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 Gladstone (R), accounting for 80.5% (5,651 families). This share was lower than Regional Qld (82.6%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in intact families, which decreased by 663 families and 5.5 percentage points.
Section overview
Family blending
Gladstone (R) - Total couples with children (Enumerated)
This table summarises family blending for Gladstone (R) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional Qld and change since 2016.
Family blending snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Gladstone (R), with comparison markers for Regional Qld.
Intact Family
2021 count
5,651
% of total
80.5%
Change from 2016
-5.5pp
5,651
80.5%
-5.5pp
Step family
2021 count
884
% of total
12.6%
Change from 2016
+5.1pp
884
12.6%
+5.1pp
Blended family
2021 count
416
% of total
5.9%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
416
5.9%
0.0pp
Other couple family
2021 count
63
% of total
0.9%
Change from 2016
+0.3pp
63
0.9%
+0.3pp
Chart view
Family blending change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Intact Family
-663
-5.5pp
Step family
+337
+5.1pp
Blended family
-14
0.0pp
Other couple family
+19
+0.3pp
Data table
Family blending for Gladstone (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 | 5,651 | 80.5% | 82.6% | 6,314 | 86.0% | 86.3% | -663 | -5.5pp |
| Step family | 884 | 12.6% | 11.8% | 547 | 7.5% | 8.0% | +337 | +5.1pp |
| Blended family | 416 | 5.9% | 4.9% | 430 | 5.9% | 5.1% | -14 | 0.0pp |
| Other couple family | 63 | 0.9% | 0.7% | 44 | 0.6% | 0.6% | +19 | +0.3pp |
| Total couples with children | 7,021 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 7,340 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -319 | 0.0pp |