Mortgage stress levels have fallen over the past year, according to new research. Roy Morgan reported that in the three months to April, 16.8 per cent of mortgage borrowers were "at risk or facing some degree of stress making repayments." The latest finding compares with a stress level of 18.4 per cent in the same period last year. Roy Morgan's stress measure is based on the ability of home owners to meet repayments on the original sum borrowed. Despite concerns about the high level of household debt and weak income growth, stress levels are around decade lows. The peak over the past decade was in May 2008, when Roy Morgan's stress measure reached 32.7 per cent. Roy Morgan industry communications director Norman Morris said stress was much higher among low-income groups (households with income below A$60,000 a year), where it is currently 85.3 per cent. For households with income above $100,000, the stress level is 1.4 per cent. Morris said: "Although mortgage stress levels are trending down, they remain very sensitive to interest rates and household income levels."