Updated March 16, 2018 07:18:30

Photo: Bundaberg's rental market is now classified as "tight", according to the REIQ. (ABC Wide Bay)

An influx of medical professionals moving to Bundaberg is building pressure on the region's tightening rental property market.

According to a report by the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ), the vacancy rate in Bundaberg has hit a 10-year low, dropping from 4 per cent to 1.7 per cent during the December quarter.

The REIQ considers rental market availability of less than 2.5 per cent as "tight", while 2.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent considered "healthy".

Photo: Le-Anne Allan said young professionals from Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast were moving to Bundaberg. (ABC News: Johanna Marie)

REIQ Bundaberg zone chair Le-Anne Allan said young professionals, particularly in the medical sector, were being attracted to the region.

"Predominantly a lot of our prospective tenants are coming from Brisbane, and are coming from the Sunshine Coast," she said.

"What we're finding is the Bundaberg region is a very good region to base yourself."

Last year, the ABC reported that city dwellers were moving to the region because of the low cost of housing.

The Bundaberg rental market has also been performing better than any other Queensland region, ahead of Rockhampton, Mackay and Gladstone.

But prices are on the rise, with the median cost to rent a three-bedroom home increasing to $290 a week.

"Certainly with the lowering of the vacancy rates, it does allow for rental yields to increase," Ms Allan said.

Vacancy rates were at 1.1 per cent on the Gold Coast and 0.7 per cent on the Sunshine Coast, the REIQ said.

In contrast, vacancy rates in Greater Brisbane were sitting at 3 per cent, with the median house price in the south-east corner sitting at $665,000.

Salvation Army captain Chris Millard said the lack of availability was making it harder for low-income earners to secure rental properties.

"We've got an increased number of people coming to see us having trouble getting into the renting market, it's very difficult and hard to get into," he said.

"The problem in Bundaberg is that the cost of rental places is constantly increasing at a greater rate than the Government support has been put there for those things."

Captain Milliard said more people were being forced into shared accommodation but it could create further financial issues for those who were already vulnerable.

He is urging the State Government and private sector to work together to deliver more affordable housing for the region.

"It's this big question of how do we meet the needs of the community, so that people can have a place to live and call their home?" he said.

Topics: housing-industry, government-and-politics, housing, qld, bundaberg-4670, brisbane-4000

First posted March 16, 2018 07:15:41