2901.0 - Census Dictionary, 2006 (Reissue)

ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 17/11/2006 Reissue

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Contents >> Short Definitions and Classifications - 2006 >> Family Income (FINF) - Characteristics 2006

Family Income

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Description
Classification
Quality Statement

Description

This variable is the sum of the Individual Incomes (INCP) of each family member present in the household on Census Night. Family income only applies to classifiable families in occupied private dwellings. If any person aged 15 years and over is temporarily absent, or does not state their income, then the Family Income (FINF) is not derived for that family. Family income is not applicable to non-family households such as group households or lone person households; or to people in non-private dwellings. More Detailed Description

Classification

Applicable to: Families in family households

1. Negative income
2. Nil income
3. $1-$149 ($1-$7,799)
4. $150-$249 ($7,800-$12,999)
5. $250-$349 ($13,000-$18,199)
6. $350-$499 ($18,200-$25,999)
7. $500-$649 ($26,000-$33,799)
8. $650-$799 ($33,800-$41,599)
9. $800-$999 ($41,600-$51,999)
10. $1,000-$1,199 ($52,000-$62,399)
11. $1,200-$1,399 ($62,400-$72,799)
12. $1,400-$1,699 ($72,800-$88,399)
13. $1,700-$1,999 ($88,400-$103,999)
14. $2,000-$2,499 ($104,000-$129,999)
15. $2,500-$2,999 ($130,000-$155,999)
16. $3,000-$3,499 ($156,000-$181,999)
17. $3,500-$3,999 ($182,000-$207,999)
18. $4,000 or more ($208,000 or more)
19. Partial income stated
20. All incomes not stated
21. Not applicable

Total number of categories: 21

More Detailed Description

Quality Statement

The ABS aims to produce high quality data from the Census. To achieve this, extensive effort is put into Census form design, collection procedures, and processing procedures.

There are four principal sources of error in Census data: respondent error, processing error, partial response and undercount. Quality management of the Census program aims to reduce error as much as possible, and to provide a measure of the remaining error to data users, to allow them to use the data in an informed way.

When completing their Census form, some people do not answer all the questions which apply to them. In these instances, a 'not stated' code is allocated during processing, with the exception of non-response to age, sex, marital status and place of usual residence. These variables are needed for population estimates, so they are imputed using other information on the Census form, as well as information from the previous Census.

The processing of information from Census forms is now mostly automated, using scanning, Intelligent Character Recognition and other automatic processes. Quality assurance procedures are used during Census processing to ensure processing errors are kept at an acceptable level. Sample checking is undertaken during coding operations, and corrections are made where necessary.

The Census form may be completed by one household member on behalf of others. Incorrect answers can be introduced to the Census form if the respondent does not understand the question or does not know the correct information about other household members. Many of these errors remain in the final data.

More detailed information on data quality is available in the 2006 Census Dictionary (cat. no. 2901.0), in the section titled Managing Census Quality.