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What is the Census?

Every five years, each household in Australia spends one night filling out the Census. The Census is essentially a big survey that counts every person and household in Australia – and it’s not just for data nerds.

The Census is important because it tracks how our population is changing and allows us to better understand what we need now and in the future. Think of it as a snapshot of the country.

The Census has roughly 60 questions, including about your age, country of birth, cultural background, living situation, work and education. De-identified information from the Census is used by community groups, not-for profit organisations and governments to make important decisions, from planning roads and public transport, to building schools and funding health services in your area. At YACVic, we use Census data to inform our advocacy and policy work. Census data tells us how many young people are living in Victoria and how many people are working in the Victorian youth sector. It also provides important information about what our lives look like and who we are so YACVic can advocate to the Victorian government about what supports and changes young people and the youth sector need.

Crucially, the Census provides information from around the entire country, including from isolated places and areas with a small population, ensuring everyone is reflected in our national statistics.

Census data is collected and held securely by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), which has been running the census since 1911 — back when Census field officers travelled the country on horseback!

This year’s Census takes place on Tuesday 11 August 2026.

It includes new and updated questions about sexual orientation, gender identity and sex recorded at birth. You can find more information about answering these, and other questions, below.

2026 Census Explainer - Animation video

How do I complete the Census?

This year’s Census takes place on Tuesday 11 August 2026. From late July 2026, your household should receive a letter with instructions on how to complete the Census.

Most households will be invited to complete the Census online. Some households will get a paper form with a Reply Paid envelope. In both cases, you’ll receive instructions on how to request the option you prefer.

Each household is provided with one Census form. Generally, one person will complete the Census form for everyone in the household, but if you are concerned about privacy, you can request a separate form by calling the Census Contact Centre on 1800 181 227.

You can complete the Census as soon as you receive your instructions, as long as you know where you’ll be on Census night.

The ABS provides a range of support to help everyone participate in the Census, including translated materials in 26 languages and pop-up hubs for in-person help. For more help with completing the Census, visit the Census Help and Support page.

Who do I need to include in the Census form?

If you are filling out the Census form for your household, you need to include everyone who will be sleeping at your house on Census night, Tuesday 11 August 2026. This includes:

  • yourself
  • your spouse/partner
  • adult family members (including parents, children, siblings and extended family members)
  • babies, children and teenagers
  • unrelated housemates, flat mates or boarders
  • visitors or friends who spend Census night at your house, including international visitors, visa holders, permanent residents and those with no fixed address
  • people who usually live at your house who will return on Wednesday 12 August 2026 and will not be included on a form elsewhere (for example, shift workers at work on Census night).

For more detail on how to answer each question, visit About the Census questions.

Example of a Census form

Do I need to complete the Census?

Yes, the Census is compulsory. Every household in Australia should fill out the Census form and return it as soon as possible to avoid a fine.

If you don’t complete the Census, you may receive reminder notices. If you ignore the notices, you can be fined up to $330 a day for failing to complete the Census.

It is an offence to deliberately provide false or misleading information in the Census.

What if I'm not an Australian citizen?

You still need to complete the Census. Everyone who is in Australia on Census night, Tuesday 11 August 2026, must be included on the Census form.

This includes:

  • permanent residents
  • visa holders
  • international students
  • international visitors.

If you are staying in a hotel, motel or student accommodation, staff at your accommodation will provide instructions on how to complete the Census.

If you are staying in short-term accommodation like Airbnb or a holiday rental, the easiest way to complete your Census is online. You can do so from late July onwards.

What if I'm overseas?

If you are an Australian resident who is overseas on Census night, you don’t have to complete the Census.  

What if I am travelling or between places on Census night?

If you’re in Australia but travelling or between places on Census night, it’s generally easiest to complete the Census online. You can do so from late July onwards. Visit the ABS website for more information about completing the Census when travelling. 

What if I live in a remote area?

If you live in a remote area where mail delivery is difficult, you can complete the Census with help from a Census field staff member who will visit your community. Census staff will also deliver paper forms directly to households in some remote areas.

Find out more about how to get support with the Census.

What if I am homeless or between homes?

Between 10-16 August, Census staff will be in areas where people are known to be sleeping rough. They can help you do the Census by asking you questions and writing down your answers.

If you in a refuge or hostel, the accommodation will give you a Census form to fill out.

If you are staying with friends or family, you can complete the Census with their household. The ABS website has more information about completing the Census if you are experiencing homelessness.

