National Family and Household Projections: 2001 (base) - 2021 Update

Embargoed until 10:45am  –  01 June 2005

Highlights

 The following highlights are based on series 5B, which assumes medium fertility, medium mortality, long-term annual net migration of 10,000 and 'B' living arrangement type rates:
  • The number of families is projected to reach 1.30 million by 2021, an increase of 250,000 (24 percent) from an estimated 1.05 million families at 30 June 2001.
  • Most of the growth in families will be in couple without children families, which will overtake two-parent families to become the most common family type by 2006.
  • The number of households is projected to reach 1.84 million by 2021, an increase of 400,000 (28 percent) from an estimated 1.44 million households at 30 June 2001.
  • One-person households are projected to increase by 46 percent, from 333,000 in 2001 to 488,000 in 2021.
  • The average size of households will decrease to 2.4 people by 2021, from 2.6 people in 2001.
  • The numbers of families and households will grow faster than the population, which is projected to increase by 18 percent between 2001 and 2021.
 Graph, Projected Housholds Series 5B.   Graph, Projected Families Series 5B.
Brian Pink 1 June 2005 
Government Statistician Cat 31.912 Set 04/05 – 205