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The data presented in this document relate to where people were counted on census night, and therefore data for each geographical area includes visitors to that area but exclude those people who were away on census night. The document uses both the Urban Centre/Locality (UC/L) and the Section of State (SOS) geographic classifications which classify areas according to size of the population. Whilst the UC/L classification covers only part of the State or Territory, the SOS classification covers the State or Territory in its entirety.

This document presents only a selection of data from the full range of census variables. For further information about other census or Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data refer to the Directory of Census Statistics, 1996 or elsewhere on this site. Concepts and definitions used in this document, including UC/L and SOS, are explained in the Explanatory Notes and more detailed information is available in the Census Dictionary, 1996 (Cat. no. 2901.0)

The ABS draws extensively on information provided freely by individuals, businesses, governments and other organisations. Their continued cooperation is very much appreciated: without it, the wide range of statistics published by the ABS would not be available. Information received by the ABS is treated in strict confidence as required by the Census and Statistics Act 1905.

POPULATION AND HOUSEHOLD CHARACTERISTICS	The 1996 Census of Population and Housing counted 299,243 people in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) on census night, representing a growth of 7.1% in the ACT's population count since 1991(279,323). In 1996, 99.3% (297,034) of the people counted in the ACT were in the Major Urban area, which consisted solely of Canberra-Queanbeyan (Canberra Part) (98.9% in 1991). The ACT's age structure was relatively stable with 22.6% of the people aged 0-14 years, and 7.1% aged 65 years or more, compared to 24.1% and 6.1% in 1991. In 1996, 74.3% of the people stated that they were Australian-born, 7.6% were born in the UK, Ireland or NZ and 14.8% were born in other countries. The number of people who reported being of Indigenous origin, increased by 82.2% between 1991 and 1996, from 1,592 to 2,900. This represented an increase from 0.6% to 1.0% of the total ACT population. Over half (57.4%) of all family households had at least one dependent child, a decrease from 62.1% in 1991. Between 1991 to 1996, the number of family households with dependent children increased slightly, from 42,869 households to 43,547. Over the same time period, the number of lone person households increased by 42.4%, from 15,700 households in 1991 to 22,353. This represented an increase from 16.9% of all households in 1991 to 21.0%.
LABOUR FORCE CHARACTERISTICS (For persons aged 15 years and over)	There were 149,415 employed people in the ACT. The unemployment rate for those aged 15 years and over was 7.3% for both census years, whilst that for the population aged 15-24 years was 14.6% in 1996 and 14.7% in 1991. Just under a half (47.7%) of the employed people in the ACT worked in the industries of Government administration and defence, Retail trade and Property and business services - the top three employing industries for the Territory (47.1% in 1991). Between 1991 and 1996, the proportion of people employed in the private sector increased from 47.1% to 52.1%. Of all employed people, 37.1% were Managers and administrators or Professionals.
OCCUPIED PRIVATE DWELLINGS	Almost one-third (29.5%) of the occupied private dwellings counted in the ACT were fully owned by their occupants, with another 34.5% being purchased and 32.9% being rented. Compared with 1991, these figures represent an increase in the proportion of owner-occupied households (from 24.9%), and decreases in the proportions of dwellings being purchased and being rented (from 38.3% and 32.8% respectively). The median weekly household income in 1996 was $904, an increase of 7.1% over the 1991 median ($844). Between 1991 and 1996, the median weekly rent payment for the Territory increased by 5.6%, from $142 to $150. Over the same time period, the median housing loan repayment increased by 45.6%, from $634 to $923 per month.

	EMPLOYED PERSONS (a)									UNEMPLOY- MENT RATES
	Full-time males	Full-time females	Part-time males	Part-time females	Total persons(b)	Emp- loyed in private sector	Managers & admini- strators; Profess- ionals	Labourers & related workers	Manufac- turing; Retail; Property and business services	Aged 15–24 years	Aged 15 years or more
Section of State	no.	no.	no.	no.	no.	%	no.	no.	no.	%	%
1996
ACT Major Urban	61,356	38,921	14,937	29,534	148,277	52.0	55,026	6,222	70,749	14.6	7.3
ACT Other Urban	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
ACT Bounded Locality	67	34	20	52	173	64.9	64	6	78	19.4	6.0
ACT Rural Balance	502	230	94	113	965	56.2	320	75	408	18.3	9.7
ACT Migratory	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Total	61,925	39,185	15,051	29,699	149,415	52.1	55,410	6,303	71,235	14.6	7.3
1991
ACT Major Urban	60,439	35,865	10,915	24,389	137,420	47.1	46,121	6,249	64,735	14.7	7.4
ACT Other Urban	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
ACT Bounded Locality	75	31	6	35	156	62.2	47	9	69	4.3	4.9
ACT Rural Balance	760	414	120	228	1,597	50.1	431	144	677	10.0	6.7
Migratory	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Total	61,274	36,310	11,041	24,652	139,173	47.1	46,599	6,402	65,481	14.7	7.3
(a) For census purposes, people who stated they were employed, but worked zero hours in the week prior to census night have been coded to 'part time'. (b) Includes people who did not state the number of hours worked.