Forget population: Sleeper census stat deciding if you’ll buy a home

James Fitzgerald is a leading voice on Australian property markets and long-term wealth strategy. Everyone’s waiting on total population this Census night, but property analysts are watching a sleeper household statistic that will actually determine whether you can afford a home. While the public debate fixates on immigration and national headcount, property analyst and developer James Fitzgerald explains why a hidden household shift is the real story, creating demand for millions of extra homes – regardless of migration numbers. The housing statistic some analysts are watching is not total population. By James Fitzgerald On Tuesday night millions of Australians will help answer one of this country’s most important questions; who are we becoming? Every five years, the nation pauses to take stock. The Census allows us to capture the most comprehensive snapshot of our nation, revealing not just how many people live here, but how we live, where we live, and how these things are changing over time. The headline number will inevitably be population growth, but the figure I’ll be watching most closely isn’t the number of Australians, it’s the number of Australians per household. That may...