Referenced by 10 other explainers
Not stated is the label ABS uses when a Census answer is blank or cannot be sorted into a listed group. It tells you the form was not filled in. It does not tell you about the person.
ABS does not show Not stated for every variable. The choice is the ABS's. It rests on the question, on privacy, and on what each count is meant to do.
When a marker shows Not stated as its own row, the share tells you how full the answers were, not who the people are. A high or rising share can flag form habits, community concerns, or a sensitive question.
When a marker does not show Not stated, its counts hold any blank answers, with no flag to say so. Sometimes ABS fills the blanks from other Census fields. Sometimes ABS just leaves them out.
Each marker page states its Not stated rule near the top.