Mobility across Australia

State and Territory estimates

There was some variation in mobility when comparing estimates for the states and territories. The Northern Territory and Queensland had the highest rates of mobility. Over half of the people living in the Northern Territory and Queensland at the time of the survey had moved at least once in the five years prior to the survey. People living in Western Australia at the time of the survey were also relatively mobile with just under half having moved one or more times. The Northern Territory had the highest proportion of renters (39%) which could in part explain this high mobility rate.

The main reasons reported for moving were generally consistent across the states and territories. However, the number of people who moved due to a change in employment varied. More people living in the Australian Capital Territory (22%) and the Northern Territory (17%) at the time of the survey, reported moving for employment reasons than any of the states.


Types of moves

Of the people who had moved in the five years prior to the survey, 90% had moved within the same state or territory in their last move, 47% moved within the same suburb or locality and 43% moved from outside their suburb or locality but within the same state or territory. Of the remaining 10% of people who had moved, half had moved from interstate and half had moved from overseas in their last move.

In the five years prior to the survey, 8% of the population living in the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory at the time of the survey had moved from other states and territories in their last move. In comparison, 2% of the population living in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia had moved from interstate (Table 2.8).

Just over one fifth of people who had moved within the same suburb or locality in their last move reported wanting a bigger or better home as their main reason for moving. The other common reason reported by people in this group was purchasing their own home (16%). Those who moved outside their suburb or locality but within the same state or territory, were most likely to have moved due to purchasing their own home (14%). People who had moved from interstate most commonly moved for employment reasons (38%).

7.8 Housing mobility, By type of move for last move - Australia - 2007-08
		NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT(a)	ACT	Aust.
Proportion of persons (%)
Moved
	In same suburb/locality as current dwelling	19.7	15.7	25.9	20.1	20.1	20.6	34.5	16.1	20.1
	In same State but different locality	17.4	19.7	20.8	14.9	21.5	15.6	14.4	11.6	18.7
	From different State	1.6	1.6	3.9	2.3	2.2	3.2	7.8	8.0	2.3
	From overseas	1.8	2.1	1.8	1.4	3.5	(b)0.6	(b)1.3	(b)3.8	2.0
	Total people that moved	40.4	39.1	52.4	38.7	47.3	40.0	57.9	39.5	43.1
Did not move		59.6	60.9	47.6	61.3	52.7	60.0	42.1	60.5	56.9
Total		100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Number of persons ('000)
Moved
	In same suburb/locality as current dwelling	1 077.6	656.1	846.9	254.2	329.7	80.0	43.4	43.3	3 331.4
	In same State but different locality	950.8	821.5	679.6	188.1	352.9	60.8	18.2	31.4	3 103.4
	From different State	85.1	67.3	125.8	29.5	35.3	12.4	9.8	21.5	386.6
	From overseas	98.8	89.3	57.3	17.3	57.6	2.5	1.6	10.3	334.7
	Total people that moved	2 212.3	1 634.3	1 709.6	489.2	775.5	155.7	73.0	106.6	7 156.1
Did not move		3 260.6	2 542.8	1 554.3	773.9	863.6	233.0	53.0	163.2	9 444.5
Total		5 472.9	4 177.1	3 263.9	1 263.1	1 639.2	388.7	126.0	269.8	16 600.6
(a) Excludes people living in very remote areas, accounting for about 23% of the population in the Northern Territory.
(b) Estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution.
Source: Survey of Income and Housing 2007-08.

The main reasons reported by people who had moved from overseas varied. They included getting married or to live with a partner, employment reasons, accessibility reasons, moving with family, lifestyle change and to be closer to family and friends. However, they were more likely to have moved to get married or to live with a partner (15%) than the rest of the population.

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