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MidCoast CouncilCommunity profile

MidCoast Council area

Household size

In 2021, 31% of households in MidCoast Council area contained only one person, compared with 27.9% in Regional NSW, 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, MidCoast Council area'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
MidCoast Council area - Households (Enumerated)20212016Change
Number of persons usually residentNumber%Regional NSW %Number%Regional NSW %2016 to 2021
1 person12,21930.827.910,80129.827.5+1,418
2 persons16,72342.236.415,13041.836.3+1,593
3 persons4,50411.414.14,37012.114.2+134
4 persons3,5999.113.03,5039.713.2+96
5 persons1,6774.25.81,6134.56.0+64
6 or more persons9342.42.88182.32.8+116
Total classifiable households39,656100.0100.036,235100.0100.0+3,421
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
MidCoast Council area - Enumerated20212016Change
DwellingsNumber%Regional NSW %Number%Regional NSW %2016 to 2021
Occupied private dwellings42,636----38,993----+3,643
Persons in occupied private dwellings95,007----87,269----+7,738
Average household size (persons per dwelling)2.23--2.412.24--2.41-0.01
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 MidCoast Council area 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 30.8% of lone person households, and 15.7% of larger households, compared with 27.9% and 21.6% respectively for Regional NSW.

The major differences in the household size for MidCoast Council area and Regional NSW were:

  • A larger percentage of households with 2 persons usually resident (42.2% compared to 36.4%)
  • A larger percentage of households with 1 person usually resident (30.8% compared to 27.9%)
  • A smaller percentage of households with 4 persons usually resident (9.1% compared to 13.0%)
  • A smaller percentage of households with 3 persons usually resident (11.4% compared to 14.1%)

Emerging groups

The number of households in MidCoast Council area increased by 3,421 between 2016 and 2021.

The largest changes in the number of persons usually resident in a household in MidCoast Council area between 2016 and 2021 were:

  • 2 persons (+1,593 households)
  • 1 person (+1,418 households)
  • 3 persons (+134 households)
  • 6 or more persons (+116 households)

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