11 Nov 2026 Census Release Dates: What Councils Can Expect and How to Prepare
The 2026 Census was held on 11 August 2026. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) will release the results in three stages:
- June 2027: most topics, including age, income and housing
- October 2027: employment and travel to work
- Early to mid-2028: SEIFA, homelessness estimates and distance to work
Each release gives councils a chance to test assumptions, spot emerging trends and strengthen the evidence behind housing, infrastructure and service decisions. How has your community changed since 2021? Where are housing needs shifting? Which neighbourhoods are attracting young families, and where will an ageing population shape demand for services?
The first results arrive in June 2027. The groundwork for using them can start now.
When will 2026 Census data be released?
The ABS plans three main releases. Each adds another layer of detail about local communities.
| Expected Release | What’s Included |
|---|---|
| June 2027 | Most topics across nearly all geographic areas, including age, families, cultural diversity, income, long-term health conditions, unpaid care and housing. Sexual orientation and gender are new for 2026 and scheduled for this release. Some gender data may follow in October. |
| October 2027 | Employment, industry, occupation, qualifications, place of work and travel to work, plus where people lived one and five years earlier. |
| Early to mid-2028 | Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), distance to work, estimates of homelessness and the Australian Census Longitudinal Dataset. |
Source: ABS, 2026 Census topics and data release plan and 2026 Census product guide. Timing is as published by the ABS and may change.
What will the June 2027 release tell councils?
The first release is the largest, and the one most councils will use first. Reading age profiles alongside household composition, dwelling types and housing costs shows how well the local housing mix is meeting community needs.
Comparing 2026 results with earlier Censuses shows where change is accelerating and where long-held assumptions need another look.
What does the October 2027 release add?
Who lives in your area is half the picture. The other half relates to where people work.
Are residents’ skills matched to local jobs? How do commuting patterns connect your area with its neighbours? Where are new residents moving from? The answers feed into workforce development, transport planning and the link between housing growth and employment.
When will SEIFA 2026 be released?
SEIFA is expected in early to mid-2028 as part of the third release, alongside the other complex outputs. It ranks areas by relative advantage and disadvantage. Combined with other local evidence, it helps councils target services and make the case for funding.
How should councils prepare their population forecasts?
The Census is a snapshot. Building upon this, population forecasts show who will live in your area in the years ahead.
REMPLAN Forecast combines demographic evidence with local inputs such as residential development, land supply and development constraints. The result is population, household and dwelling projections for your area.
Councils that have these inputs in place can move straight into an update when the June 2027 data arrives, rather than starting from scratch. Demand for forecast updates tends to rise after a Census release, so starting early helps avoid delays.
Our team manages the data and modelling and guides you through each step, making it straightforward to get started and keep your forecasts up to date.
Steps you can take now to support your forecast update:
- Confirm your forecast areas
- Gather details on development projects, land supply and delivery timing.
- Note changes to planning policy, infrastructure or local conditions that could affect growth.
How is REMPLAN preparing for the 2026 Census?
We’re preparing REMPLAN Community for the new releases, so councils can see who lives in their communities, how that is changing and what it means for planning.
Talk to us about the 2026 Census
REMPLAN clients
As always, talk to our team about when the new data will reach your REMPLAN products and when to schedule your next forecast update.
Get in touch · 1300 737 443
New to REMPLAN?
Book a call with Teresa Bullock-Smith, Principal Economist, to have a chat about the upcoming releases of 2026 Census data and how we can best support your work.
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