Australia
Household size
In 2021, 26% of households in Australia contained only one person, compared with 30.1% in Regional TAS, with the most dominant household size being 2 persons per household.
The size of households in general follows the life-cycle of families. Households are usually small at the stage of relationship formation (early marriage), and then increase in size with the advent of children. They later reduce in size again as these children reach adulthood and leave home. Household size can also be influenced by a lack (or abundance) of affordable housing. Overseas migrants and indigenous persons often have a tradition of living with extended family members which significantly affects household size.
Household size in Australia has generally declined since the 1970s, but the rate of decline has slowed in recent years.
An increasing household size in an area may indicate a lack of affordable housing opportunities for young people, an increase in the birth rate or an increase in family formation in the area. A declining household size may indicate children leaving the area when they leave home, an increase in retirees settling in the area, or an attraction of young singles and couples to the area.
For greater insight, Australia's Household Size data should be viewed in conjunction with Household Summary, Age Structure, Dwelling Type, Household Income and Language Spoken at Home.
Derived from the three Census questions:
'Name of each person including visitors who spent the night of Tuesday, 10 August 2021 in this dwelling', and 'Where does the person usually live?', and 'Name of each person who usually lives in this dwelling but was away on Tuesday, 10 August 2021.'
Family, group and lone person households
| Household size | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia - Households (Enumerated) | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
| Number of persons usually resident | Number | % | Regional TAS % | Number | % | Regional TAS % | 2016 to 2021 | |
| 1 person | 2,370,736 | 25.6 | 30.1 | 2,023,537 | 24.4 | 30.1 | +347,199 | 20001 |
| 2 persons | 3,109,027 | 33.5 | 37.9 | 2,768,286 | 33.4 | 37.6 | +340,741 | 20002 |
| 3 persons | 1,473,862 | 15.9 | 13.5 | 1,338,376 | 16.2 | 13.5 | +135,486 | 20003 |
| 4 persons | 1,430,800 | 15.4 | 11.5 | 1,313,551 | 15.9 | 11.9 | +117,249 | 20004 |
| 5 persons | 588,396 | 6.3 | 4.7 | 557,262 | 6.7 | 4.8 | +31,134 | 20005 |
| 6 or more persons | 302,396 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 285,067 | 3.4 | 2.2 | +17,329 | 20006 |
| Total classifiable households | 9,275,217 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 8,286,079 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +989,138 | |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing (opens a new window) 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (opens a new window)(informed decisions).
| Household size - Summary | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia - Enumerated | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
| Dwellings | Number | % | Regional TAS % | Number | % | Regional TAS % | 2016 to 2021 | |
| Occupied private dwellings | 9,808,435 | -- | -- | 2002 | 8,861,619 | -- | -- | +946,816 |
| Persons in occupied private dwellings | 24,696,597 | -- | -- | 2003 | 22,568,570 | -- | -- | +2,128,027 |
| Average household size (persons per dwelling) | 2.52 | -- | 2.28 | 2004.00 | 2.55 | -- | 2.29 | -0.03 |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing(opens a new window) 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (opens a new window)(informed decisions).
The 'Dwellings' table is enumerated data.
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Dominant groups
Analysis of the number of persons usually resident in a household in Australia compared with Regional TAS shows that there were a lower proportion of lone person households, and a higher proportion of larger households (those with 4 persons or more). Overall there were 25.6% of lone person households, and 25.0% of larger households, compared with 30.1% and 18.5% respectively for Regional TAS.
The major differences in the household size for Australia and Regional TAS were:
- A larger percentage of households with 4 persons usually resident (15.4% compared to 11.5%)
- A larger percentage of households with 3 persons usually resident (15.9% compared to 13.5%)
- A smaller percentage of households with 1 person usually resident (25.6% compared to 30.1%)
- A smaller percentage of households with 2 persons usually resident (33.5% compared to 37.9%)
Emerging groups
The number of households in Australia increased by 989,138 between 2016 and 2021.
The largest changes in the number of persons usually resident in a household in Australia between 2016 and 2021 were:
- 1 person (+347,199 households)
- 2 persons (+340,741 households)
- 3 persons (+135,486 households)
- 4 persons (+117,249 households)