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Western Sydney (LGA)Community profile

Western Sydney (LGA)

Household size

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In 2021, 19% of households in Western Sydney (LGA) contained only one person, compared with 19.5% in Cumberland Council area, 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, Western Sydney (LGA)'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
Western Sydney (LGA) - Households (Enumerated)20212016Change
Number of persons usually residentNumber%Cumberland Council area %Number%Cumberland Council area %2016 to 2021
1 person157,31018.919.5125,79317.618.0+31,517
2 persons226,47827.324.7189,79726.523.5+36,681
3 persons154,96118.619.1134,00518.718.8+20,956
4 persons162,19019.518.8143,72620.119.2+18,464
5 persons77,0099.39.471,77110.010.7+5,238
6 or more persons53,0946.48.450,6747.19.7+2,420
Total classifiable households831,042100.0100.0715,766100.0100.0+115,276
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information
Household size - Summary
Western Sydney (LGA) - Enumerated20212016Change
DwellingsNumber%Cumberland Council area %Number%Cumberland Council area %2016 to 2021
Occupied private dwellings872,130----751,751----+120,379
Persons in occupied private dwellings2,568,620----2,262,493----+306,127
Average household size (persons per dwelling)2.95--3.043.01--3.14-0.06
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 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 Western Sydney (LGA) compared with Cumberland Council area shows that there were a lower proportion of lone person households, and a lower proportion of larger households (those with 4 persons or more). Overall there were 18.9% of lone person households, and 35.2% of larger households, compared with 19.5% and 36.7% respectively for Cumberland Council area.

The major differences in the household size for Western Sydney (LGA) and Cumberland Council area were:

  • A larger percentage of households with 2 persons usually resident (27.3% compared to 24.7%)
  • A smaller percentage of households with 6 or more persons usually resident (6.4% compared to 8.4%)

Emerging groups

The number of households in Western Sydney (LGA) increased by 115,276 between 2016 and 2021.

The largest changes in the number of persons usually resident in a household in Western Sydney (LGA) between 2016 and 2021 were:

  • 2 persons (+36,681 households)
  • 1 person (+31,517 households)
  • 3 persons (+20,956 households)
  • 4 persons (+18,464 households)

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