Households
Households Without Children
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.
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 Melbourne (C), accounting for 77.1% (59,374 households). This share was higher than Greater Melbourne (51.3%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in total households without children, which increased by 12,407 households and 5.7 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
Lone person households
Young lone persons
Middle-aged lone persons
Older lone persons
Group households
Total households without children
Chart view
Households without children by life stage change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Couples without children
+4,728
+2.9pp
Lone person households
+9,878
+8.3pp
Young lone persons
+7,438
+6.4pp
Middle-aged lone persons
+1,605
+1.3pp
Older lone persons
+836
+0.6pp
Group households
-2,199
-5.5pp
Total households without children
+12,407
+5.7pp
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 | 24.8% | 23.5% | 14,397 | 21.9% | 22.9% | +4,728 | +2.9pp |
| Lone person households | 30,524 | 39.7% | 23.7% | 20,646 | 31.4% | 22.0% | +9,878 | +8.3pp |
| Young lone persons | 22,015 | 28.6% | 7.9% | 14,577 | 22.2% | 7.1% | +7,438 | +6.4pp |
| Middle-aged lone persons | 5,443 | 7.1% | 7.0% | 3,838 | 5.8% | 6.8% | +1,605 | +1.3pp |
| Older lone persons | 3,068 | 4.0% | 8.8% | 2,232 | 3.4% | 8.1% | +836 | +0.6pp |
| Group households | 9,725 | 12.6% | 4.1% | 11,924 | 18.1% | 4.7% | -2,199 | -5.5pp |
| Total households without children | 59,374 | 77.1% | 51.3% | 46,967 | 71.4% | 49.7% | +12,407 | +5.7pp |
| Total households | 76,969 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 65,795 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +11,174 | 0.0pp |