Occupied Dwellings

Description

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released information about occupied dwellings as revealed through the last Census. Information is based on the count of dwellings and is available for private and non-private dwellings. Private dwellings are separate houses, semi-detached dwellings, flats/units/apartments, caravan/cabin/
houseboat, improvised home, and dwellings attached to shops or offices. Non-private dwellings are establishments that provide communal type of accommodation, e.g. hotel/motel, boarding house, public hospital (not psychiatric), and child care institution. The information shows the number of private dwelling types and number of persons in private and non-private dwelling types in a given area.

Quality and Applicability

Information about occupied dwellings is recorded by the Census collector who may sometimes find it difficult to differentiate between dwelling types e.g. a separate house from a semi-detached house when dwellings are close together. But this is likely to have little bearing on the overall Census count.

Information about private dwellings is best to use if you want to establish the housing characteristics of a given area or to formulate housing policies or review existing housing stock. Information about non-private dwellings is best to use if you want to know the numbers of people in a given area living in non-private accommodation.

Coverage

Information about occupied dwellings is available for local government areas, statistical local areas, suburbs, and collector districts.

Collector districts are the smallest spatial units under the Australian Standard Geographical Classification system used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Collector districts enable the collection and dissemination of Census data. Statistical local areas fit into the boundaries of incorporated bodies of local government (i.e. local government areas) when aggregated.

Reference Date

The count of occupied dwellings refers to 8 August 2006, the most recent Census.

Release Date

The Australian Bureau of Statistics progressively released all standard data sets based on the 2006 Census during 2007.

Access

Information about private dwellings is contained in the Basic Community Profile Cat. No. 2001.0 2006 Table B31. Select the ‘Community Profiles’ function to search for an area by name then open its Basic Community Profile. Information about non-private dwellings is accessible through Census Tables. Select the ‘Census Tables’ function, click to view tables by topic, click ‘Location on Census Night’, and select ‘Dwellings’ as the topic. You can then select tables for non-private dwellings.

Cost and Format

Australian Bureau of Statistics data sets are downloadable free of charge in excel spreadsheet format.

More Information

Stay informed about all Census products by regularly visiting the Australian Bureau of Statistics and checking product release news/dates. Or subscribe to the free email notification service by sending an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and typing ‘add to Census email’ in the subject field. Or call the National Information and Referral Service 1300 135 070. This service can also provide assistance in navigating the Census website.

Additional Data Source(s)

Information about occupied dwellings is available through profile.id, an online product designed to support local government planning and accessible through council websites. Go to your council website, search for community profiles, and click on ‘How Do We Live/What Type of Dwellings do We Live In’ to generate reports based on the last Census. Reports are available for local government areas and smaller areas (e.g. suburbs). More on profile.id.

The Spatial Analysis and Research Branch, Department of Planning and Community Development, is currently preparing statistical information derived from the most recent Census. Statistical information will be available in a number of products including Know Your Area and Suburbs in Time. For updates, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , telephone (03) 9637 9441, write to PO Box 500 East Melbourne Vic 3002, or visit Spatial Analysis Research Branch and view product and release dates.