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Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat

Household size

In 2021, 21% of households in Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat contained only one person, compared with 31.5% in Mornington, 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, Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat'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
Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat - Households (Enumerated)20212001Change
Number of persons usually residentNumber%Mornington %Number%Mornington %2001 to 2021
1 person22220.831.519018.629.4+32
2 persons45242.436.537536.836.3+77
3 persons14713.812.915114.814.6-4
4 persons14914.013.118718.412.0-39
5 persons777.24.5898.75.6-12
6 or more persons201.91.5282.82.1-8

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2001 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).

Household size - Summary
Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat - Enumerated20212001Change
DwellingsNumber%Mornington %Number%Mornington %2001 to 2021
Occupied private dwellings1,190----1,137----+53
Persons in occupied private dwellings2,971----2,966----+5
Average household size (persons per dwelling)2.50--2.252.61--2.34-0.11

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2001 and 2021. Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).

The 'Dwellings' table is enumerated data.

Household size, 2021
Household size, 2021 6 or more persons, Mornington: 1.5% 5 persons, Mornington: 4.5% 4 persons, Mornington: 13.1% 3 persons, Mornington: 12.9% 2 persons, Mornington: 36.5% 1 person, Mornington: 31.5% 6 or more persons, Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat: 1.9% 5 persons, Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat: 7.2% 4 persons, Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat: 14.0% 3 persons, Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat: 13.8% 2 persons, Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat: 42.4% 1 person, Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat: 20.8%
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2021 (Enumerated data)
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Change in household size, 2001 to 2021
Change in household size, 2001 to 2021 6 or more persons, Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat: -8 5 persons, Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat: -12 4 persons, Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat: -39 3 persons, Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat: -4 2 persons, Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat: +77 1 person, Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat: +32
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2001 and 2021 (Enumerated data)
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).

Dominant groups

Analysis of the number of persons usually resident in a household in Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat compared with Mornington 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 20.8% of lone person households, and 23.1% of larger households, compared with 31.5% and 19.1% respectively for Mornington.

The major differences in the household size for Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat and Mornington were:

  • A larger percentage of households with 2 persons usually resident (42.4% compared to 36.5%)
  • A larger percentage of households with 5 persons usually resident (7.2% compared to 4.5%)
  • A smaller percentage of households with 1 person usually resident (20.8% compared to 31.5%)

Emerging groups

The number of households in Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat increased by 46 between 2001 and 2021.

The largest change in the number of persons usually resident in a household in Red Hill - Red Hill South - Merricks North - Main Ridge - Arthurs Seat between 2001 and 2021 was:

  • 2 persons (+77 households)

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