Total family income (weekly) (FINF)

Latest release
Census of Population and Housing: Census dictionary
Reference period
2021

Definition

This variable records the total family income by summing the Total personal income (weekly) (INCP) of each family member aged 15 years and over present in the household on Census Night. This excludes families where one or more family members aged 15 years and over did not state their income or was absent from the dwelling on Census Night. These families are coded to the 'Partial income stated' and total family incomes are not calculated.

Scope

Families in family households

Categories

Annual income ranges are displayed within brackets.

CodeCategory
01Negative income
02Nil income
03$1-$149 ($1-$7,799)
04$150-$299 ($7,800-$15,599)
05$300-$399 ($15,600-$20,799)
06$400-$499 ($20,800-$25,999)
07$500-$649 ($26,000-$33,799)
08$650-$799 ($33,800-$41,599)
09$800-$999 ($41,600-$51,999)
10$1,000-$1,249 ($52,000-$64,999)
11$1,250-$1,499 ($65,000-$77,999)
12$1,500-$1,749 ($78,000-$90,999)
13$1,750-$1,999 ($91,000-$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-$4,499 ($208,000-$233,999)
19$4,500-$4,999 ($234,000-$259,999)
20$5,000-$5,999 ($260,000-$311,999)
21$6,000-$7,999 ($312,000-$415,999)
22$8,000 or more ($416,000 or more)
23Partial income stated
&&All incomes not stated
@@Not applicable

Number of categories:  25

Not applicable (@@) category comprises:

  • Non-family/Non-classifiable households
  • Unoccupied private dwellings
  • Non-private dwellings
  • Migratory, off-shore and shipping SA1s

Question(s) from the Census form

What is the person’s relationship to Person1/Person 2?

What is the total of all income the person usually receives?

For each person away, complete the following questions:

How this variable is created

Data for this variable is collected from the Relationship in household and Income questions on the Census form. Data can also be collected from the questions asked of people who were away from the household on Census Night.

Total family income (weekly) is calculated by summing the personal incomes reported by all family members aged 15 years and over. As personal income is collected in ranges, median values are assigned to each range using data from the Survey of Income and Housing.

Families where all or at least one family member aged 15 and over did not state an income are set to either:

  • 'All incomes not stated'
  • 'Partial income stated'

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

History and changes

This variable was first introduced in 1976 as Family income (annual) (FINP). The name and mnemonics used, and methods used to calculate family income have changed several times over the years. For the 2016 Census, categories for family income in dollar ranges were revised.

No changes have been made to the family income categories for 2021.

Data use considerations

If there is a need to recalculate this variable under different circumstances users can use the derived variable Family income derivation indicator (FIDF) in conjunction with Total personal income (weekly) (INCP) to create a new family income variable.

Total family income (weekly) should be used carefully 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.

Increases to counts in the higher family income ranges can be partly attributed to the addition of a higher income range to the personal income question. For more details, see Total personal income (weekly) (INCP).

Total family income (weekly) (FINF) does not have a non-response rate as it is created during Census processing using responses from the Relationship in household, Income and persons temporarily absent questions on the Census form.

Related variables and glossary terms

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