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Fairfield - Alphington

Household size

In 2021, 36% of households in Fairfield - Alphington contained only one person, compared with 28.3% in Carlton North - Princes Hill, with the most dominant household size being 1 person 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, Fairfield - Alphington'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
Fairfield - Alphington - Households (Enumerated)20212011Change
Number of persons usually residentNumber%Carlton North - Princes Hill %Number%Carlton North - Princes Hill %2011 to 2021
1 person46636.028.325430.327.5+212
2 persons41331.938.225730.739.5+156
3 persons18914.618.213215.817.6+57
4 persons16512.811.812715.211.5+38
5 persons584.53.1485.73.1+10
6 or more persons30.20.4202.40.8-17

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).

Household size - Summary
Fairfield - Alphington - Enumerated20212011Change
DwellingsNumber%Carlton North - Princes Hill %Number%Carlton North - Princes Hill %2011 to 2021
Occupied private dwellings1,366----859----+507
Persons in occupied private dwellings2,952----2,028----+924
Average household size (persons per dwelling)2.16--2.212.36--2.22-0.20

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011 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, Carlton North - Princes Hill: 0.4% 5 persons, Carlton North - Princes Hill: 3.1% 4 persons, Carlton North - Princes Hill: 11.8% 3 persons, Carlton North - Princes Hill: 18.2% 2 persons, Carlton North - Princes Hill: 38.2% 1 person, Carlton North - Princes Hill: 28.3% 6 or more persons, Fairfield - Alphington: 0.2% 5 persons, Fairfield - Alphington: 4.5% 4 persons, Fairfield - Alphington: 12.8% 3 persons, Fairfield - Alphington: 14.6% 2 persons, Fairfield - Alphington: 31.9% 1 person, Fairfield - Alphington: 36.0%
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, 2011 to 2021
Change in household size, 2011 to 2021 6 or more persons, Fairfield - Alphington: -17 5 persons, Fairfield - Alphington: +10 4 persons, Fairfield - Alphington: +38 3 persons, Fairfield - Alphington: +57 2 persons, Fairfield - Alphington: +156 1 person, Fairfield - Alphington: +212
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 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 Fairfield - Alphington compared with Carlton North - Princes Hill shows that there were a higher proportion of lone person households, and a higher proportion of larger households (those with 4 persons or more). Overall there were 36.0% of lone person households, and 17.5% of larger households, compared with 28.3% and 15.4% respectively for Carlton North - Princes Hill.

The major differences in the household size for Fairfield - Alphington and Carlton North - Princes Hill were:

  • A larger percentage of households with 1 person usually resident (36.0% compared to 28.3%)
  • A larger percentage of households with 5 persons usually resident (4.5% compared to 3.1%)
  • A smaller percentage of households with 2 persons usually resident (31.9% compared to 38.2%)
  • A smaller percentage of households with 3 persons usually resident (14.6% compared to 18.2%)

Emerging groups

The number of households in Fairfield - Alphington increased by 456 between 2011 and 2021.

The largest changes in the number of persons usually resident in a household in Fairfield - Alphington between 2011 and 2021 were:

  • 1 person (+212 households)
  • 2 persons (+156 households)
  • 3 persons (+57 households)

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