The big push to affordable lifestyle locations in regional Australia continues, with 40% of city dwellers considering moving to other regions.

Regional Australia Institute (RAI) research shows the number of people considering a move has doubled from 20% in May 2023 to 40% in November 2024. RAI CEO Liz Ritchie says demand for regional living has never been higher. The RAI’s annual progress report shows regional rental vacancy rates dropped from 1.5% in 2023 to 1.3% in 2024. At the same time building approvals have dropped by 9.4%.

Ritchie says regional Australia is undergoing an unprecedented transformation and there is a need for improved services and infrastructure in regional communities. “Many regions are already struggling with housing, particularly rental markets, and until region-specific policy measures are put in place, this will only be further magnified,” she says. While housing may be hard to come by in the regions Ritchie says there are nearly 76,000 jobs available across regional Australia.