Western Australia
Households with children
There are 176,429 couples with young children in the Western Australia in 2021, comprising 17.133% of households.
Households with Children require different services and facilities than other household types, and their needs change as both adults and children age. When many families in an area are at the same stage in their individual lifecycles, it creates a suburb lifecycle. Knowing where a suburb is in a cycle of change helps planners make evidence-based decisions about the demand for services both now and in the future.
For Households with Children in the Western Australia, life stage is based on the age of children in the household. The age of the parent(s) is not taken into account.
- Young children: Children aged under 15 only
- Mixed age children: One or more children under 15 and one or more children over 15 (must have 2 or more children)
- Older children: Children aged 15 and over only
To continue building the story, the Western Australia'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 with children by life stage | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Australia - Households (Enumerated) | 2021 | 2011 | Change | |||||
| Households with children | Number | % | East Metropolitan Region % | Number | % | East Metropolitan Region % | 2011 to 2021 | |
 Couples with children | 311,153 | 30.2 | 30.7 | 261,005 | 30.7 | 30.9 | +50,148 | 18500 |
| Couples with young children | 176,429 | 17.1 | 17.3 | 146,890 | 17.3 | 16.7 | +29,539 | 18501 |
| Couples with mixed-age children | 43,951 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 38,172 | 4.5 | 4.6 | +5,779 | 18502 |
| Couples with older children | 90,773 | 8.8 | 9.1 | 75,943 | 8.9 | 9.6 | +14,830 | 18503 |
| Single parents with children | 102,915 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 82,136 | 9.6 | 11.2 | +20,779 | 18504 |
| Single parents with young children | 40,525 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 33,837 | 4.0 | 4.4 | +6,688 | 18505 |
| Single parents with mixed-age children | 13,021 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 10,392 | 1.2 | 1.4 | +2,629 | 18506 |
| Single parents with older children | 49,369 | 4.8 | 5.6 | 37,907 | 4.5 | 5.4 | +11,462 | 18507 |
| Total households with children | 414,068 | 40.2 | 42.0 | 343,141 | 40.3 | 42.1 | +70,927 | 18508 |
| Total households | 1,029,762 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 851,421 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +178,341 | |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing (opens a new window) 2011 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (opens a new window)(informed decisions).
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 families with children in the Western Australia in 2021 compared to East Metropolitan Region shows that there was a similar proportion of couples with young children, as well as a similar proportion of couples with older children.
Overall, 17.1% of total households with children were couple with young children, and 8.8% were couples with older children, compared with 17.3% and 9.1% respectively for East Metropolitan Region.
There were a similar proportion of single parent households with young children and a smaller proportion of single parent households with older children. Overall, the proportion of single parent households with young children was 3.9% compared to 4.3% in East Metropolitan Region while the proportion of single parent households with older children was 4.8% compared to 5.6% in East Metropolitan Region.
Emerging groups
Between 2011 and 2021, the number of households with children increased by 70,927 households or 20.7%.
The largest changes in households with children in this area between 2011 and 2021 were:
- Couples with young children (+29,539 households)
- Couples with older children (+14,830 households)
- Single parents with older children (+11,462 households)
- Single parents with young children (+6,688 households)