Do I have to answer every question?

It is compulsory to answer all the questions in the Census, except for two optional questions.

It is an offence to knowingly provide false or misleading information in the census.

For more information on how to answer each question, visit About the Census questions. You can also view a sample form to see the questions ahead of time.

How is Census information used?

Census data is used to plan services such as schools, health care, transport and infrastructure.

Reports on data collected through the Census are published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and publicly available on their website.

You can search the Census results online by a range of topics and themes, including state-specific information and demographic breakdowns.

What about my privacy?

The information you provide is kept confidential, secure and can’t be used to identify you. The ABS is legally required to keep data secure and not release information in a way that is likely to identify someone.

Public census data used by governments, organisations, community groups and businesses is de-identified and anonymised. That means that they do not have access to any personal information.

Your data is protected by the Privacy Act 1988 and the secrecy provisions of the Census and Statistics Act 1905. Learn more at the Census Privacy page.

I don’t want to complete the Census with my house

If you are concerned about your privacy and do not want to complete the Census with your household members, you can request a separate form by calling the Census Contact Centre on 1800 181 227. 

New questions about sex, gender and sexual orientation

This year’s Census includes new and updated questions about sex, gender and sexual orientation. Previously, the Census did not collect meaningful data about these topics, which meant LGBTIQA+ communities were rendered invisible in Census data, and to people and organisations making funding decisions.

You can read Professor Adam Bourne’s blog post to understand why the 2026 Census matters for LGBTQA+ young people.

How were these changes made?

For many years, LGBTIQA+ community groups have said that the Census has not reflected the diversity of Australia. In 2022, advocacy organisation Equality Australia filed a complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission, stating that the 2021 Census did not ask meaningful questions to properly count members of the LGBTIQA+ community. Many LGBTIQA+ groups from across Australia supported the call to make the Census more inclusive. In response, the ABS established an expert advisory committee, which included LGBTIQA+ groups, to improve topics and questions.

We know that people from LGBTIQA+ communities have unique health and wellbeing needs and can experience worse health outcomes compared to other Australians. Collecting accurate data about LGBTIQA+ communities is a big step forward and will help governments make more informed decisions when it comes to funding health, education, housing and services for LGBTIQA+ people.

From these campaigns, the federal government committed to counting sexual orientation and gender identity in the Census. However, we are disappointed in the ABS’s decision not to include questions about innate variations of sex characteristics. We will continue to advocate for intersex people to be counted in the Census in future.

What are the new questions?

You can view the questions ahead of time on the 2026 Sample Census Household Form.

Here’s what’s to expect when it comes to questions on sex and gender.

You will be asked what your sex recorded at birth was. You will be provided with these options:

  • male
  • female
  • another term.

If you are 16 or older, you will be asked what your gender is. You will be provided with these options:

  • man
  • woman
  • non-binary
  • uses another term (specify)
  • prefer not to answer.

If you are 16 or older, you will be asked to describe your sexual orientation. You will be provided with these options:

  • straight
  • gay or lesbian
  • bisexual
  • uses another term (specify)
  • don’t know
  • prefer not to answer.

You can visit the Census LGBTIQA+ community page for more guidance.

What if I don’t feel safe publicly answering these questions?

We acknowledge that not everyone feels comfortable answering these questions. If you are concerned about privacy or are worried about another household member answering these questions on your behalf (such as a parent or guardian who does not accept your gender or sexual orientation), you can request a separate paper or online form by calling the Census Contact Centre on 1800 181 227.

If it’s important to you to be accurately counted, you could also consider staying at a trusted friend’s house during Census night – that way, you will be included in the Census form at your friend’s house, rather than at your house. However you choose to participate in the Census, it’s most important to keep yourself safe.

If more than one Census form is submitted for the same person, the ABS keeps the form with the most complete information about the person. This means it’s important to answer as many questions as possible about yourself in your separate form.

The information you provide is kept confidential, secure and can’t be used to identify you. The ABS is legally required to keep data secure and not release information in a way that is likely to identify someone.

You can find more information on the Doing the Census web page and on the Census LGBTIQA+ community page.

Need more information?

Online web resources
Support services for LGBTIQA+ Victorians

QLife

  • Phone support: 1800 184 527 (3pm-Midnight peer support and referral)
  • Webchat - qlife.org.au

Rainbow Door

Headspace LGBTIQA+ (online and phone support)