Households
Family blending
About this topic
Family blending classifies couple families with children according to whether the children are shared by both partners, from a previous relationship, or a mix of both. It applies only to couple families with children, not to all family types or all households.
This topic can help show patterns of repartnering and family complexity within an area. It should be interpreted with household type and households with children, because it is a specialised family-structure measure rather than a summary of all families.
Interpretation notes
- This derived family view applies only to couple families with children, not all families or all households.
- It classifies whether children are shared, step, or blended within the couple family, so it should not be compared directly with headline household totals.
Key insight
In 2021, intact families was the most common family type among couple families with children in Cairns (R), accounting for 82.4% (13,591 families). This share was similar to Regional Qld (82.6%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in step families, which increased by 765 families and 4.4 percentage points.
Section overview
Family blending
Cairns (R) - Total couples with children (Enumerated)
This table summarises family blending for Cairns (R) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional Qld and change since 2016.
Family blending snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Cairns (R), with comparison markers for Regional Qld.
Intact Family
2021 count
13,591
% of total
82.4%
Change from 2016
-4.3pp
13,591
82.4%
-4.3pp
Step family
2021 count
2,058
% of total
12.5%
Change from 2016
+4.4pp
2,058
12.5%
+4.4pp
Blended family
2021 count
734
% of total
4.4%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
734
4.4%
-0.1pp
Other couple family
2021 count
105
% of total
0.6%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
105
0.6%
-0.1pp
Chart view
Family blending change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Intact Family
-196
-4.3pp
Step family
+765
+4.4pp
Blended family
+25
-0.1pp
Other couple family
0
-0.1pp
Data table
Family blending for Cairns (R). Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Qld.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional Qld% | Count | % | Regional Qld% | Count | pp | |
| Intact Family | 13,591 | 82.4% | 82.6% | 13,787 | 86.7% | 86.3% | -196 | -4.3pp |
| Step family | 2,058 | 12.5% | 11.8% | 1,293 | 8.1% | 8.0% | +765 | +4.4pp |
| Blended family | 734 | 4.4% | 4.9% | 709 | 4.5% | 5.1% | +25 | -0.1pp |
| Other couple family | 105 | 0.6% | 0.7% | 105 | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0 | -0.1pp |
| Total couples with children | 16,499 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 15,895 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +604 | 0.0pp |