Perth woman says high rents pushed her from 'middle class' to 'working poor'

A young Perth woman who posted a social media video last week says she has gone from describing herself as "middle class" three years ago to what she now calls "working poor," as soaring rental costs consume a growing share of take-home pay.

Shannon McCullough, 35, told viewers that despite earning the highest salary of her career she can no longer afford housing without spending a majority of her wages on rent. "Even if you earn an average income, if your rent consumes more than 50 to 60 per cent of your take-home wage, you are working poor," she said in the video, arguing the combination of higher pay and higher housing costs leaves many worse off than before.

McCullough warned that the middle class in Australia could "completely disappear" within a few years if conditions do not change. Dozens of people who responded to her post described similar experiences, saying they felt poorer now than three years earlier and blaming the property market for the shift.

Commenters described a range of coping strategies. One person wrote that despite a reported income of about AUD 120,000 they were planning to move into a caravan on a friend's property rather than spend about 70 per cent of their wage on rent. Other respondents said long-term savings had been eroded and expressed concern about the ease with which households could fall into hardship after a job loss or health problem.

Data published by realestate.com.au cited in coverage of the comments shows steep rent increases in recent years in Greater Perth. The median weekly rent for a two-bedroom home rose from AUD 500 in September 2020 to AUD 742 in September 2024, while a one-bedroom unit's median weekly rent increased from AUD 350 in September 2020 to AUD 600 in September 2025. The platform also reported tight supply: the average two-bedroom house spent about 16 days on the market, and listings were far fewer than searchers — 11 two-bedroom houses listed in the last month compared with 118 renters searching, and just under 90 one-bedroom apartments listed versus 1,373 searchers.

Housing affordability has been a central economic and political issue in Australia in recent years as rents and house prices have outpaced wage growth in many urban areas. Economists and housing advocates have cited limited rental supply, increased demand from population growth, and rising construction and borrowing costs as drivers of higher rents. The experiences described in McCullough's video align with broader indicators showing pressure on household budgets across the country.

McCullough's post drew attention not only because it reflected personal hardship but because it resonated with many who said they are living paycheck to paycheck despite working full time. "I've never worked so hard to have absolutely nothing left at the end of each week with no light at the end of the tunnel," one respondent wrote, while another said the situation made them fear how young people would cope with long-term financial burdens.

Federal and state governments have introduced various measures in recent years aimed at improving housing supply and affordability, including incentives for new housing construction, planning reforms, and targeted rental assistance for low-income households. Analysts say such measures take time to affect market conditions and that renters in tight markets face immediate affordability pressures.

McCullough and other renters who responded to her video said their immediate options were limited: continuing to stretch household budgets, seeking cheaper—but often less suitable—accommodation, or relocating away from high-cost areas. The social media reaction highlights a widening gap between income gains and living costs for many Australians in major cities such as Perth.