Australia’s moving industry has recorded its quietest year in living memory, with 2024/25 marking the lowest demand for removalist services in 20 years.
According to the 2025 Muval Index, Google search interest for removalists and interstate movers has fallen to levels not seen since records began in 2006.
“Many of the moving companies we partner with have described 2024/2025 as one of the quietest periods in living memory,” the report stated. “And behind that silence is a much louder issue: Australia’s deepening housing crisis.”
From soaring rental prices to limited housing supply, the challenge of securing housing is forcing many Australians to delay or abandon plans to move. The report noted that housing availability was a defining topic in this year’s federal election and has become “a social and generational concern that touches every household.”
“This year’s Muval Index doesn’t just reflect where Australians are moving. It reveals where they can move, and increasingly, where they cannot,” the authors said.
The 2025 Muval Index found the Australian Capital Territory was the most popular relocation destination in 2024, with an inbound-to-outbound ratio of 1.2. The Northern Territory saw the highest outbound movement, at just 0.8.
Regional markets generally outperformed capital cities, with South Australia’s South East topping the list (1.59), followed by Bunbury, WA, and NSW’s Mid North Coast. Greater Melbourne’s Outer East was the only metropolitan area to crack the top 10.
In contrast, Greater Darwin recorded the lowest ratio nationwide (0.72), followed by Brisbane’s Inner City (0.74) and Sydney’s City and Inner South (0.76).
Muval’s survey of 2,000 Australians revealed that affordable housing is now the number one priority for 78% of movers, followed by safety (50.7%), public transport access (36.9%), proximity to work or study (36%), and home size (33.8%).
“The 2025 Muval Index gives us a real-time lens into how Australians are responding to the pressures and possibilities of a changing world. We’re seeing clear signs that affordability, flexibility and quality of life are reshaping how people choose where to live, and that trend isn’t slowing down,” Muval CEO James Morrell (pictured) said.
Four in five respondents said they had sacrificed, or would be willing to sacrifice, something meaningful to secure affordable housing.
The most common trade-off was giving up coastal living (27.5%), followed by living close to family and friends (25.2%). Other compromises included forgoing a pool (25%) or settling for smaller, less modern homes.
For mortgage brokers, the findings point to a clear shift in client priorities. Home loan conversations are increasingly tied to affordability, access to regional markets, and navigating competitive lending conditions.
With cost-of-living pressures and house prices continuing to rise, the report suggests demand for finance in regional areas could strengthen — especially in locations offering lower median prices, better lifestyle balance, and hybrid work accessibility.
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