Needs of tenants – location

Where people live can have far-reaching implications for their health, and the quality of life they may enjoy (Paddison 2012). It can affect whom they can socialise with, where they can work, what schools they can attend, and which services they can reasonably access (Ong et al. 2022; Paddison 2012; Phibbs and Thompson 2011). As such, it is often a critical factor in people’s housing choice, as the impacts to health and wellbeing can be substantial. 

The limited number of available dwellings in specific locations and social housing allocation policies can limit social housing location choice when housing is offered to tenants on the waiting list (Flanagan et al. 2020). Because of this, it is critical to explore whether tenants’ homes meet their location related needs, such as access to education and training facilities, employment and friends and family.

NSHS question about whether location of home meets tenants’ needs

Information about whether the location of a tenant’s home meets their needs was obtained from responses to the following question:

For each of the following access to services, are your needs met in your current home (including the needs of those who live with you)?

Respondents were asked to respond for a list of facilities and services.

Location of home met the needs of most tenants in 2025

In 2025, nearly all tenants reported at least one of their location-related needs were met, with similar results across states and territories. Of the needs surveyed: 

  • Access to schools (94%), parks and recreational facilities or sporting facilities (94%) and public transport (94%) were the most commonly reported location needs met among public housing tenants (Figure Location.1, Table S4.1).
  • Among community housing tenants, access to schools (95%), parks and recreational facilities or sporting facilities (95%), hospitals, shops and banking, and child care facilities (all 93%) were the most common location-related needs met.
  • Satisfaction with access to schools (98%), child care facilities (98%), medical services, hospitals, employment/place of work (all 95%) were also high among SOMIH tenants nationally, however, there was some variation between state and territory results. 

‘I think the location is absolutely perfect, you couldn't ask for anything more! Swimming pools, gyms, lots of ovals and parks. Lots of shops. All very close together. Even BBQs, discount shops, petrol stations, its all right there.’ 

‘Close to education and medical services and church of choice.’ 

‘It's close to my kids’ school and the shops are not far, the bus is not far from where I live and it's a good quite spot. I really enjoy it here and so do my kids.’ 

Figure Location.1: Satisfaction (%) with access to facilities and services, by social housing program, states and territories, 2014 to 2025

This interactive horizontal bar graph shows the satisfaction of tenants with their access to facilities and services, within each of the social housing programs over time. For almost all items in 2023, 90% or more of tenants were satisfied. 

This interactive horizontal bar graph shows the satisfaction of tenants with their access to facilities and services, within each of the social housing programs over time. For almost all items in 2023, 90% or more of tenants were satisfied. 

Location needs for priority groups

The location-related needs of priority groups can differ compared with other households. For example, access to health services may be important for tenants with specific disability needs. 

In 2025 (Figure Location.2, Table S4.7) among tenants of all social housing programs:

  • Households with disability were less likely to report that the location of their dwelling met their needs than the average of all households. For example, a lower proportion of tenants in households with one or more persons living with disability reported that their dwelling met their needs for access to family and friends (82% compared with 87% for all households) and employment/place of work (84% compared with 89%).
  • Across all programs, tenants who recently experienced homelessness (that is, in the last 5 years) reported less often that their needs were met by the location of their current home than the average of all households; access to family and friends (80%) was the least location-related need met.
  • The needs met by the location of the home were mostly similar between First Nations households and non-Indigenous households. However, a lower proportion of First Nations tenants reported that their homes provided access to family and friends (83%) and places of cultural or religious significance (87%) compared with other households.

‘It would be better for me to live closer to Sydney as all my specialist are there. We have major problems accessing doctors we're I am.’ 

‘Close to the special school and more stable environment for the children.’ 

‘Security of having a roof over my head. Being near a hospital, shops, transport. The only security of a home I have ever had.’

Figure Location.2: Satisfaction (%) with access to facilities and services, by priority population groups, 2025

This interactive horizontal bar graph shows the satisfaction of tenants with their home’s access to facilities and services, for the priority population groups. Access to parks and recreational facilities or sporting facilities, schools, and public transport were the items with highest satisfaction across all priority groups in 2023.   

This interactive horizontal bar graph shows the satisfaction of tenants with their home’s access to facilities and services, for the priority population groups. Access to parks and recreational facilities or sporting facilities, schools, and public transport were the items with highest satisfaction across all priority groups in 2023.   
Previous page
Next page