A clearer picture of children's residential mobility
17/08/2026
Moving house can unlock access to new opportunities and services, but repeated moves can also disrupt schooling, social connections and continuity of care for children.
A new report by the Changing Children’s Chances team provides insights into the patterns and trends of Australian children’s residential mobility. This includes how often they move houses, at what age, and whether moves take them to areas experiencing more or less disadvantage.
This study was done in collaboration with the Australian Bureau of Statistic’s Life Course Data Initiative, with the data showing that 57.8% of children aged 0–14 moved home at least once between 2006 and 2021. Of these children who moved, almost a third did so three or more times, with children aged 0–4 having moved most often.
Location, location, location
The data also shows where those moves led. In 2021, 40.1% of children's moves were to an area with a similar level of relative socioeconomic advantage. 32.2% moved to an area with greater relative advantage, and 27.7% moved to an area experiencing greater relative disadvantage.
The Life Course Dataset is an experimental resource that links de-identified address histories from 2006 onward. Unlike the five-yearly Census, it can track children's moves year by year, offering a more detailed picture of mobility patterns over time.
Understanding these patterns matters. This insight can help to inform policy and planning, supporting more responsive early years services and policies for families who move often.
Read Understanding child mobility in Australia, 2006-2021
Read Creating a child mobility indicator using the Life Course Dataset
