The published figures
The ABS dwelling-structure table excludes visitor-only and other non-classifiable households. Its figures describe occupied private dwellings, not all properties. View the original ABS QuickStats table.
| Census year | Count | Share of table population |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 1,087,441 | 13.1% |
| 2021 | 1,319,095 | 14.2% |
Lot’s arithmetic using these counts gives a difference of 231,654, or approximately 21.3%: (1,319,095 − 1,087,441) ÷ 1,087,441 × 100.
The ABS makes small random adjustments to cells for privacy. Calculations from the published cells should not be presented as exact underlying population changes.
An apartment count is not a strata-lot count
The ABS dwelling-structure classification describes physical form. It does not establish a dwelling’s ownership or title arrangement.
That means this count cannot establish the number of strata lots, owners, buildings or management contracts. If you are trying to answer one of those questions, first identify a dataset whose unit of measurement matches it.
Five questions to ask about any property statistic
Use this Lot-created checklist before reusing a number in a presentation or comparison:
- What is counted? Write down the unit: people, dwellings, lots or buildings.
- Which place? Keep national, state, city and suburb figures separate.
- Which period? Keep the data date beside the number, even when the article is newly published.
- What is excluded? Check the table notes, rather than relying on its headline.
- What sits underneath a percentage? Name its denominator before comparing it with another percentage.
A reusable note could read: “[Number] [unit], in [place], for [period], excluding [exclusions], from [source].” If you cannot fill a field, treat it as a question to resolve.
Common questions
Does 14.2% describe all Australian homes in 2026?
No. It belongs to the specified 2021 ABS table and its defined population.
Is this Lot’s own property dataset?
No. The source is the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Lot has selected and explained the figures and shown its arithmetic.
Can this count rank suburbs as investments?
No. A national dwelling-structure count does not establish local prices, returns, building condition or investment suitability.
Can I call the difference new apartments built?
No. The subtraction compares two published occupied-dwelling counts. It does not isolate construction from other changes. A construction question needs evidence designed to measure construction.
Sources & method
- ABS: Australia 2021 Census QuickStats. Dwelling structure table and privacy notes; includes the 2016 comparison.
- ABS Census Dictionary: Dwelling structure (STRD). Classification definition. Both sources checked 7 October 2026.
Prepared by Lot using public sources and reproducible calculations, with AI assistance. No practitioner review is claimed. How we research and check our resources.