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Every five years, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) counts every person and household in the country. This year, Census night falls on Tuesday 11 August 2026, and if you live in an apartment, townhouse or unit complex, there are a few things worth knowing about how it will work for you.
From late July 2026, households across Australia will start receiving instructions on how to complete the Census. Most people will be directed to complete it online, though a paper form can be requested if you’d prefer one. You can fill it out as soon as your instructions arrive, as long as you know where you’ll be staying on the night itself.
If you subscribed to Census updates through myGov earlier this year, your link to complete the form online will land in your myGov Inbox instead of the letterbox.
For most lot owners and residents, no. You’ll receive your instructions the same way as any other household, and you complete the Census for wherever you’re sleeping on the night of 11 August.
Where it gets a little more involved is in larger complexes. The ABS classifies bigger, secured apartment buildings, generally more than 20 dwellings with restricted public access, think swipe-card lobbies or intercom entry, as Secure Apartment Buildings (SABs). Reaching every resident in these buildings takes more coordination than a standard letterbox drop, since ABS field staff can’t simply walk through a locked lobby.
To manage this, the ABS works directly with the building’s strata or building manager to help arrange access for delivering Census materials and following up with residents who haven’t yet completed their form. If your scheme falls into this category, you may notice ABS-related activity in the building in the lead-up to and after Census night. This is a normal part of the process, and any liaison with field staff is coordinated by your strata manager, not the committee.
A few things worth reassuring residents about:
Everyone in Australia on Census night needs to be included on a form. This includes visitors, guests, and anyone staying with you that night who won’t be counted elsewhere. Participation is required by law, so it’s worth making sure your household and any visitors are covered rather than leaving it to someone else.
For more information on the 2026 Census, visit census.abs.gov.au.
Census night falls on Tuesday 11 August 2026, and if you live in an apartment, townhouse or unit complex, there are a few things worth knowing about how it will work for you.
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