2901.0 - Census of Population and Housing: Census Dictionary, 2016  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 23/08/2016   
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2016 Census Dictionary >> Glossary >> Census counts


Census counts

The Census counts people where they were located on Census night and this count of the population is referred to as the place of enumeration count. A count of the population based on their place of usual residence is also available. Place of usual residence is derived from questions on the Census form. In Censuses prior to 2006, many of the Census products presented data on a place of enumeration basis. Since 2006, the focus has been on place of usual residence.

Census counts by place of usual residence:
    • exclude overseas visitors and
    • exclude Australian residents temporarily overseas.

The variables Family Composition (FMCF) and Household Composition (HHCD) are coded on a place of usual residence basis rather than a place of enumeration basis. All visitors to dwellings are excluded when coding these variables. Usual residents who are reported as 'temporarily absent' are included in the coding of Family Composition (FMCF) and Household Composition (HHCD).

Estimated Resident Population: Estimates of the resident population for 30 June 2016 are based on the 2016 Census counts by place of usual residence, with a number of adjustments.

While every effort is made to achieve a complete Census count, some undercounting inevitably occurs for various reasons, for example, the inadvertent omission of very young children, treatment of some dwellings as unoccupied when in fact they are occupied, and failure to find all dwellings. Refusal by householders to complete the Census form is not a significant cause of undercounting.

See also Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS), Estimated Resident Population (ERP), Family, Household, Place of enumeration, Place of Usual Residence (PURP), Undercount and/or underenumeration.






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