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 Dorset (M), accounting for 63.8% (1,903 households). This share was higher than Regional Tas. (60.5%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in total households without children, which increased by 100 households and 0.2 percentage points.

Section overview

Households without children by life stage

Dorset (M) - Households (Enumerated)

This table summarises households without children for Dorset (M) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional Tas. and change since 2016.

Households without children by life stage snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Dorset (M), with comparison markers for Regional Tas..

Dorset (M)
Regional Tas.

Couples without children

2021 count

957

% of total

32.1%

Change from 2016

+1.0pp

Lone person households

2021 count

874

% of total

29.3%

Change from 2016

-1.3pp

Young lone persons

2021 count

133

% of total

4.5%

Change from 2016

-0.5pp

Middle-aged lone persons

2021 count

279

% of total

9.3%

Change from 2016

-1.6pp

Older lone persons

2021 count

469

% of total

15.7%

Change from 2016

+0.7pp

Group households

2021 count

72

% of total

2.4%

Change from 2016

+0.4pp

Total households without children

2021 count

1,903

% of total

63.8%

Change from 2016

+0.2pp

Data table

Households without children for Dorset (M). Households without children by life stage. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Tas..

Households without children for Dorset (M). Households without children by life stage. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Tas..
Households without children for Dorset (M). Households without children by life stage. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Tas..
Category20212016Change
Count%Regional Tas.%Count%Regional Tas.%Countpp
Couples without children95732.1%29.5%88031.1%28.5%+77+1.0pp
Lone person households87429.3%28.4%86730.6%28.2%+7-1.3pp
Young lone persons1334.5%5.1%1425.0%5.7%-9-0.5pp
Middle-aged lone persons2799.3%9.7%30810.9%10.4%-29-1.6pp
Older lone persons46915.7%13.6%42615.0%12.1%+43+0.7pp
Group households722.4%2.6%562.0%2.6%+16+0.4pp
Total households without children1,90363.8%60.5%1,80363.6%59.3%+100+0.2pp
Total households2,985100.0%100.0%2,834100.0%100.0%+1510.0pp