Three Sydney postcodes rank among Australia's fastest-rising severe mortgage stress hotspots, with Bilgola leading the nation
Severe mortgage stress is no longer concentrated in Sydney's outer western suburbs, with data from the latest OurTop10 Mortgage Stress Report showing affluent postcodes are among the fastest-rising hotspots nationally.
Greater Sydney's 10 hardest-hit postcodes now contain 90,156 households in mortgage stress, with eight of those postcodes recording an increase in financial pressure during the second quarter of 2026.
The report, which draws on a rolling survey of approximately 52,000 households, ranks Australia's 80 most mortgage-stressed postcodes by household cash flow. A household is classified as being in severe mortgage stress when its cash flow shortfall exceeds 5% of total household income.
Liverpool (2170) continues to hold the highest number of stressed households in New South Wales, with 14,705 households in mortgage stress. Seven of the state's 10 most stressed postcodes fall within Western Sydney local government areas.
The fastest quarterly growth was recorded in Rutherford (2320) in the Hunter Region, where the number of stressed households rose 41% during Q2 2026. Camden (2570) followed with a 28% increase over the same period.
"Western Sydney remains the epicentre of mortgage stress simply because so many households bought into the market with large loans over the past decade. Those borrowers are still carrying the greatest burden as higher repayments and living costs continue to squeeze household budgets," said Mansour Soltani (pictured right), director at OurTop10.
"What's changed is that we're now seeing severe mortgage stress emerge in some of Sydney's wealthiest suburbs as well. Larger mortgages mean bigger repayment shocks, proving financial pressure is no longer confined to the city's traditional mortgage stress hotspots."
| # | Postcode | Suburb | Market | Severe now | 3 mos ago | Qtr change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2107 | Bilgola | Sydney/NSW | 1,715 | 279 | ▲ +515% |
| 2 | 6159 | North Fremantle | Perth/WA | 603 | 142 | ▲ +325% |
| 3 | 3188 | Hampton | Melbourne/VIC | 753 | 199 | ▲ +278% |
| 4 | 6012 | Mosman Park | Perth/WA | 703 | 305 | ▲ +130% |
| 5 | 2099 | Dee Why | Sydney/NSW | 2,586 | 1,335 | ▲ +94% |
| 6 | 2068 | Castlecrag | Sydney/NSW | 1,635 | 845 | ▲ +93% |
| 7 | 3124 | Camberwell | Melbourne/VIC | 1,118 | 587 | ▲ +90% |
| 8 | 3104 | Balwyn North | Melbourne/VIC | 2,865 | 1,622 | ▲ +77% |
| 9 | 6152 | Karawara (South Perth) | Perth/WA | 755 | 434 | ▲ +74% |
| 10 | 3186 | Brighton | Melbourne/VIC | 2,653 | 1,533 | ▲ +73% |
Bilgola (2107) on the Northern Beaches recorded the largest increase in severe mortgage stress of any postcode nationally, with affected households rising 515% in a single quarter — from 279 to 1,715. Two other Northern Beaches and North Shore postcodes also appeared in the national top 10 for severe stress growth. Dee Why (2099) recorded a 94% increase, while Castlecrag (2068) rose 93%.
Three affluent Sydney suburbs rank among Australia's top 10 postcodes for severe mortgage stress growth, according to the report.
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