Total family income (administrative data) (weekly) (FINAF)

This variable is the sum of Total personal income (administrative data) (weekly) (INCAP) of each family member aged 15 years or older who was present in the household on Census Night. This excludes families where one or more family members aged 15 years and over did not have income information available in administrative data or was absent from the dwelling on Census Night. These families are coded to the 'Partial incomes available' and total family incomes are not calculated. 

This variable wasn’t derived from data collected on the Census form but has been created by linking administrative data from the Person Level Integrated Data Asset (PLIDA) to the Census. 

Families in family households

This variable wasn’t derived from data collected on the Census form but has been created by linking administrative data from the Person Level Integrated Data Asset (PLIDA) to the Census. The PLIDA data asset contains administrative income data from the Australian Taxation Office and the Department of Social Services, this is the source data for this variable.   

This variable is calculated by summing the personal incomes recorded in administrative data for all family members aged 15 years and over.  

Families where all or at least one family member aged 15 and over was not able to be linked to PLIDA, and therefore did not have income information available in administrative data are set to: 

• 'Admin not available' and 
• 'Partial incomes available' respectively. 

Families where at least one member aged 15 and over was absent from the dwelling on Census Night are also set to 'Partial incomes available'.  

This is a new variable for 2021.

This variable provides an alternative, more detailed view on income to the Census income data collected via the Census form. It is based on income information recorded in linked administrative data, and not data collected from a Census question.  

Comparison to Census income data

Although this variable provides an alternative, more detailed view on income to income data collected via the Census form, there are differences to consider.

Method to calculate family income 

The personal incomes used to create this variable were recorded to the nearest dollar. The Census question, on the other hand, collects personal income in ranges, then a median-based approximation is used to calculate family income. 

Unlike data collected via the Census form, this variable does not rely on people correctly recalling the income that they, and other household members, usually earn.  

Comparisons to other family data 

This variable should be used with caution when comparing to other family data from within the ABS and for external organisations or agencies. The definition of a family can differ between different statistical collections and may not match Census definitions. 

• Total family income (weekly) (FINF)  
• Total personal income (administrative data) (weekly) (INCAP) 
• Total family income as available (administrative data) (weekly) (FIAASF) 
• Main source of family income (administrative data) (FSAF) 
• Main type of family government benefit payment (administrative data) (FGAF) 
• Total household income (administrative data) (weekly) (HINAD) 
• Administrative data
• Government benefits, pensions and allowances 
• Family

• Understanding income in administrative data, the Census and ABS surveys
• New Census insights on income in Australia using administrative data
• Earnings and work hours
• People and communities