10 Things You Need to Know About the 2026 Census

Census data is used in combination with other data, such as water utilities' records of flushing toilets, to build projections for peak holiday populations. This helps us avoid environmental sewage disasters. Testing wastewater, combined with census data, even helps calculate drug use and investigate Australians' health.

5. Schools and Education

School locations and staffing levels are also informed by the census. Teacher numbers give an indication of the education workforce and its location. Population census data, coupled with school census data, enables a stocktake and anticipation of future trends to avoid school enrolment blowouts.

6. Homelessness Counting

Censuses are personal for me. I wasn't counted in the 1996 census because I was homeless. That's part of why I ended up becoming a demographer – so no one is invisible when it counts.

Improvements to counting people experiencing homelessness over the past 30 years mean I wouldn't be missed today. The ABS now uses more comprehensive measures to capture rough sleepers, people in supported homeless accommodation, and couch surfers. The census has helped reveal that someone who is homeless is now most often a couch surfer, rather than on the streets.

7. When and How to Complete

You can complete it as soon as you have the form or login details, if you know where you'll be on census night, Tuesday August 11. If you need to post back a form, do it as soon as possible. It's expected 85% of forms will be completed online this time, up from 80% in 2021.

8. Your Data Is Protected

Privacy and confidentiality of census information is protected by law. Once received by the ABS, names and addresses are separated from responses. Completed paper forms are destroyed once data is safely recorded. Sophisticated encryption technology is used to ensure the safety of online census information. Just like paper forms, once data is processed, identifying information is kept functionally separate to responses. No data is released that might identify an individual.

9. Australia's Census Is Unusual

Australia is among only a handful of countries that still conduct a traditional census every five years. The United States and United Kingdom hold their censuses every decade. Many other countries, such as New Zealand, are moving toward alternatives, like using administrative data such as tax data, unemployment and health statistics. Cost and logistics will likely see traditional census-taking in Australia replaced by administrative data alternatives by around 2040.

10. Help and Assistance

Paper copies, including separate personal forms, are available by contacting the ABS online, calling 1800 130 250, or collecting one from a census pop-up hub. Reply-paid envelopes are provided for returning paper forms. Information is available online, by phoning the census hotline on 1800 181 227, or in person at an information session. Help to complete your form, including in languages other than English, is available at fill-in-the-form sessions.