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About this data

The household estimates and projections in this publication cover the period 2016 to 2041 for Australia, the states and territories, capital cities and rest of state regions. The projections of households, families and persons by living arrangement are based on the series B population projections from Population Projections, Australia, 2017 (base) - 2066.

Three series are presented in this publication. These are based on three different assumptions for living arrangement propensities:

• series I assumes no change in 2016 living arrangement propensity,
• series II assumes historical rate of change in propensities from 2001 to 2016 but gradually plateauing,
• series III assumes historical rate of change in propensities from 2001 to 2016 continuing.

• Family households are projected to remain the most common household type in Australia, at 69% to 71% of all household in 2041.
• Lone-person households are projected to make up 24% to 27% of all Australian households in 2041.
• Group households are projected to make up 4% to 5% of all households in 2041.

Projected households, Australia
	2016	2041
		Series I	Series II	Series III
	'000	'000	'000	'000
Family households	6 480.3	9 163.4	9 073.6	8 903.7
Group households	423.9	547.2	589.0	661.0
Lone-person households	2 300.4	3 523.8	3 356.0	3 045.7
Total households	9 204.6	13 234.4	13 018.7	12 610.3

• Couples with children are projected to make up 43% of all families in 2041; down slightly from 44% in 2016.
• Couples without children are projected to be the second most common family type, at 38% to 39% in 2041 (38% in 2016).
• Single-female-parent families are projected to make up 13% to 14% of all families in 2041 (compared to 13% in 2016).
• Single-male-parent families are projected to increase the fastest of any family type, increasing by between 44% to 65% by 2041.

Projected families, Australia
		2016	2041
			Series I	Series II	Series III
		'000	'000	'000	'000
Couple family with children		2 956.7	4 086.9	4 046.5	3 912.9
Couple family without children		2 512.7	3 636.9	3 569.0	3 472.3
One-parent families		1 072.0	1 536.4	1 562.3	1 633.9
	Male parent	193.9	279.1	294.0	320.9
	Female parent	878.2	1 257.3	1 268.3	1 313.0
Other family		117.6	161.9	152.0	135.9
Total families		6 659.0	9 422.1	9 329.8	9 155.0

• Living with a partner is projected to be the most common living arrangement in 2041, at 43% to 45% of all persons (45% in 2016).
• Nearly one-third (30% to 31%) of Australia's population are projected to live as children in a family household in 2041.
• Between 3.0 and 3.5 million Australians are projected to be living alone in 2041.

Projected persons, by living arrangements, Australia
		2016	2041
			Series I	Series II	Series III
		'000	'000	'000	'000
Couple family with children
	Husband, wife or partner	5 913.5	8 173.8	8 093.0	7 825.8
	Child	5 817.0	7 769.8	7 808.0	7 828.8
	Other related individual	155.5	233.3	245.4	272.8
Couple family without children
	Husband, wife or partner	5 025.4	7 273.8	7 138.0	6 944.6
	Other related individual	93.8	142.7	150.2	174.2
One-parent families
	Male parent	193.9	279.1	294.0	320.9
	Female parent	878.2	1 257.3	1 268.3	1 313.0
	Child	1 690.1	2 267.7	2 373.0	2 572.4
	Other related individual	93.9	138.8	149.8	169.1
Other families
	Related person living in an other family	249.4	343.6	322.6	288.5
	Unrelated individual living in a family household	334.7	446.1	548.6	787.4
Lone-person households
	Male lone person	1 045.8	1 531.0	1 502.2	1 444.3
	Female lone person	1 254.6	1 992.9	1 853.8	1 601.4
Group household member		954.4	1 277.8	1 376.2	1 544.5
Usual resident of a non-private dwelling		490.8	828.3	832.9	868.3
Total		24 190.9	33 955.9	33 955.9	33 955.9