Central Coast NSWCommunity profile
Skip to content

Northern Lakes District

Household size

In 2021, 29% of households in Northern Lakes District contained only one person, compared with 17.3% in Lisarow - Mount Elliot, 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, Northern Lakes District'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
Northern Lakes District - Households (Enumerated)20212011Change
Number of persons usually residentNumber%Lisarow - Mount Elliot %Number%Lisarow - Mount Elliot %2011 to 2021
1 person2,04728.817.31,65526.913.5+392
2 persons2,80439.429.72,45139.828.4+353
3 persons91612.918.078312.718.6+133
4 persons82011.520.380113.023.0+19
5 persons3705.29.93235.211.2+47
6 or more persons1632.34.91442.35.3+19

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

Household size - Summary
Northern Lakes District - Enumerated20212011Change
DwellingsNumber%Lisarow - Mount Elliot %Number%Lisarow - Mount Elliot %2011 to 2021
Occupied private dwellings7,458----6,284----+1,174
Persons in occupied private dwellings17,217----15,006----+2,211
Average household size (persons per dwelling)2.31--2.892.39--3.00-0.08

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, Lisarow - Mount Elliot: 4.9% 5 persons, Lisarow - Mount Elliot: 9.9% 4 persons, Lisarow - Mount Elliot: 20.3% 3 persons, Lisarow - Mount Elliot: 18.0% 2 persons, Lisarow - Mount Elliot: 29.7% 1 person, Lisarow - Mount Elliot: 17.3% 6 or more persons, Northern Lakes District: 2.3% 5 persons, Northern Lakes District: 5.2% 4 persons, Northern Lakes District: 11.5% 3 persons, Northern Lakes District: 12.9% 2 persons, Northern Lakes District: 39.4% 1 person, Northern Lakes District: 28.8%
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, Northern Lakes District: +19 5 persons, Northern Lakes District: +47 4 persons, Northern Lakes District: +19 3 persons, Northern Lakes District: +133 2 persons, Northern Lakes District: +353 1 person, Northern Lakes District: +392
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 Northern Lakes District compared with Lisarow - Mount Elliot 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 28.8% of lone person households, and 19.0% of larger households, compared with 17.3% and 35.0% respectively for Lisarow - Mount Elliot.

The major differences in the household size for Northern Lakes District and Lisarow - Mount Elliot were:

  • A larger percentage of households with 1 person usually resident (28.8% compared to 17.3%)
  • A larger percentage of households with 2 persons usually resident (39.4% compared to 29.7%)
  • A smaller percentage of households with 4 persons usually resident (11.5% compared to 20.3%)
  • A smaller percentage of households with 3 persons usually resident (12.9% compared to 18.0%)

Emerging groups

The number of households in Northern Lakes District increased by 963 between 2011 and 2021.

The largest changes in the number of persons usually resident in a household in Northern Lakes District between 2011 and 2021 were:

  • 1 person (+392 households)
  • 2 persons (+353 households)
  • 3 persons (+133 households)

v20.11.10-1.0.0