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BACKGROUND

This publication summarises the results of a survey on mobility of the population, conducted throughout Victoria during October 1999 as a supplement to the Monthly Population Survey.

Information was collected on people who moved house in the last three years (movers), such as main reason for leaving the previous home, main reason for choosing to live in the current area and main reason for choosing the current home. Also included is information on tenure type, dwelling structure, size of yard, employment prospects as a consideration for moving, whether the selected person had grown up in the current area or lived there previously, and whether they had lived with all the same people in the previous home.

Information on housing extensions added by people who did not move in the last three years (non-movers) is also included.

For people intending to move in the next three years, information includes main reason likely to move, when the move is likely to occur, the likely destination and whether they expect to live with the same people in their next home.

This information is cross-classified by a range of data items such as age group, location of past and present dwellings, distance moved and year of arrival for those people born overseas.

FINDINGS

• In October 1999 there were 1,014,700 people in Victoria aged 18 years and over who had moved in the previous three years (29%) compared with 2,503,100 people who had not (71%).

• The most mobile age group is between 25 and 34 years, with 53% (384,400) having moved in the last three years. The percentage that moved decreases steadily as age increases, with less than 9% (48,300) of the 65 years and over age group having moved.

• Generally, people with post–school qualifications were more likely to have moved than people without such qualifications. For example, 40% (163,200) of people with bachelor degrees had moved, compared with 25% (519,900) of those without post–school qualifications.

• Some 73% (155,200) of people currently in group households had moved. In contrast, this percentage ranged from 23% to 34% for people in all other household types.

• In the last three years, less than 10% (118,000) of current home owners had moved. This compares with 67% (444,200) of renters and 31% (331,500) of purchasers.

	Movers	Non–movers	Total(a)		Movers	Non–movers	Total(a)
	'000	'000	'000		%	%	%
Age groups
18–24 years	195.4	272.1	467.4		41.8	58.2	100.0
25–34 years	384.4	343.9	729.6		52.7	47.1	100.0
35–44 years	212.2	507.2	720.4		29.5	70.4	100.0
45–54 years	116.1	506.1	622.2		18.7	81.3	100.0
55–64 years	58.4	360.5	419.6		13.9	85.9	100.0
65 years and over	48.3	513.4	561.7		8.6	91.4	100.0
Sex
Male	489.6	1,232.2	1,724.5		28.4	71.5	100.0
Female	525.2	1,271.0	1,796.5		29.2	70.7	100.0
Country of birth
Australia	747.6	1,750.0	2,499.9		29.9	70.0	100.0
Main English–speaking countries	78.8	213.0	291.8		27.0	73.0	100.0
Other countries	188.3	540.2	729.2		25.8	74.1	100.0
Year of arrival
Before 1996	207.3	748.1	956.1		21.7	78.2	100.0
1996–1999	59.9	*5.0	64.9		92.2	*7.8	100.0
Not applicable(b)	747.6	1,750.0	2,499.9		29.9	70.0	100.0
Total	1,014.7	2,503.1	3,520.9		28.8	71.1	100.0
(a) Total includes people responded 'don't know' to the length of time that they have lived in their current home. (b) People who were born in Australia.

	Movers	Non–movers	Total(a)		Movers	Non–movers	Total(a)
	'000	'000	'000		%	%	%
Current area of usual residence
Melbourne Major Statistical Region	737.2	1,850.9	2,591.2		28.5	71.4	100.0
Balance of Victoria Major Statistical Region	277.6	652.2	929.8		29.9	70.1	100.0
Employment status
Employed	691.2	1,469.1	2,162.4		32.0	67.9	100.0
Unemployed	53.5	80.8	134.3		39.8	60.2	100.0
Not in the labour force	270.0	953.2	1,224.2		22.1	77.9	100.0
Post–school qualifications(b)
Higher degree	16.4	43.5	60.0		27.3	72.5	100.0
Postgraduate diploma	28.0	56.0	84.0		33.3	66.7	100.0
Bachelor degree	163.2	242.4	405.5		40.2	59.8	100.0
Undergraduate diploma	32.8	83.3	116.1		28.3	71.7	100.0
Associate diploma	57.8	104.5	162.4		35.6	64.3	100.0
Skilled vocational qualifications	147.2	339.3	488.5		30.1	69.5	100.0
Basic vocational qualifications	47.7	69.9	117.6		40.6	59.4	100.0
Out of scope/not applicable(c)	519.9	1,559.0	2,079.9		25.0	75.0	100.0
Total	1,014.7	2,503.1	3,520.9		28.8	71.1	100.0
(a) Total includes people responded 'don't know' to the length of time that they have lived in their current home. (b) 'Uncodeable/inadequately described' and 'not stated' responses are only included in total. (c) 'Out of scope/not applicable' includes people who have not completed any tertiary qualification or have no post secondary education.

	Movers	Non–movers	Total(a)		Movers	Non–movers	Total(a)
	'000	'000	'000		%	%	%
Household type
Person living alone	113.3	270.4	384.1		29.5	70.4	100.0
Married couple only(b)	215.9	605.2	821.8		26.3	73.6	100.0
Married couple with children(b)	348.5	1,183.4	1,533.9		22.7	77.1	100.0
Single parent with children	77.1	182.3	259.4		29.7	70.3	100.0
Group household(c)	155.2	57.2	212.4		73.1	26.9	100.0
Other households	104.8	204.5	309.4		33.9	66.1	100.0
Current dwelling structure
Separate house	744.0	2,264.4	3,011.5		24.7	75.2	100.0
Semi–detached, row or terrace house, town house, etc	90.6	99.3	189.9		47.7	52.3	100.0
Flat/unit/apartment/other dwelling	177.5	138.5	316.0		56.2	43.8	100.0
Current tenure type
Owner	118.0	1,111.3	1,230.6		9.6	90.3	100.0
Purchaser	331.5	748.1	1,079.6		30.7	69.3	100.0
Renter	444.2	223.7	668.3		66.5	33.5	100.0
Boarder	*11.3	*3.9	15.2		*74.3	*25.7	100.0
Rent–free	64.4	256.2	320.6		20.1	79.9	100.0
Other(d)	45.4	158.1	204.8		22.2	77.2	100.0
Total(e)	1,014.7	2,503.1	3,520.9		28.8	71.1	100.0
(a) Total includes people responded 'don't know' to the length of time that they have lived in their current home. (b) Married couple includes people who are in de facto relationship. (c) Person living with non–relatives only. (d) Other includes people responded 'life tenant' and 'participant of rent/buy (or shared equity) scheme' responses. (e) Total includes some 'not stated' responses.