INTRODUCTION
STATISTICS PRESENTED IN THIS PUBLICATION
This publication presents a range of social and housing statistics produced from the 2001 Census of Population and Housing for South Australia (SA). For comparative purposes, it includes 1996 Census data presented on 2001 Census geography. In addition, selected 1901 Census data are included for each State in table 1 to mark Australia's Centenary of Federation in 2001. The tables in this publication provide selected characteristics of the population and their housing arrangements for Statistical Divisions(SDs), Statistical Subdivisions (SSDs) and Statistical Local Areas (SLAs). The purpose of these tables is to allow a broad comparison of characteristics between geographic areas. This publication also contains the Basic Community Profile (BCP) for SA. This set of tables is provided to illustrate the wide range of data available from the Census. The BCP consists of 33 tables. This publication contains the first 21 tables which focus on the social and housing characteristics. The remainder of the BCP, tables 22 to 33, will be published in Census of Population and Housing: Selected Education and Labour Force Characteristics for Statistical Local Areas, South Australia (Cat. no. 2017.4). The statistics in this publication are mostly presented on the basis of where people were counted on Census Night ('as enumerated' counts). Counts of people based on where they usually live ('usual residence' counts) are also provided.
POPULATION MEASURES
Census counts should not be confused with the Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) official population estimate, the Estimated Resident Population (ERP) which is used for electoral purposes and in assisting in the distribution of government funds to state and local governments. ERP is the definitive population estimate and is derived from the census counts. For example, ERP includes an estimate of Australians temporarily overseas. For a fuller description of population measures and the derivation of ERP, please see paragraphs 7, 8 and 9 of the Explanatory Notes. Appendix 1 includes a table showing census counts and ERP for each State and Territory. One of the important features of the Census is that it describes the characteristics of Australia's population and housing for small geographic areas and small population groups. While not available in this publication, data at the smallest geographic level of Collection District (CD) are available in a range of census products. For more information on these products, please refer to Appendix 2 - Census Products and Services. Concepts and definitions used in this publication are explained in the Glossary and more detailed information is available in the 2001 Census Dictionary (Cat. no. 2901.0). The Explanatory Notes in this publication provide a discussion of the scope and coverage of the Census, the different measures of population, and the limitations of census data. This publication is one of a series of publications which provide data at the SLA level for each State and Territory. A similar publication is also available for the whole of Australia, providing data at SSD level. See Appendix 2 (Census Products and Services) for more information.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
STATE OVERVIEW
The Census of Population and Housing conducted on 7 August 2001 counted 1,467,261 people in South Australia (SA) on Census Night. This represents an increase of 2.8% (39,325 people) since the 1996 Census (1,427,936 people). This compares to an increase of 6.0% for Australia as a whole. Of those counted in Australia on Census Night, 1,470,057 people were usual residents of SA.
Selected person characteristics
The median age in SA was 37 years in 2001 an increase from 35 years in 1996, and the highest median age of all States and Territories. The median age for Australia was 35 years in 2001. The proportion of people aged 65 years and over increased to 14.4% (211,868 people) compared with 12.6% for Australia. The proportion of people aged 0-14 years decreased to 19.6% (288,093 people) in 2001, from 20.6% in 1996. The proportion of males and females in the population has remained stable, with more females (50.8%) than males (49.2%). New topics for the 2001 Census included Computer use at home and Internet use. For SA a higher proportion of males (42.5%) used a personal computer at home than females (39.0%). This compares with 43.5% of males and 40.5% of females for Australia. Similarly, a higher proportion of males (27.8%) than females (23.6%) used the Internet at home in SA. This compares with 29.5% (males) and 25.9% (females) for Australia.
Selected ethnic characteristics
The majority of people counted in SA were Australian born (75.4% or 1,099,591 people). This compares with 72.6% for Australia. The largest overseas born group comprised people born in the United Kingdom at 8.5% (124,014 people) followed by Italy at 1.7% (24,964 people). English was the only language spoken at home by 84.5% (1,233,121 people) of the population, compared with 80.0% for Australia. Of those people who spoke a language other than English at home, the highest proportion spoke Italian (2.8% or 40,176 people), followed by Greek (1.9% or 27,363 people).
Indigenous people
The number of people who identified as being of Indigenous origin increased by 14.6% to 23,425 people in 2001, up from 20,444 people in 1996. The Indigenous population represented 1.6% of the SA population. This compares with 2.2% for Australia.
Housing characteristics
There were 647,606 dwellings counted in SA, an increase of 4.7% (28,929 dwellings) since 1996. This compares with an 8.5% increase in dwellings for Australia as a whole. Of these dwellings, 90.2% (584,042) were occupied private dwellings, 9.6% (61,902) were unoccupied private dwellings and 0.3% (1,659) were non-private dwellings.
Occupied private dwellings
Dwellings which were fully owned or being purchased accounted for 68.9% of the 584,042 occupied private dwellings in SA. For the occupied private dwellings being purchased (169,968 dwellings), the median monthly housing loan repayment was $680 compared with $870 for Australia. The median weekly rent for the 24.9% of occupied private dwellings being rented (145,689 dwellings) was $117 compared with $154 for Australia.
Household characteristics
Of the 584,042 households counted in 2001, 67.5% (394,062 households) were family households, a decrease from 69.2% in 1996. The proportion of lone person households increased to 26.6% (155,258 households), up from 25.0% in 1996. The proportion of group households was 3.0% (17,754 households) in 2001, compared with 3.4% in 1996.
The Census shows that 45.8% of all SA households (267,420 households) used a personal computer at home in the week prior to the Census. This compares with 48.6% of all households for Australia. For the same period, close to one third of SA households 32.8% or 191,638 households) reported using the Internet at home, compared with 36.1% for Australia.
Family type
The 2001 Census counted 397,435 families in SA, an increase of 2.5% since 1996. In 2001, 44.1% or 175,167 families were couples with children, down from 46.7% in 1996. There were corresponding increases in the proportions of couple families without children (38.7%), up from 37.5% in 1996, and one parent families (15.6%), up from 14.2% in 1996.
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