This derived variable shows whether all, some, or none of the usual residents in a household on 11 August 2026 had a different usual address five years earlier (11 August 2021). It excludes people who were temporarily absent, visitors, and households made up only of visitors.
Scope
Family, group, lone person households
Categories
Code
Category
1
All residents in the household aged five years and over had a different address five years ago
2
Some residents in the households aged five years and over had a different address five years ago
3
No residents in the household aged five years and over had a different address five years ago
&
At least one resident in the household did not state an address five years ago
This image shows a question from the 2026 Census online form. This question asks: Where does Person 1 usually live?
Underneath the question text, the instructional text states: For people who usually live in another country and who are visiting Australia for less than one year, select 'Other country'. For other people, 'usually live' means the address at which the person has lived, or intends to live, for a total of six months or more in 2026. For people who have no fixed or return address (for example, due to family conflict or eviction), select 'Elsewhere in Australia', then choose 'Enter address manually' and enter 'None' in the 'Suburb/Locality' box. For boarders at boarding school, provide the address of the boarding school or college.
Underneath the instructional text, is a clickable More Information header. Once clicked, the More Information is shown, and states: If the person is entering an address manually for 'Elsewhere in Australia' and they usually live in Norfolk Island or other external territories, such as Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Jervis Bay, please select 'Other external territory' in the State/Territory box.
The response options are: The same as in Question 1 (Address on Census night); Elsewhere in Australia (specify address); Other country.
Where did the person usually live one year ago (at 11 August 2025)?
Image
Description
This image shows a question from the 2026 Census online form. This question asks: Where did Person 1 usually live one year ago (at 11 August 2025)?
Underneath the question text, the instructional text states: For people who had no usual address on 11 August 2025, select 'Elsewhere in Australia' and provide the address at which they were then living.
Underneath the instructional text, is a clickable More Information header. Once clicked, the More Information is shown, and states: If the complete address is not known, please provide as much of the address as possible. If the person is providing an address for 'Elsewhere in Australia' and they usually live in Norfolk Island or other external territories, such as Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Jervis Bay, please select 'Other external territory' in the State/Territory box.
The response options are: The same as in Question 1 (Address on Census night); Elsewhere in Australia (specify address); Other country.
Where did the person usually live five years ago (at 11 August 2021)?
Image
Description
This image shows a question from the 2026 Census online form. This question asks: Where did Person 1 usually live five years ago (at 11 August 2021)?
Underneath the question text, the instructional text states: For people who had no usual address on 11 August 2021, select 'Elsewhere in Australia' and provide the address at which they were then living.
Underneath the instructional text, is a clickable More Information header. Once clicked, the More Information is shown, and states: If the complete address is not known, please provide as much of the address as possible. If the person is providing an address for 'Elsewhere in Australia' and they usually live in Norfolk Island or other external territories, such as Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Jervis Bay, please select 'Other external territory' in the State/Territory box.
The response options are: The same as in Question 1 (Address on Census night); Elsewhere in Australia (specify address); Other country.
How this variable is created
This variable is derived from responses to questions on usual residence on Census night and usual residence five years earlier. Individual responses for all household members aged five years and over are compared to determine whether their address differs between the two time points.
These person-level responses are then combined to produce a household-level classification indicating whether all, some, or none of the household members changed address over the five-year period.
The variable identifies whether a change in usual residence occurred but does not provide information on the number or timing of moves within the five years.
History and changes
A household mobility variable was first used in the 1991 Census. A question about a person’s usual residence five years earlier was first asked in the 1971 Census and has been included in every Census since.
