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SA has the lowest vacancy rate in the country, new PropTrack data reveals.

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The desperate search for a rental property in South Australia is getting harder for many tenants, with new data revealing its tougher here than in any other state or territory.

Latest PropTrack figures show the state has the lowest vacancy rate in the country, sitting at just 0.65 per cent in both Adelaide and regional SA.

Across Adelaide, it dropped 0.04 per cent in September and 0.13 per cent over the quarter, while it fell 0.05 per cent and 0.28 per cent during the same periods in regional SA.

The vacancy rates are down 0.06 per cent and 0.02 per cent respectively for the year.

Since March 2020 when the pandemic hit, they’re down 52 per cent for Adelaide and 74 per cent for regional SA.

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It comes after PropTrack data revealed last week that Adelaide rents rose 1.9 per cent in the September quarter and 10.4 per cent over the year to a median of $530 per week.

Across regional SA, rents dropped 2.7 per cent over the past three months but have climbed 12.5 per cent over the past year to median of $360 per week.

Turner Real Estate chief executive Emma Slape said more rental properties were vital to ease both demand and prices, but it would take years before enough were available.

At the moment, Ms Slape said demand was still strong but only for certain properties, particularly those under $600 per week because of cost of living pressures.

Turner Real Estate chief executive Emma Slape. Picture: Brad Griffin.

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“We’re definitely seeing that people are feeling the pinch,” she said.

“What we’ve found traditionally is from mid-January to mid-March, that’s the busiest time of the year (for rental demand).

“But it’s hard to predict if that will be the case again this year because we’ve seen unusual patterns at other times.”

Nationally, the vacancy rate dropped 0.06 per cent in September to a new low of 1.06 per cent.

PropTrack economist and report author Anne Flaherty said renters were feeling the squeeze right across the country.

PropTrack economist Anne Flaherty. Picture: supplied.

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“Vacancy is now sitting well under 1 per cent in three of Australia’s capital cities,” she said in the report.

“More markets are expected to fall below 1 per cent over the coming year as demand continues to grow.

“Declining vacancy rates are increasing competition for rentals and placing growing pressure on rents.

“As a result, rents are predicted to continue rising at above trend levels over the coming months, particularly in the capitals.”