Australian census 2016 quiz – how much have you forgotten already?

The 2016 census held a mirror up to the nation and told us, among other things, that we are a country getting older, less European, less religious and less able to afford our own homes. But do you remember the finer details of the data dump?

1. Currently the population of Australia is more than 24 million. What was the population of Australia at census day?

   1. 22.9 million

   2. 23.4 million

   3. 23 million

   4. 23.7 million

2. According to the ABS, the Australian population is ageing to the point where it has a "middle-aged spread". What is its median age?

   1. 37

   2. 38

   3. 42

   4. 50

3. Indigenous Australians are also getting older. What is their median age?

   1. 23

   2. 28

   3. 33

   4. 40

4. Australians are much more likely to identify as gay and more people registered as being in a same-sex couple than ever before. In 2016 the census recorded 47,000 same-sex couples, but how many were there in 2011?

   1. 15,000

   2. 26,000

   3. 33,000

   4. 40,000

5. Which state or territory was the fastest growing?

   1. Victoria

   2. Queensland

   3. Northern Territory

   4. Australian Capital Territory

6. The median income increased between 2011 and 2016. Which state had or territory the highest?

   1. Australian Capital Territory

   2. Victoria

   3. New South Wales

   4. Western Australia

7. Was 2016 the year Melbourne overtook Sydney as the country's biggest city?

   1. Yes

   2. No

8. This year's census left people declaring that Australia had become a "godless nation". What proportion of the country identified as "no religion" in 2016?

   1. 16%

   2. 25.2%

   3. 30.1%

   4. 46.0%

9. The country may be 'godless' but the Daily Mail said the Muslim population had "soared" by 77% in "just a decade". What percentage of people identified as Muslim in 2016?

   1. 2.6%

   2. 5.8%

   3. 10%

   4. 30%

10. Christianity on the whole lost believers, but one denomination's membership increased between 2011 and 2016. Which one was it? Hint: Justin Bieber is a member.

    1. Catholic

    2. Jehovah's Witnesses

    3. Pentecostal

    4. Seventh Day Adventists

11. 

    "More Asian than European" was how the Sydney Morning Herald incorrectly described Australia after the census revealed a shift away from European migration. Just over a quarter of Australia’s residents said they were born overseas. What is the most common country of birth other than Australia?

    1. UK

    2. China

    3. India

    4. Italy

12. 

    The Daily Telegraph incorrectly said Sydney had become "more Asian than European". What percentage of Sydneysiders listed China as their country of birth?

    1. 4.7%

    2. 6.9%

    3. 10.2%

    4. 15%

13. Revealing that rates of homeownership had declined since 2011, the census was not helpful for those arguing Australia is not in a housing crisis. What proportion of Australian residents owned their home outright in 2016?

    1. 20%

    2. 31%

    3. 40%

    4. 45%

14. The 2016 census was the first time the ABS had attempted to allow respondents to register as sex/gender diverse. How many people did the census find to be sex/gender diverse?

    1. 3,700

    2. 5,600

    3. 9,000

    4. 15,000

15. While the census revealed Australia has become increasingly female, it had bad news for women when it came to the division of household labour. How many hours does the typical male vs typical female spend doing housework each week?

    1. None and between 10 and 20

    2. Less than five and between five and 14

    3. Less than five and less than 10

    4. Less than 10 and less than 15

Solutions

1:B, 2:B, 3:A, 4:B, 5:D, 6:A, 7:B, 8:C, 9:A, 10:C, 11:A, 12:A, 13:B, 14:A, 15:B

Scores