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 Swan (C), accounting for 80.5% (16,202 families). This share was lower than Greater Perth (82.9%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in step families, which increased by 1,666 families and 7.3 percentage points.
Section overview
Family blending
Swan (C) - Total couples with children (Enumerated)
This table summarises family blending for Swan (C) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Greater Perth and change since 2016.
Family blending snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Swan (C), with comparison markers for Greater Perth.
Intact Family
2021 count
16,202
% of total
80.5%
Change from 2016
-7.5pp
16,202
80.5%
-7.5pp
Step family
2021 count
2,898
% of total
14.4%
Change from 2016
+7.3pp
2,898
14.4%
+7.3pp
Blended family
2021 count
907
% of total
4.5%
Change from 2016
+0.1pp
907
4.5%
+0.1pp
Other couple family
2021 count
112
% of total
0.6%
Change from 2016
+0.1pp
112
0.6%
+0.1pp
Chart view
Family blending change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Intact Family
+925
-7.5pp
Step family
+1,666
+7.3pp
Blended family
+139
+0.1pp
Other couple family
+21
+0.1pp
Data table
Family blending for Swan (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 | 16,202 | 80.5% | 82.9% | 15,277 | 88.0% | 89.4% | +925 | -7.5pp |
| Step family | 2,898 | 14.4% | 13.1% | 1,232 | 7.1% | 6.5% | +1,666 | +7.3pp |
| Blended family | 907 | 4.5% | 3.5% | 768 | 4.4% | 3.6% | +139 | +0.1pp |
| Other couple family | 112 | 0.6% | 0.5% | 91 | 0.5% | 0.4% | +21 | +0.1pp |
| Total couples with children | 20,120 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 17,362 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +2,758 | 0.0pp |