New data from Everybody's Home - a national campaign to address Australia's housing crisis - shows that across the Riverina 54.6 per cent of renters are facing stress, along with 50.6 per cent of mortgagees.

Joshua Haworth, team leader of accomodations for local homeless shelter Edel Quinn, said the number of people experiencing homelessness for the first time across Wagga is increasing noticeably due to the rising cost of rent.

The average cost of rent in Wagga is currently sitting at $380 per week, with the lowest properties going for around $200.

Mr Haworth said even this price is proving difficult for those coming through the doors at Edel Quinn.

When he first began with Edel Quinn six years ago, they saw a lot of familiar faces come through the shelter.

"Now, everyday it's pretty much a new face; it's not the old crew coming back again," Mr Haworth said.

"[The rental crisis] is pushing a lot more people towards our service and towards homelessness."

RE/MAX real estate agent Nicole Kemp said the percentage of mortgagees in stress surprised her, but the stats for renters "definitely doesn't".

She said there is a short supply of rental properties compared to the number of people looking, and this demand is driving prices up quite dramatically.

As of Friday there were 27 properties available for rent in Wagga.

"There's a lot of people bidding for homes which is not normal," Mrs Kemp said.

Mrs Kemp said people are increasingly offering more than the listed price on rental properties in order to secure a place - mostly out-of-towners who are new to the region.

"The rent's considered cheap for them here still compared to the city," Mrs Kemp said.

She predicts that the rental crisis will begin to plateau as the year progresses, particularly around mid-year to August, but acknowledges the market has been "very unpredictable" for two years now. "I don't see it going backwards," she said.

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Mr Haworth said the struggle doesn't end with rentals, with social housing becoming even harder to secure as well.

Everybody's Home spokesperson Kate Colvin said the new housing stress data, released last weekend, demonstrates that the need for investment in social housing has never been greater.

"Incomes are not keeping up with surging housing costs," she said.

"This is no longer an issue which impacts only those on modest incomes or those living in the major cities. Middle income Australians can't keep up with rent and mortgage payments."

Edel Quinn's Mr Haworth said the shelter is having trouble finding social housing for those they're assisting.

"They've just got nothing for our clients," he said.

"When you come to Edel Quinn you're considered homeless and bumped up the list to a higher priority ... even people on the top of the list are having trouble."

More than 150 organisations have signed a joint letter calling on Treasurer Josh Frydenberg to invest in more social housing at the upcoming Federal Budget, including Riverina organisations Hume Riverina Community Legal Service and Tumut Regional Family Services Inc.

The letter calls for investment in a program to deliver 25,000 social housing properties per year, and increasing the Commonwealth Rent Assistance by at least 50 per cent.

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