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In Regional NSW, 17.5% of the dwellings were medium or high density, compared to 34% in Greater Melbourne.

Dwelling Type is an important determinant of Regional NSW'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 Regional NSW.

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
Regional NSW - Dwellings (Enumerated)20211991Change
Dwelling typeNumber%Greater Melbourne %Number%Greater Melbourne %1991 to 2021
Separate house1,032,37680.665.1720,01881.376.3+312,358
Medium density186,91614.621.6101,15311.417.6+85,763
High density37,2252.912.822,7542.64.4+14,471
Caravans, cabin, houseboat14,8881.20.126,0182.90.3-11,130
Other4,9150.40.39,8171.10.5-4,902
Not stated5,1660.40.15,6980.60.9-532
Total Private Dwellings1,281,486100.0100.0885,458100.0100.0+396,028
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
Regional NSW20211991Change
Dwelling typeNumber%Greater Melbourne %Number%Greater Melbourne %1991 to 2021
Occupied private dwellings1,146,61089.290.2784,87688.391.5+361,734
Unoccupied private dwellings134,89110.59.6100,44011.38.3+34,451
Non private dwellings3,9770.30.13,8360.40.2+141
Total dwellings1,285,478100.0100.0889,180100.0100.0+396,298
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 1,032,376 separate houses in the area, 186,916 medium density dwellings, and 37,225 high density dwellings. In addition, there were 14,888 caravans/cabins/houseboats in the area.

Analysis of the types of dwellings in Regional NSW in 2021 shows that 80.6% of all dwellings were separate houses; 14.6% were medium density dwellings, and 2.9% were in high density dwellings, compared with 65.1%, 21.6%, and 12.8% in the Greater Melbourne respectively.

In 2021, a total of 89.2% of the dwellings in Regional NSW were occupied on Census night, compared to 90.2% in Greater Melbourne. The proportion of unoccupied dwellings was 10.5%, which is larger compared to that found in Greater Melbourne (9.6%).

Emerging groups

The total number of dwellings in Regional NSW increased by 396,298 between 1991 and 2021.

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

  • Separate house (+312,358 dwellings)
  • Medium density (+85,763 dwellings)
  • High density (+14,471 dwellings)
  • Caravans, cabin, houseboat (-11,130 dwellings)

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