Western Australia
Household type
In Western Australia, 30.2% of households were made up of couples with children in 2021, compared with 34.4% in Greater Sydney.
Western Australia's household and family structure is one of the most important demographic indicators. It reveals the area's residential role and function, era of settlement and provides key insights into the level of demand for services and facilities as most are related to age and household types.
To continue building the story, Western Australia's Household Summary should be viewed in conjunction with Households with Children, Households without Children, Household Size, Age Structure and Dwelling Type.
If you're looking at this data to prepare a housing strategy, learn more here.
Derived from the Census question:
'What is the person's relationship (to each other person in the household)?'
Households
| Household type | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Australia - Total households (Enumerated) | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
| Households by type | Number | % | Greater Sydney % | Number | % | Greater Sydney % | 2016 to 2021 | |
| Couples with children | 311,153 | 30.2 | 34.4 | 289,583 | 30.9 | 35.3 | +21,570 | 19500 |
| Couples without children | 261,958 | 25.4 | 23.3 | 239,711 | 25.6 | 22.4 | +22,247 | 19501 |
| One parent families | 102,915 | 10.0 | 10.5 | 89,718 | 9.6 | 10.4 | +13,197 | 19502 |
| Other families | 10,932 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 10,871 | 1.2 | 1.3 | +61 | 19503 |
| Group household | 32,591 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 32,692 | 3.5 | 4.5 | -101 | 19504 |
| Lone person | 245,185 | 23.8 | 22.2 | 204,205 | 21.8 | 20.4 | +40,980 | 19505 |
| Other not classifiable household | 37,175 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 48,759 | 5.2 | 4.7 | -11,584 | 19506 |
| Visitor only households | 27,853 | 2.7 | 0.6 | 22,558 | 2.4 | 0.9 | +5,295 | 19507 |
| Total households | 1,029,762 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 938,097 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +91,665 | |
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 household/family types in Western Australia in 2021 compared to Greater Sydney shows that there was a lower proportion of couple families with child(ren) as well as a similar proportion of one-parent families. Overall, 30.2% of total families were couple families with child(ren), and 10.0% were one-parent families, compared with 34.4% and 10.5% respectively for Greater Sydney.
There were a higher proportion of lone person households and a higher proportion of couples without children. Overall, the proportion of lone person households was 23.8% compared to 22.2% in Greater Sydney while the proportion of couples without children was 25.4% compared to 23.3% in Greater Sydney.
Emerging groups
The number of households in Western Australia increased by 91,665 between 2016 and 2021.
The largest changes in family/household types in Western Australia between 2016 and 2021 were:
- Lone person (+40,980 households)
- Couples without children (+22,247 households)
- Couples with children (+21,570 households)
- One parent families (+13,197 households)