AHURI Brief

Percentage of Australian households in social housing, 2006 to 2016

Australian households living in social housing has fallen

Last updated 17 Mar 2017

Although the total number of households in social housing (i.e. public, community and SOMIH housing) has increased over the last 10 years (from 375,038 in 2006 to 394,289 in 2016) the proportion of Australian households living in social housing has been falling.

If the proportion of households in social housing (4.8% in 2006) had been maintained through to 2016 (when 4.3% of all households lived in social housing) then an extra 49,302 households would have been living in social housing.

Percent in social housing 2006 to 2016

Percentage of Australian households in social housing including households in public, community and SOMIH housing, 2006 to 2016.  SOMIH is State Owned and Managed Indigenous Housing.  Source: Number of social households at June 2016 from the Productivity Commission Report on Government Services 2017, vol. G, Housing and homelessness Number of Australian households from ABS 3236.0 Household and family projection 2006–31 and  ABS 3236.0 Household and family projection 2011–36.  Note that data for households in specific Indigenous community housing were not available from the Productivity Commission's 2017 Report on Government Services.

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