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RDA Darling Downs and South West RegionCommunity profile

RDA Darling Downs and South West Region

Household size

In 2021, 28% of households in the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region contained only one person, compared with 25.6% in Regional QLD, 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, the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region'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
RDA Darling Downs and South West Region - Households (Enumerated)20211991Change
Number of persons usually residentNumber%Regional QLD %Number%Regional QLD %1991 to 2021
1 person28,87828.025.613,25619.418.9+15,621
2 persons37,61236.536.921,69531.833.7+15,916
3 persons13,99413.614.911,37416.717.0+2,620
4 persons12,64012.313.611,78217.317.1+858
5 persons6,3136.15.86,7199.98.8-406
6 or more persons3,6743.63.23,3474.94.5+326
Total classifiable households103,111100.0100.068,176100.0100.0+34,935
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
RDA Darling Downs and South West Region - Enumerated20211991Change
DwellingsNumber%Regional QLD %Number%Regional QLD %1991 to 2021
Occupied private dwellings111,572----70,090----+41,482
Persons in occupied private dwellings268,552----195,876----+72,676
Average household size (persons per dwelling)2.41--2.442.79--2.76-0.39
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 the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region compared with Regional QLD 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 28.0% of lone person households, and 21.9% of larger households, compared with 25.6% and 22.6% respectively for Regional QLD.

The major differences in the household size for the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region and Regional QLD were:

  • A larger percentage of households with 1 person usually resident (28.0% compared to 25.6%)
  • A smaller percentage of households with 4 persons usually resident (12.3% compared to 13.6%)
  • A smaller percentage of households with 3 persons usually resident (13.6% compared to 14.9%)

Emerging groups

The number of households in RDA Darling Downs and South West Region increased by 34,935 between 1991 and 2021.

The largest changes in the number of persons usually resident in a household in the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region between 1991 and 2021 were:

  • 2 persons (+15,916 households)
  • 1 person (+15,621 households)
  • 3 persons (+2,620 households)
  • 4 persons (+858 households)

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