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In Queensland, 25.9% of the dwellings were medium or high density, compared to 28% in Victoria.

Dwelling Type is an important determinant of Queensland's residential role and function. A greater concentration of higher density dwellings is likely to attract more young adults and smaller households, often renting. Larger, detached or separate dwellings are more likely to attract families and prospective families. The residential built form often reflects market opportunities or planning policy, such as building denser forms of housing around public transport nodes or employment centres.

Dwelling Type statistics should be viewed in conjunction with Household Size, Household Types, Housing Tenure and Age Structure for a more complete picture of the housing market in Queensland.

If you're looking at this data to prepare a housing strategy, learn more here.

Q:

Derived from the Census:

'Dwelling Structure is derived from the ABS address register supplemented with information from Census Field Officers.'

Dwelling structure
Queensland - Dwellings (Enumerated)20211991Change
Dwelling typeNumber%Victoria %Number%Victoria %1991 to 2021
Separate house1,575,99371.971.5875,80078.479.8+700,193
Medium density355,69116.218.4132,12711.814.9+223,564
High density211,8629.79.553,1844.83.2+158,678
Caravans, cabin, houseboat30,2041.40.338,6583.50.7-8,454
Other5,7210.30.38,8820.80.7-3,161
Not stated10,9550.50.18,1310.70.8+2,824
Total Private Dwellings2,190,426100.0100.01,116,782100.0100.0+1,073,644
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 1991 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information
Dwelling type
Queensland20211991Change
Dwelling typeNumber%Victoria %Number%Victoria %1991 to 2021
Occupied private dwellings1,998,03291.089.21,017,80090.889.7+980,232
Unoccupied private dwellings192,3938.810.699,0148.810.0+93,379
Non private dwellings5,0850.20.24,0980.40.3+987
Total dwellings2,195,510100.0100.01,120,912100.0100.0+1,074,598
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 1991 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information

Dominant groups

In 2021, there were 1,575,993 separate houses in the area, 355,691 medium density dwellings, and 211,862 high density dwellings. In addition, there were 30,204 caravans/cabins/houseboats in the area.

Analysis of the types of dwellings in Queensland in 2021 shows that 71.9% of all dwellings were separate houses; 16.2% were medium density dwellings, and 9.7% were in high density dwellings, compared with 71.5%, 18.4%, and 9.5% in the Victoria respectively.

In 2021, a total of 91.0% of the dwellings in Queensland were occupied on Census night, compared to 89.2% in Victoria. The proportion of unoccupied dwellings was 8.8%, which is smaller compared to that found in Victoria (10.6%).

Emerging groups

The total number of dwellings in Queensland increased by 1,074,598 between 1991 and 2021.

The largest changes in the type of dwellings found in Queensland between 1991 and 2021 were:

  • Separate house (+700,193 dwellings)
  • Medium density (+223,564 dwellings)
  • High density (+158,678 dwellings)
  • Caravans, cabin, houseboat (-8,454 dwellings)

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