Greater Melbourne
Households without children
In Greater Melbourne, older couples without children account for 9% of total households in 2021.
Households without Children include couples without children and lone person households. They require different services depending on the age of the people in the households. For example young couples who have not had children (yet) compared to older "empty nester" couples whose children may have left home.
For Households without Children in Greater Melbourne, life stage is based on the age of the household reference person (usually person 1 on the Census form):
- Young: Aged 15-44
- Middle-aged: Aged 45-64
- Older: Aged 65 and over
To continue building the story, Greater Melbourne's Household data should be viewed in conjunction with Household Size, Age Structure and Dwelling Type.
Derived from the Census question:
'What is the person's relationship (to each other person in the household)?'
Households
| Households without children by life stage | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Melbourne - Households (Enumerated) | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
| Households without children | Number | % | Australia % | Number | % | Australia % | 2016 to 2021 | |
| Couples without children | 436,086 | 23.5 | 25.4 | 381,683 | 22.9 | 24.8 | +54,403 | 19001 |
| Young couples without children | 164,866 | 8.9 | 7.4 | 143,505 | 8.6 | 7.2 | +21,361 | 19002 |
| Middle-aged couples without children | 108,520 | 5.8 | 7.6 | 100,461 | 6.0 | 8.0 | +8,059 | 19003 |
| Older couples without children | 162,700 | 8.8 | 10.3 | 137,717 | 8.3 | 9.6 | +24,983 | 19004 |
| Lone person households | 441,142 | 23.7 | 24.2 | 366,004 | 22.0 | 22.8 | +75,138 | 19005 |
| Young lone persons | 146,749 | 7.9 | 6.4 | 117,551 | 7.1 | 5.9 | +29,198 | 19006 |
| Middle-aged lone persons | 129,897 | 7.0 | 7.6 | 113,055 | 6.8 | 7.6 | +16,842 | 19007 |
| Older lone persons | 164,496 | 8.8 | 10.1 | 135,398 | 8.1 | 9.3 | +29,098 | 19008 |
| Group households | 76,606 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 78,913 | 4.7 | 4.0 | -2,307 | 19009 |
| Total households without children | 953,834 | 51.3 | 53.2 | 826,600 | 49.7 | 51.6 | +127,234 | 19010 |
| Total households | 1,858,798 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 1,664,554 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +194,244 | |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing (opens a new window) 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (opens a new window)(informed decisions).
(Enumerated data)
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Compiled and presented in profile.id by .id (informed decisions).
Dominant groups
Analysis of the households without children in Greater Melbourne in 2021 compared to Australia shows that there was a larger proportion of young couples without children, a smaller proportion of middle-aged couples without children, and a smaller proportion of older couples without children.
In addition, there were a larger proportion of young lone person households, a smaller proportion of middle-aged lone person households, and a smaller proportion of older lone person households.
Emerging groups
Between 2016 and 2021, the number of households without children increased by 127,234.
The largest changes in households without children in Greater Melbourne, between 2016 and 2021 were:
- Young lone persons (+29,198 persons)
- Older lone persons (+29,098 persons)
- Older couples without children (+24,983 persons)
- Young couples without children (+21,361 persons)