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, lone person households was the most common household life-stage group among households in Melbourne (C), accounting for 28% (30,524 households). This share was higher than Greater Melbourne (24.1%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in lone person households, which increased by 9,878 households and 2.8 percentage points.
Section overview
Households without children by life stage
Melbourne (C) - Households (Enumerated)
This table summarises households without children for Melbourne (C) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Greater Melbourne and change since 2016.
Households without children by life stage snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Melbourne (C), with comparison markers for Greater Melbourne.
Couples without children
2021 count
19,125
% of total
17.5%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
19,125
17.5%
-0.1pp
Young couples without children
2021 count
878
% of total
0.8%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
878
0.8%
-0.2pp
Middle-aged couples without children
2021 count
483
% of total
0.4%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
483
0.4%
-0.2pp
Older couples without children
2021 count
17,764
% of total
16.3%
Change from 2016
+0.3pp
17,764
16.3%
+0.3pp
Lone person households
2021 count
30,524
% of total
28.0%
Change from 2016
+2.8pp
30,524
28.0%
+2.8pp
Young lone persons
2021 count
22,015
% of total
20.2%
Change from 2016
+2.4pp
22,015
20.2%
+2.4pp
Middle-aged lone persons
2021 count
5,443
% of total
5.0%
Change from 2016
+0.3pp
5,443
5.0%
+0.3pp
Older lone persons
2021 count
3,068
% of total
2.8%
Change from 2016
+0.1pp
3,068
2.8%
+0.1pp
Group households
2021 count
9,725
% of total
8.9%
Change from 2016
-5.6pp
9,725
8.9%
-5.6pp
Chart view
Households without children by life stage change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Couples without children
+4,728
-0.1pp
Young couples without children
+77
-0.2pp
Middle-aged couples without children
-6
-0.2pp
Older couples without children
+4,657
+0.3pp
Lone person households
+9,878
+2.8pp
Young lone persons
+7,438
+2.4pp
Middle-aged lone persons
+1,605
+0.3pp
Older lone persons
+836
+0.1pp
Group households
-2,199
-5.6pp
Data table
Households without children for Melbourne (C). Households without children by life stage. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Melbourne.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Greater Melbourne% | Count | % | Greater Melbourne% | Count | pp | |
| Couples without children | 19,125 | 17.5% | 23.8% | 14,397 | 17.6% | 24.2% | +4,728 | -0.1pp |
| Young couples without children | 878 | 0.8% | 5.9% | 801 | 1.0% | 6.3% | +77 | -0.2pp |
| Middle-aged couples without children | 483 | 0.4% | 5.0% | 489 | 0.6% | 5.5% | -6 | -0.2pp |
| Older couples without children | 17,764 | 16.3% | 12.9% | 13,107 | 16.0% | 12.5% | +4,657 | +0.3pp |
| Lone person households | 30,524 | 28.0% | 24.1% | 20,646 | 25.2% | 23.2% | +9,878 | +2.8pp |
| Young lone persons | 22,015 | 20.2% | 8.0% | 14,577 | 17.8% | 7.5% | +7,438 | +2.4pp |
| Middle-aged lone persons | 5,443 | 5.0% | 7.1% | 3,838 | 4.7% | 7.2% | +1,605 | +0.3pp |
| Older lone persons | 3,068 | 2.8% | 9.0% | 2,232 | 2.7% | 8.6% | +836 | +0.1pp |
| Group households | 9,725 | 8.9% | 4.2% | 11,924 | 14.5% | 5.0% | -2,199 | -5.6pp |
| Total households | 109,025 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 82,011 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +27,014 | 0.0pp |