Use the Demographics panel on the left-hand side to view population, income, and other census data for any area on the map, switch between census years, and read a breakdown of what each area's data means. This feature is available to Advanced and Enterprise plan members.
What the Demographics Panel Shows
The Demographics panel brings Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) census data onto the Landchecker map. Census data is collected by the ABS every five years and covers population, income, cultural background, and other characteristics of the people living in an area.
Data is organised into seven categories. Each category expands to show a set of options, and some of those options expand further into a checklist of items you can select individually.
1. People and Population
The People and Population category covers population counts, age and Indigenous status:
People — split by Male or Female
Indigenous Status — Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
Median age
Age range population — 0–4, 5–14, 15–19, 20–24, 25–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55–64, 65–74, 75–84, 85+ (all 11 age bands are selected by default)
2. Cultural Diversity
The Cultural Diversity category covers the cultural and language background of residents:
Language not English
Born overseas
Father born overseas
Mother born overseas
Both parents born overseas
Australian citizens
3. Dwelling Data
The Dwelling Data category covers the types of homes in an area and how they're occupied:
Total dwellings — split by Houses, Units, or Terraces, town houses
Bedrooms — No bedrooms, 1 bedroom, 2 bedrooms, 3 bedrooms, 4 bedrooms, 5 bedrooms, 6 bedrooms, Other
Tenure type — Owned outright, Owned with a mortgage, Rented, Other
4. Household Income and Spending
The Household Income and Spending category covers median personal, family, and household income, along with housing costs:
Median personal income
Median family income
Median household income
Median mortgage repayment
Median rent
5. Family Characteristics
The Family Characteristics category covers the makeup of families and households:
Couples with children
One parent with children under 15
Couples without children
Lone persons
Group households
6. Distance and Method of Travel
The Distance and Method of Travel category covers how residents travel, including their method of transport to work:
Train
Bus
Tram/Light rail
Car/Motorcycle
Bicycle
Walked
7. Employment & Labour Force
The Employment & Labour Force category covers employment status and workforce participation:
Working age population
Labour Force Participation — split by In the labour force or Not in the labour force
Employment Status — Employed full-time, Employed part-time, Employed, away from work, Unemployed
One-parent families – labour force — In the labour force, Employed, Employed full-time, Employed part-time, Employed, away from work, Unemployed
Open the Demographics Panel
To open the Demographics panel:
Click the Demographics icon in the layers menu on the left side of your screen.
The panel opens in an empty state. No colour shading appears on the map until you choose a data category.
Choose a Census Year and Geographical Area
At the top of the Demographics panel, two dropdown menus let you set the year and the size of area you want to view:
Under Year, choose a census year: 2021, 2016, or 2011. The panel defaults to the most recent census year, 2021.
Under Geographical Area, choose the size of area you want to view:
SA1 — the smallest area, similar in size to a few streets or blocks
SA2 — roughly the size of a suburb
SA3 — a group of neighbouring suburbs
SA4 — a larger region, such as a city area or group of council areas
Municipality — a local council area
Suburb — a named suburb boundary
Choosing a different year or area updates the map immediately if a data category is already selected.
Select a Data Category
To shade the map with census data:
In the Demographics panel, click a category to expand it, such as People and Population.
Select the option you want to view, such as Median age. Only one option can be selected within a category at a time — selecting a different option replaces the shading currently shown on the map.
If the option you selected expands into a checklist, such as Age range population, select the checkbox next to each item you want to include. A counter next to the option name shows how many items are currently selected.
Some checklists, such as Age range population, have every item selected by default so you can see the full breakdown straight away. Deselect any items you don't need to narrow the comparison down.
For example, to compare the male and female population of an area, expand People and Population, select People, then select both the Male and Female checkboxes.
Read the Legend
Once a data category is selected, a legend appears at the bottom centre of the map. The legend shows the colour scale used for the shading and the range of values it represents (for example, from $0 to $3,500 for weekly personal income). The legend updates automatically as you pan or zoom the map, so the colour scale always reflects the areas currently in view.
View Area Details
To see the census data behind the colour shading, hover your cursor over any shaded area on the map, or click it. A card appears showing:
The selected data category and option (for example, "Employment & Labour Force" and "Employment Status")
The area code (for example, an SA1 code)
The colour and value range from the legend for that area
The census data itself
What appears at the bottom of the card depends on how many checklist items are selected:
If you've selected a single item, or an option with no checklist such as Median age, the card shows one plain value — for example, "Median age: 35" or "Employed full-time: 168."
If you've selected multiple items, such as People with both Male and Female selected, the card shows a table with three columns: the item, its Percentage of the area total, and its Count. The first column heading matches the type of data shown, such as "People," "Dwellings," or "Households." The Total row is shown in bold at the bottom of the table.
Keep or Remove the Colour Shading
Closing the Demographics panel does not remove the colour shading from the map — your selected category stays visible so you can keep exploring other areas or functions. To remove the shading, use the on/off control in the Demographics panel.
How Demographics Supports Your Work
Census data adds local context to the property research you're already doing in Landchecker. Here's how Demographics support common ways different professionals work.
Property Developers — Check a dwelling mix against local demand using Age range population and Household Income and Spending, and support planning or VCAT submissions with evidence of local need.
Valuers — Add context to comparable sales evidence with Household Income and Spending and Dwelling Data, showing a property's tenure or repayment levels are typical for the area.
Real Estate and Commercial Agents — Understand an area's workforce with Employment & Labour Force and Distance and Method of Travel to pitch a listing to the right buyer or tenant.
Legal Professionals and Conveyancers — Use Family Characteristics and Cultural Diversity to give clients a fuller picture of the area they're transacting in.
Architects and Town Planners — Pair Age range population and Household Income and Spending with permit history to evidence demand for a rezoning application.
Common Questions
Can I view more than one data category at a time?
No. Selecting a new category or option replaces the one currently shown on the map.
Why is the map still shaded after I closed the panel?
This is expected. The colour shading stays on the map until you turn it off using the on/off control in the Demographics panel, or select a different category.
Why can't I open the Demographics panel on my phone?
Demographics is currently available on desktop only. If you're on mobile, log in on a desktop or laptop to use this function.
How are percentages calculated?
Percentages are rounded to one decimal place and are calculated as each item's count divided by the area total. If an area's total is 0 — for example, an unpopulated industrial area — every row shows 0%, rather than an error.