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 Rockingham (C), accounting for 73.4% (12,212 families). This share was lower than Greater Perth (82.9%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in step families, which increased by 1,892 families and 10.9 percentage points.
Section overview
Family blending
Rockingham (C) - Total couples with children (Enumerated)
This table summarises family blending for Rockingham (C) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Greater Perth and change since 2016.
Family blending snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Rockingham (C), with comparison markers for Greater Perth.
Intact Family
2021 count
12,212
% of total
73.4%
Change from 2016
-11.0pp
12,212
73.4%
-11.0pp
Step family
2021 count
3,266
% of total
19.6%
Change from 2016
+10.9pp
3,266
19.6%
+10.9pp
Blended family
2021 count
1,035
% of total
6.2%
Change from 2016
+0.1pp
1,035
6.2%
+0.1pp
Other couple family
2021 count
124
% of total
0.7%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
124
0.7%
0.0pp
Chart view
Family blending change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Intact Family
-1,155
-11.0pp
Step family
+1,892
+10.9pp
Blended family
+64
+0.1pp
Other couple family
+13
0.0pp
Data table
Family blending for Rockingham (C). Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Greater Perth.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Greater Perth% | Count | % | Greater Perth% | Count | pp | |
| Intact Family | 12,212 | 73.4% | 82.9% | 13,367 | 84.4% | 89.4% | -1,155 | -11.0pp |
| Step family | 3,266 | 19.6% | 13.1% | 1,374 | 8.7% | 6.5% | +1,892 | +10.9pp |
| Blended family | 1,035 | 6.2% | 3.5% | 971 | 6.1% | 3.6% | +64 | +0.1pp |
| Other couple family | 124 | 0.7% | 0.5% | 111 | 0.7% | 0.4% | +13 | 0.0pp |
| Total couples with children | 16,640 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 15,835 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +805 | 0.0pp |