What does the report say about build type demand?
The SDA Report 2026 shows that a three resident house is by far the most common build type recorded in Home and Living decisions. However, new supply is growing fastest in smaller dwellings, creating what the NDIA describes as a risk of demand and supply not matching.
Released on 12 October 2026, the report uses data to 31 December 2025. Its new SDA build type demand figures include:
| Build type in decision | Using SDA | Not yet using | Total need |
|---|---|---|---|
| House, 3 residents | 6,520 | 5,092 | 11,612 |
| House, 2 residents | 1,458 | 1,533 | 2,991 |
| Apartment, 1 resident | 1,315 | 481 | 1,796 |
| Villa, duplex or townhouse, 1 resident | 785 | 657 | 1,442 |
Three resident houses represent 45% of all identified SDA need and 57% where a build type is recorded. More than half of the 9,577 people not yet using SDA hold a decision for this housing format.
Enrolled dwellings for a maximum of two residents grew 43% during 2025, faster than any other dwelling size. This matters for people sharing Supported Independent Living with two others, who may have fewer suitable options where only two bedroom homes are available. Living with others in SDA explains the practical issues to consider.
Which disability groups have the highest identified need?
The new SDA demand data breaks identified need down by primary disability. Intellectual disability is the largest group, with 8,368 people, or 33% of everyone identified as needing SDA.
The next four groups are:
- Cerebral palsy: 2,715 people
- Autism: 2,554 people
- Other neurological disability: 2,503 people
- Acquired brain injury: 2,446 people
Together, the five largest groups account for 73% of identified SDA need. This does not mean everyone within a disability group needs the same home, support model or location.
A person’s functional needs determine the suitable design category and dwelling features. Families and providers can use the SDA design categories explained article to understand how Improved Liveability, Fully Accessible, Robust and High Physical Support differ.
What does age data show?
People aged 35 and over account for about 81% of all identified SDA need. The largest age group is 55 to 64, with 7,405 people, followed by 45 to 54 with 5,022 people.
Use of SDA generally rises with age:
- Ages 19 to 24: 41% are using SDA
- Ages 25 to 34: 56%
- Ages 35 to 44: 64%
- Ages 45 to 54: 68%
- Ages 55 to 64: 65%
- Ages 65 and over: 65%
The figures show why location planning should consider long-term access to health services, shops, public transport and community facilities. For Perth families comparing suburbs, housing near amenities and train stations outlines practical location factors.
Is actual demand following the earlier projections?
The NDIA says actual demand remains broadly aligned with the long-term SDA demand projections published after the 2023 SDA Pricing Review. There were 25,502 participants with an SDA need at December 2025, up 4% from 24,522 one year earlier.
Innogreen’s calculation places the straight-line projection for December 2025 at about 25,777. The actual figure is 1.1% below that path. This is a comparison prepared by Innogreen, not an NDIA calculation.
National demand may be close to the projection while states, regions and design categories follow different patterns. The figures should therefore be read at a local level rather than treated as a single national investment signal. They do not support promises of occupancy or returns.
What is happening in Western Australia?
Western Australia recorded the country’s largest percentage increase in enrolled dwellings, rising from 536 to 1,101 during 2025. Participants living in SDA also increased from 501 to 750, while those eligible but not yet using SDA fell from 1,307 to 1,119.
Growth was spread across several areas:
- Perth South East added 158 enrolled dwellings
- Perth South West added 132
- Perth North-West added 76
- Mandurah added 72
Even with this supply growth, WA’s total identified need of 1,869 was about 11% below Innogreen’s straight-line projection path for December 2025. The NDIA says WA started with lower identified need because of its phased NDIS rollout and decisions not to enrol some existing SDA stock.
For wider context, see the Perth SDA market analysis.
What should you take from the report?
The new NDIA SDA data shows that build type, disability, age and location all affect demand. The clearest issue is the gap between strong demand for three resident houses and supply growth concentrated in smaller homes.
Investors, providers and families should compare local need with actual enrolled supply, without relying on occupancy or return claims. Use Innogreen’s interactive SDA Market Trend page to explore these figures by state and region.