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Type of Non-Private Dwelling

Type of Non-Private Dwelling (NPDD)

This variable records the type of non-private dwelling in which persons were counted on Census Night. Non-private dwellings are establishments which provide a communal type of accommodation.

Type of Non-Private Dwelling (NPDD) is usually determined by the Collector during enumeration. As well as being increasingly difficult to determine whether some dwellings are private or non-private, it is also becoming increasingly difficult to determine the Type of Non-Private Dwelling (NPDD). The type and mix of accommodation being offered and how it is described/advertised can make it difficult to categorise using the existing NPDD classification. During processing additional checks were undertaken to confirm that the classification has been consistently and correctly applied.

Unoccupied non-private dwellings are not counted in the Census.

The following comments may assist in understanding dwelling counts for some categories, particularly when comparing with 2006:
  • Hotel, motel, bed and breakfast: there has been a large increase in this category, as it encompasses a wide range of mainly short term accommodation for purposes other than health or welfare.
  • Staff quarters: there has also been a large increase in numbers, reflecting the growth in the resources sector.
  • Psychiatric hospital or institution and Hostel for the disabled: it is difficult sometimes to correctly categorise establishments offering residential/support care for the mentally disabled.
  • Nursing home and Accommodation for the retired or aged (not self-contained): accommodation is usually offered for both low and high level care and it is difficult to separately identify, this partly accounts for the changes in numbers of both categories. Users should consider combining the two categories when using Census data.
  • Other welfare: this can include hard to define accommodation for welfare purposes, and also includes a growing number of 'group homes'.
  • Prison: this category includes many local 'lock-ups' and the drop in numbers may be due to some lock-ups not being occupied on Census Night and therefore not included in the Census count.
  • Other and not classifiable: notwithstanding the increased difficulty in categorising NPDs, there was an increased effort in 2011 in determining a more correct code for those otherwise left as 'Other'. Ski lodges and Backpacker accommodation is included in the 'Other' category.

More information on NPDD is available in the 2011 Census Dictionary (cat. no. 2901.0).

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2011 Census Dictionary

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