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 Merriwa (WA), accounting for 68.8% (355 families). This share was lower than Wanneroo (C) (80.4%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in intact families, which decreased by 60 families and 10.7 percentage points.
Section overview
Family blending
Merriwa (WA) - Total couples with children (Enumerated)
This table summarises family blending for Merriwa (WA) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Wanneroo (C) and change since 2016.
Family blending snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Merriwa (WA), with comparison markers for Wanneroo (C).
Intact Family
2021 count
355
% of total
68.8%
Change from 2016
-10.7pp
355
68.8%
-10.7pp
Step family
2021 count
87
% of total
16.9%
Change from 2016
+7.5pp
87
16.9%
+7.5pp
Blended family
2021 count
57
% of total
11.0%
Change from 2016
+0.7pp
57
11.0%
+0.7pp
Other couple family
2021 count
4
% of total
0.8%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
4
0.8%
0.0pp
Chart view
Family blending change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Intact Family
-60
-10.7pp
Step family
+38
+7.5pp
Blended family
+3
+0.7pp
Other couple family
0
0.0pp
Data table
Family blending for Merriwa (WA). Family blending. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Wanneroo (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Wanneroo (C)% | Count | % | Wanneroo (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Intact Family | 355 | 68.8% | 80.4% | 415 | 79.5% | 88.1% | -60 | -10.7pp |
| Step family | 87 | 16.9% | 14.4% | 49 | 9.4% | 6.7% | +38 | +7.5pp |
| Blended family | 57 | 11.0% | 4.8% | 54 | 10.3% | 4.7% | +3 | +0.7pp |
| Other couple family | 4 | 0.8% | 0.4% | 4 | 0.8% | 0.5% | 0 | 0.0pp |
| Total couples with children | 516 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 522 | 100.0% | 100.0% | -6 | 0.0pp |