Appendix: Variable specifications
Latest release
Index of Household Advantage and Disadvantage (IHAD): Technical Paper
Reference period
2021
Released
11/02/2025
First release
This appendix gives descriptions of each variable considered for inclusion for IHAD 2021. The square brackets contain specifications for creating the indicators from Census data items, according to the mnemonics used in the Census of Population and Housing: Census Dictionary, 2021. The variables are arranged by socio-economic dimension.
Notes:
- The Skill Level for each occupation can be found in ANZSCO – Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, Version 1.3
- Household composition was ‘not classifiable’ if the household: contained only visitors or persons aged under 15 years on Census night; or was determined to be occupied on Census Night but the collector could not make contact; or could not be classified because there was insufficient information on the Census form.
- The Canadian National Occupancy Standard determines housing appropriateness, using the number of bedrooms and the number, age, sex and relationships of household members. For more information refer to Housing Occupancy and Costs, Australia, 2019–20.
- Housing, Family, and Equivalised total household income variables listed below include only classifiable private dwellings [DWTD = 1 and HHCD = 1, 2 or 3]. Education, Occupation, and Miscellaneous variables listed below include only people living in classifiable private dwellings who were at home on Census night [DWTD = 1 and HHCD = 1, 2 or 3 and UAICP = 1].
Housing variables
Housing variables - specification
| Variable | Variable description |
|---|---|
| NOCAR | Households with no car [VEHRD = 0] |
| HIGHCAR | Households with three or more cars [VEHRD = 3-4] |
| FEWBED | Households with one or no bedrooms [BEDRD = 0-1] |
| HIGHBED | Households with four or more bedrooms [BEDD = 4-6] |
| OVERCROWD | Households requiring one or more extra bedrooms (based on Canadian National Occupancy Standard) [HOSD = 01-04] |
| SPAREBED | Households with one or more bedrooms spare (based on Canadian National Occupancy Standard) [HOSD = 06-09] |
| OTHER_HHLD | Households with a structure classified as "other" (e.g. caravan, tent) [STRD = 91-94] |
| MULTI_FAMILY | Multi-family households [HHCD = 2] |
| LOWRENT | Households where rent payments are less than $250 per week, excluding employer landlords (excludes $0) [RNTD = 1-250 and LLDD = 10-40] |
| HIGHRENT | Households where rent payments are more than $500 per week [RNTD = 501 – 9999] |
| PUBLIC_RENT | Households being rented from a state or territory housing authority, or a housing co-operative/community/church group [LLDD 20-21] |
| OWNED | Households owned outright [TEND = 1] |
| PURCHASED | Households being purchased [TEND = 2,3,6] |
| HIGHMORTGAGE | Households where mortgage repayments are greater than or equal to $2,900 per month [MRED = 2900-9999] |
| AREA_RVR | Households in remote/very remote areas [Remoteness area category = 3-4, based on SA1 Geography] |
| AREA_MC | Households in major cities [Remoteness area category = 0, based on SA1 Geography] |
Family variables
Family variables - specification
| Variable | Variable description |
|---|---|
| ONEPARENT | Households with a one-parent family, with dependent children only [FMCF = 3112, 3122, 3212] |
| CHILDJOBLESS | Households with children aged under 15 years and parent(s) not employed [FMCF = 21, 31 and LFSF = 16-17, 19, 25-26] |
Education variables
Education variables - specification
| Variable | Variable description |
|---|---|
| NOYEAR11orhigher | Households where the person with the highest educational attainment left school at year 10 or below, including those who did not go to school and with Certificate level I or II (excludes those currently studying secondary education) [HEAP = 621, 811, 812 and TYPP not = 31-39, or HEAP = 720-724] |
| YEAR11 | Households where the person with the highest educational attainment left school at year 11 (excludes those currently studying secondary education) [HEAP = 613, and TYPP not = 31-39] |
| CERTIFICATE | Households where the person with the highest educational attainment has a Certificate III or IV [HEAP = 5] |
| DIPLOMA | Households where the person with the highest educational attainment has an Advanced Diploma or Diploma [HEAP = 4] |
| DEGREE | Households where the person with the highest educational attainment has a Bachelor Degree or above [HEAP = 1-3] |
| DEGREE_DEPENDENT* | Households with at least one dependent child and the person with the highest educational attainment has a Bachelor Degree or above. |
| NOYEAR12_DEPENDENT* | Households with at least one dependent child and the person with the highest educational attainment left school at year 11 or below, including those who did not go to school and with Certificate level I or II (excludes those currently studying secondary education) |
* Combining education level with dependent children represents the concept of household level advantage/disadvantage to children from having or not having educated parents. Dependent children are derived using CDCF (Counts the number of dependent children in the family). A dependent child is a person who is either a child under 15 years of age, or a dependent student aged 15-24 years.
Occupation variables
Occupation variables - specification
| Variable | Variable description |
|---|---|
| INC_LOW | Households with low annual equivalised income (between $1 and $25,999) [HIED = 2-5] |
| INC_HIGH | Households with high annual equivalised income (greater than $90,999) [HIED = 12-16] |
| ALL_UNEMPLOYED | Households where all people aged 15 years and over are unemployed [AGEP > 14 and LFSP = 4,5] |
| HIGH_SKILL | Households where the highest skilled employed adult works in a skill level 1 occupation [OCSKP = 1] |
| SKILL_LVL_2 | Households where the highest skilled employed adult works in a skill level 2 occupation [OCSKP = 2] |
| SKILL_LVL_4 | Households where the highest skilled employed adult works in a skill level 4 occupation [OCSKP = 4] |
| LOW_SKILL | Households where the highest skilled employed adult works in a skill level 5 occupation [OCSKP = 5] |
| ALL_SHORT_DISTANCE | Households where all people aged 15 years and over who are employed, travel 0 to less than 2.5 km to work [DTWR1P = 1,2] |
| ALL_LONG_DISTANCE | Households where all people aged 15 years and over who are employed, travel 50 to less than 250 km to work [DTWR1P = 6] |
| ALL_VLONG_DISTANCE | Households where all people aged 15 years and over who are employed, travel 250 or more km to work [DTWR1P = 7] |
Miscellaneous variables
Miscellaneous variables - specification
| Variable | Variable description |
|---|---|
| SEP_DIVORCED | Households with one or more people aged 15 years and over separated or divorced [MSTP = 3,4] |
| ENGPOOR | Households with one or more people aged 15 years and over who do not speak English well [AGEP > 14 and ENGLP = 4,5] |
| ROM | Households with one or more people aged 15 years and over who arrived in Australia in the last 10 years [AGEP > 14 and YARP = 2021-2021] |
| UNENGAGED_YOUTH | Households with one or more people aged between 15 and 24 years who are not working or studying [AGEP = 15-24 and EETP = 41] |
| DISABILITY_UNDER70 | Households with one or more people aged under 70 years who need assistance with core activities [AGEP < 70 and ASSNP = 1] |
| DISABILITY_HH_PROP | Households where more than 50% of people need assistance with core activities [number of people where ASSNP=1 / number of people where UAICP = 1 > 0.5] |
| CARER | Households with one or more people aged 15 years and over who provide unpaid assistance to a person with a disability [UNCAREP = 2] |
| VOLUNTEER | Households with one or more people aged 15 years and over who does voluntary work for an organisation or group [VOLWP = 2] |
| RETIRED_NOT_OWNED | Households with a person aged 65 years and over who does not own the home, or occupy it under a life tenure scheme [AGEP > 64 and TEND = 3-5,7] |