Households

Households without children

About this topic

Households without children includes couple-only households and lone person households, grouped by life stage. In this topic, life stage is based on the age of the household reference person rather than on the ages of all people in the dwelling.

This topic is useful for understanding the mix of younger adult, mid-life, and older households and the different housing and service needs they may have. It works best alongside household size, age structure, and dwelling type.

Interpretation notes

  • This is a derived subset of couple-only and lone-person households, not a summary of all household types.
  • The life-stage labels are based on the age of the household reference person, so they simplify the ages of everyone else in the household.

Key insight

In 2021, total households without children was the most common household life-stage group among households in Scopus, accounting for 36.4% (8 households). This share was lower than Circular Head (M) (57.4%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in older lone persons, which decreased by 4 households and 26.7 percentage points.

Section overview

Households without children by life stage

Scopus - Households (Enumerated)

This table summarises households without children for Scopus in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Circular Head (M) and change since 2016.

Households without children by life stage snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Scopus, with comparison markers for Circular Head (M).

Scopus
Circular Head (M)

Couples without children

2021 count

5

% of total

22.7%

Change from 2016

+2.7pp

Lone person households

2021 count

3

% of total

13.6%

Change from 2016

-13.1pp

Young lone persons

2021 count

3

% of total

13.6%

Change from 2016

+13.6pp

Middle-aged lone persons

2021 count

0

% of total

0.0%

Change from 2016

0.0pp

Older lone persons

2021 count

0

% of total

0.0%

Change from 2016

-26.7pp

Group households

2021 count

0

% of total

0.0%

Change from 2016

0.0pp

Total households without children

2021 count

8

% of total

36.4%

Change from 2016

-10.3pp

Data table

Households without children for Scopus. Households without children by life stage. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Circular Head (M).

Households without children for Scopus. Households without children by life stage. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Circular Head (M).
Households without children for Scopus. Households without children by life stage. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Circular Head (M).
Category20212016Change
Count%Circular Head (M)%Count%Circular Head (M)%Countpp
Couples without children522.7%29.1%320.0%28.3%+2+2.7pp
Lone person households313.6%25.8%426.7%26.0%-1-13.1pp
Young lone persons313.6%4.7%00.0%5.8%+3+13.6pp
Middle-aged lone persons00.0%8.9%00.0%9.5%00.0pp
Older lone persons00.0%12.4%426.7%10.7%-4-26.7pp
Group households00.0%2.5%00.0%2.0%00.0pp
Total households without children836.4%57.4%746.7%56.3%+1-10.3pp
Total households22100.0%100.0%15100.0%100.0%+70.0pp