Add as a preferred source on Google Recent rampant house price growth paired with stagnant wage growth has put almost 2 million households in mortgage stress, and almost 2.5 million in rental stress, new data shows. Martin North of Digital Finance Analytics’ analysis of household expenditure across the country, particularly in the wake of the recent series of rate rises inflicted upon homeowners, paints a grim picture and highlights Australia’s deepening unaffordability crisis.