Standard terms for measures of dwellings, households and families

Dwellings

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Census Dwellings - Introduction

Output of dwelling statistics for the Census of Population and Dwellings can be broken down into the following:

 

 Flow chart, standard terms and definitions for dwellings.

Notes:

  • Numbers relate to the eight standard terms and definitions for dwellings.
  • The 2001 Census of Population and Dwellings did not collect information about whether an unoccupied dwelling is 'private'/'non-private', or 'temporary'/'permanent'.
  • By definition, all private and non-private dwellings are occupied. For brevity, 'occupied' is not included in the glossary terms 'private dwelling', 'non-private dwelling', 'temporary private dwelling' and 'permanent private dwelling'.
  • Further disaggregations using other variables are possible. For example, unoccupied dwellings may be further classified either as an 'empty dwelling' or as 'residents away'. Also, private (occupied) dwellings may be further classified by ownership of the dwelling or tenure of the household. This statistical standard does not provide standard terms or definitions for further disaggregations, but publication of any such output should be guided by this standard.

The following terms are defined in the section Glossary and References:

 dwelling  temporary private dwelling
 occupied dwelling  permanent private dwelling
 unoccupied dwelling  resident
 private dwelling  dwelling under construction
 non-private dwelling  

Definitions - Census Counts

The eight standard terms and definitions for census counts of dwellings are: 

  1. The census dwelling count of New Zealand is a count of all dwellings in New Zealand on a given census night.
    • This count includes occupied dwellings: non-private dwellings, permanent private dwellings and temporary private dwellings.
    • This count includes unoccupied dwellings (empty dwellings and dwellings where the residents are away) and dwellings under construction.
  2. The census occupied dwelling count of New Zealand is a count of all occupied dwellings in New Zealand on a given census night.
    • This count includes private occupied dwellings (both permanent and temporary), and non-private occupied dwellings.
    • This count excludes unoccupied dwellings and dwellings under construction.
  3. The census private (occupied) dwelling count of New Zealand is a count of all private occupied dwellings in New Zealand on a given census night.
    • This count includes private occupied dwellings (both permanent and temporary).
    • This count excludes non-private dwellings, unoccupied dwellings and dwellings under construction.
  4. The census non-private (occupied) dwelling count of New Zealand is a count of all non-private occupied dwellings in New Zealand on a given census night.
    • This count excludes private occupied dwellings (both permanent and temporary), unoccupied dwellings and dwellings under construction.
  5. The census temporary private (occupied) dwelling count of New Zealand is a count of all temporary private occupied dwellings in New Zealand on a given census night.
    • This count excludes permanent private occupied dwellings, non-private occupied dwellings, unoccupied dwellings and dwellings under construction.
  6. The census permanent private (occupied) dwelling count of New Zealand is a count of all permanent private occupied dwellings in New Zealand on a given census night.
    • This count excludes temporary private occupied dwellings, non-private occupied dwellings, unoccupied dwellings and dwellings under construction.
  7. The census unoccupied dwelling count of New Zealand is a count of all unoccupied dwellings in New Zealand on a given census night.
    • This count includes empty dwellings and dwellings where the residents are away.
    • This count excludes occupied dwellings and dwellings under construction.
  8. The census count of dwellings under construction of New Zealand is a count of all dwellings under construction in New Zealand on a given census night.
    • This count excludes occupied dwellings (both private and non-private, and permanent and temporary) and unoccupied dwellings.

Terms two through to eight are subsets of term one, the census dwelling count.

Definition – Estimate

The provision of standard terms for different estimates of dwellings does not necessarily mean that such estimates are available. The standard terms are provided to differentiate census counts from estimates, if and when both measures exist.

In the following definitions, the last two bullet points are essentially the same for each definition. Each definition uses the same concept (inclusions and exclusions) as the respective census count, although a different timeframe applies.

The eight standard terms and definitions for estimates of dwellings are:

