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Urban Area

Household size

In 2021, 21% of households in Urban Area contained only one person, compared with 18.1% in Mount Evelyn, 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, Urban Area'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
Urban Area - Households (Enumerated)20212016Change
Number of persons usually residentNumber%Mount Evelyn %Number%Mount Evelyn %2016 to 2021
1 person6,16121.218.15,36420.317.6+797
2 persons9,58233.031.88,56232.431.3+1,019
3 persons4,94217.017.44,50617.117.1+437
4 persons5,26818.120.44,91718.619.9+351
5 persons2,1357.38.62,0847.99.6+51
6 or more persons9603.33.79603.64.50

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions).

Household size - Summary
Urban Area - Enumerated20212016Change
DwellingsNumber%Mount Evelyn %Number%Mount Evelyn %2016 to 2021
Occupied private dwellings29,855----27,282----+2,573
Persons in occupied private dwellings79,568----73,967----+5,601
Average household size (persons per dwelling)2.67--2.802.71--2.86-0.05

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 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, Mount Evelyn: 3.7% 5 persons, Mount Evelyn: 8.6% 4 persons, Mount Evelyn: 20.4% 3 persons, Mount Evelyn: 17.4% 2 persons, Mount Evelyn: 31.8% 1 person, Mount Evelyn: 18.1% 6 or more persons, Urban Area: 3.3% 5 persons, Urban Area: 7.3% 4 persons, Urban Area: 18.1% 3 persons, Urban Area: 17.0% 2 persons, Urban Area: 33.0% 1 person, Urban Area: 21.2%
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, 2016 to 2021
Change in household size, 2016 to 2021 6 or more persons, Urban Area: 0 5 persons, Urban Area: +51 4 persons, Urban Area: +351 3 persons, Urban Area: +437 2 persons, Urban Area: +1,019 1 person, Urban Area: +797
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing, 2016 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 Urban Area compared with Mount Evelyn 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 21.2% of lone person households, and 28.8% of larger households, compared with 18.1% and 32.7% respectively for Mount Evelyn.

The major differences in the household size for Urban Area and Mount Evelyn were:

  • A larger percentage of households with 1 person usually resident (21.2% compared to 18.1%)
  • A larger percentage of households with 2 persons usually resident (33.0% compared to 31.8%)
  • A smaller percentage of households with 4 persons usually resident (18.1% compared to 20.4%)
  • A smaller percentage of households with 5 persons usually resident (7.3% compared to 8.6%)

Emerging groups

The number of households in Urban Area increased by 2,654 between 2016 and 2021.

The largest changes in the number of persons usually resident in a household in Urban Area between 2016 and 2021 were:

  • 2 persons (+1,019 households)
  • 1 person (+797 households)
  • 3 persons (+437 households)
  • 4 persons (+351 households)

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