idc-logo
svg rectangle color
Broken Hill CityCommunity profile

Broken Hill City

Household size

In 2021, 37% of households in Broken Hill City contained only one person, compared with 27.9% in Regional NSW, with the most dominant household size being 1 person 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, Broken Hill City's Household Size data should be viewed in conjunction with Household Summary, Age Structure, Dwelling Type, Household Income and Language Spoken at Home.

Q:

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.'

Household size
Broken Hill City - Households (Enumerated)20211991Change
Number of persons usually residentNumber%Regional NSW %Number%Regional NSW %1991 to 2021
1 person2,71337.127.92,11024.520.4+603
2 persons2,50734.336.42,78232.332.7-276
3 persons94112.914.11,40016.216.5-459
4 persons73010.013.01,50217.417.4-773
5 persons2793.85.85886.89.0-310
6 or more persons1341.82.82362.74.1-103
Total classifiable households7,304100.0100.08,621100.0100.0-1,317
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
Household size - Summary
Broken Hill City - Enumerated20211991Change
DwellingsNumber%Regional NSW %Number%Regional NSW %1991 to 2021
Occupied private dwellings8,021----8,885-----864
Persons in occupied private dwellings17,198----22,860-----5,662
Average household size (persons per dwelling)2.14--2.412.57--2.73-0.43
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 1991 and 2021. Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information

The 'Dwellings' table is enumerated data.

Dominant groups

Analysis of the number of persons usually resident in a household in Broken Hill City compared with Regional NSW shows that there were a higher proportion of lone person households, and a lower proportion of larger households (those with 4 persons or more). Overall there were 37.1% of lone person households, and 15.6% of larger households, compared with 27.9% and 21.6% respectively for Regional NSW.

The major differences in the household size for Broken Hill City and Regional NSW were:

  • A larger percentage of households with 1 person usually resident (37.1% compared to 27.9%)
  • A smaller percentage of households with 4 persons usually resident (10.0% compared to 13.0%)
  • A smaller percentage of households with 2 persons usually resident (34.3% compared to 36.4%)
  • A smaller percentage of households with 5 persons usually resident (3.8% compared to 5.8%)

Emerging groups

The number of households in Broken Hill City decreased by 1,317 between 1991 and 2021.

The largest changes in the number of persons usually resident in a household in Broken Hill City between 1991 and 2021 were:

  • 4 persons (-773 households)
  • 1 person (+603 households)
  • 3 persons (-459 households)
  • 5 persons (-310 households)

DISCLAIMER: While all due care has been taken to ensure that the content of this website is accurate and current, there may be errors or omissions in it and no legal responsibility is accepted for the information and opinions in this website.

Please view our Privacy Policy, Terms of use and Legal notices.

ABS Data and the copyright in the ABS Data remains the property of the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The copyright in the way .id has modified, transformed or reconfigured the ABS Data as published on this website remains the property of .id. ABS Data can be accessed from the Australian Bureau of Statistics at www.abs.gov.au. ABS data can be used under license - terms published on ABS website. intermediary.management@abs.gov.au if you have any queries or wish to distribute any ABS data.