Language at home explained Place Forecast Feature

Abbreviated as LANP; referenced by 3 other explainers

Language used at home shows whether people use only English or another language at home.

These figures are Place Forecast estimates based on Census data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Each person is counted once. English only means they use no other language at home. People who use another language are counted under that language, even if they also use English. If they use more than one other language, the Census records the one they use most.

Some groups hold several languages. Two examples are Other Chinese languages and Other Indo-Aryan languages.

Australian Indigenous languages is one ABS group on this page. Single Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages are not split out here.

Using another language at home does not tell you how well a person speaks English. See Proficiency in English for that, for people born overseas.

All other categories holds people whose language is not shown on its own.

Language not stated means no language was given.

The figures count people where they usually live. They include people living in non-private dwellings such as hospitals, aged-care homes, hostels, and student housing. People here on a visit from another country are left out.

Reading this data fairly

These figures show how people answered Census questions. Here are the equity caveats to keep in mind. They keep the numbers fair:

• Language used at home is one of the Census topics used in CALD analysis. On its own it is not a measure of need. It does not show English need.

See the marker methodology for how these figures are calculated and their limitations.