  1. Estimated dwellings of New Zealand is an estimate of all dwellings in New Zealand at a given date.
    • This estimate includes occupied dwellings: non-private dwellings, permanent private dwellings and temporary private dwellings.
    • This estimate includes unoccupied dwellings (empty dwellings and dwellings where the residents are away) and dwellings under construction.
    • This estimate includes an adjustment for dwellings missed or counted more than once by the census (net census undercount).
    • The estimated dwellings at a given date after a census also includes an adjustment for new dwellings, minus an adjustment for dwellings that are demolished or destroyed.
  2. Estimated occupied dwellings of New Zealand is an estimate of all occupied dwellings in New Zealand at a given date.
    • This estimate includes private occupied dwellings (both permanent and temporary), and non-private occupied dwellings.
    • This estimate excludes unoccupied dwellings and dwellings under construction.
    • This estimate includes an adjustment for occupied dwellings missed or counted more than once by the census (net census undercount).
    • The estimated occupied dwellings at a given date after a census also includes an adjustment for new dwellings, minus an adjustment for dwellings that are demolished or destroyed.
  3. Estimated private (occupied) dwellings of New Zealand is an estimate of all private occupied dwellings in New Zealand at a given date.
    • This estimate includes private occupied dwellings (both permanent and temporary).
    • This estimate excludes non-private dwellings, unoccupied dwellings and dwellings under construction.
    • This estimate includes an adjustment for private occupied dwellings missed or counted more than once by the census (net census undercount).
    • The estimated private occupied dwellings at a given date after a census also includes an adjustment for new dwellings, minus an adjustment for dwellings that are demolished or destroyed.
  4. Estimated non-private (occupied) dwellings of New Zealand is an estimate of all non-private occupied dwellings in New Zealand at a given date.
    • This estimate excludes private occupied dwellings (both permanent and temporary), unoccupied dwellings and dwellings under construction.
    • This estimate includes an adjustment for non-private occupied dwellings missed or counted more than once by the census (net census undercount).
    • The estimated non-private occupied dwellings at a given date after a census also includes an adjustment for new dwellings, minus an adjustment for dwellings that are demolished or destroyed.
  5. Estimated temporary private (occupied) dwellings of New Zealand is an estimate of all temporary private occupied dwellings in New Zealand at a given date.
    • This estimate excludes permanent private occupied dwellings, non-private occupied dwellings, unoccupied dwellings and dwellings under construction.
    • This estimate includes an adjustment for temporary private occupied dwellings missed or counted more than once by the census (net census undercount).
    • The estimated temporary private occupied dwellings at a given date after a census also includes an adjustment for new dwellings, minus an adjustment for dwellings that are demolished or destroyed.
  6. Estimated permanent private (occupied) dwellings of New Zealand is an estimate of all permanent private occupied dwellings in New Zealand at a given date.
    • This estimate excludes temporary private occupied dwellings, non-private occupied dwellings, unoccupied dwellings and dwellings under construction.
    • This estimate includes an adjustment for permanent private occupied dwellings missed or counted more than once by the census (net census undercount).
    • The estimated permanent private occupied dwellings at a given date after a census also includes an adjustment for new dwellings, minus an adjustment for dwellings that are demolished or destroyed.
  7. Estimated unoccupied dwellings of New Zealand is an estimate of all unoccupied dwellings in New Zealand at a given date.
    • This estimate includes empty dwellings and dwellings where the residents are away.
    • This estimate excludes occupied dwellings and dwellings under construction.
    • This estimate includes an adjustment for unoccupied dwellings missed or counted more than once by the census (net census undercount).
    • The estimated unoccupied dwellings at a given date after a census also includes an adjustment for new dwellings, minus an adjustment for dwellings that are demolished or destroyed.
  8. Estimated dwellings under construction of New Zealand is an estimate of all dwellings under construction in New Zealand at a given date.
    • This estimate excludes occupied dwellings (both private and non-private, and permanent and temporary) and unoccupied dwellings (empty dwellings and dwellings where the residents are away).
    • This estimate includes an adjustment for dwellings under construction missed or counted more than once by the census (net census undercount).
    • The estimated dwellings under construction at a given date after a census also includes an adjustment for new dwellings, minus an adjustment for dwellings that are demolished or destroyed.

Terms two through to eight are subsets of term one, the estimated dwellings.

Explanatory notes

Adjustments

The estimated dwellings of New Zealand at a given date after a census is derived by updating the census dwelling count for:

  1. Estimated net census undercount
  2. New dwellings, between census night and the date of the estimate
  3. Dwellings that are demolished or destroyed between census night and the date of the estimate.

Frequency of dwelling estimates

Estimated private (occupied) dwellings, at the national level, are produced quarterly (reference dates at 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December).

Dwelling projections

Dwelling projections are not currently produced (as at January 2004)

Enumeration

In the census dwelling count, a dwelling is generally classed as occupied or unoccupied as determined by the enumerator on census night. The time frame for enumeration in the Census of Population and Dwellings is as at midnight, but a dwelling that was unoccupied on census night may be enumerated up until noon of the following day.

Operational issues

Use of 'census dwelling count'

The term 'census dwelling count' has been so worded to:

  • clarify its source as a census count
  • differentiate this measure of dwellings from other measures of dwellings.

When presenting data, standard term(s) must be used. For example, "the census dwelling count of New Zealand at 6 March 2001 was ...". The term 'census count of dwellings' may be used in commentary only, where it makes better grammatical sense.

Use of 'estimated dwellings'

The term 'estimated dwellings' has been so worded to:

  • clarify its source as a demographic estimate
  • differentiate this measure of dwellings from other measures of dwellings.

When presenting data, standard term(s) must be used. For example, "the estimated dwellings of New Zealand at 30 June 2001 was ...". The term 'estimated number of dwellings' may be used in commentary only, where it makes better grammatical sense.

For more information on how to use the standard terms, please refer to the Output section.

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