 per cent from November 2023 until February 2025,” Roy Morgan reports.
“The number of Australians considered ‘Extremely At Risk’, is now numbered at 852,000 (16.8 per cent of mortgage holders) which is just above the long-term average over the last two decades of 16.3 per cent.”
Whether you’re feeling relaxed or stressed about your mortgage, it always pays to shop around to check you’re on the best deal.
An independent mortgage broker can test the market for you, or you might even just ask your current lender if they can they do better. The worst they can say is no – but if they yes, you’ll have pocketed a great return on investment for the price of a phone call.
Got your numbers lined up and ready to roll? View our current listings for sale or talk to us about selling.
