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Wollondilly Shire CouncilCommunity profile

Wollondilly Shire

Household size

In 2021, 17% of households in Wollondilly Shire contained only one person, compared with 23.2% in Greater Sydney, 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, Wollondilly Shire'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
Wollondilly Shire - Households (Enumerated)20212006Change
Number of persons usually residentNumber%Greater Sydney %Number%Greater Sydney %2006 to 2021
1 person2,91116.823.22,00915.623.1+902
2 persons5,39831.230.73,88130.131.2+1,517
3 persons2,76115.917.22,18416.916.9+577
4 persons3,35219.317.32,71021.017.2+642
5 persons1,83310.67.31,41711.07.8+416
6 or more persons1,0696.24.26885.33.9+381
Total classifiable households17,324100.0100.012,889100.0100.0+4,435
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2006 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).
Please refer to specific data notes for more information
Household size - Summary
Wollondilly Shire - Enumerated20212006Change
DwellingsNumber%Greater Sydney %Number%Greater Sydney %2006 to 2021
Occupied private dwellings18,010----13,381----+4,629
Persons in occupied private dwellings53,166----39,723----+13,443
Average household size (persons per dwelling)2.95--2.682.97--2.65-0.02
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2006 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 Wollondilly Shire compared with Greater Sydney 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 16.8% of lone person households, and 36.1% of larger households, compared with 23.2% and 28.8% respectively for Greater Sydney.

The major differences in the household size for Wollondilly Shire and Greater Sydney were:

  • A larger percentage of households with 5 persons usually resident (10.6% compared to 7.3%)
  • A larger percentage of households with 4 persons usually resident (19.3% compared to 17.3%)
  • A larger percentage of households with 6 or more persons usually resident (6.2% compared to 4.2%)
  • A smaller percentage of households with 1 person usually resident (16.8% compared to 23.2%)

Emerging groups

The number of households in Wollondilly Shire increased by 4,435 between 2006 and 2021.

The largest changes in the number of persons usually resident in a household in Wollondilly Shire between 2006 and 2021 were:

  • 2 persons (+1,517 households)
  • 1 person (+902 households)
  • 4 persons (+642 households)
  • 3 persons (+577 households)

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