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Everything you need to know about the 2026 Census
Once every five years, the Census gives Australia something no other dataset can: a complete, local-level picture of who we are, how our communities are changing, and what they'll need next.
It's one of the most valuable resources we have for making Informed Decisions when planning services, allocating scarce resources and advocating for the needs of our community.
This page has everything you need to use the rich insights from the 2026 Census with confidence.
11 August
The Census is collected on August 11th 2026
Mid 2027
The ABS releases data in stages, not all at once, with the first results expected around June 2027.
Geography matters
The 2026 data uses updated ASGS geographic boundaries, which affects how areas compare over time.
We're independent experts (not the ABS)
Informed Decisions is independent of the ABS. We turn the results into local area profiles and forecasts communities use to plan and advocate for services and infrastructure.
Frequently asked questions
Got a question about the 2026 Census? Put it to our experts.
For 30 years, our experts have helped people use Census data with confidence.
So ask us anything. Add as many questions as you like, and we’ll put them to our team and send you the answers.
We’ll share the answers publicly too, so anyone else wondering the same thing can find them.
The 2026 Census timeline
Census night is 11 August 2026, and the ABS releases the results in stages from mid-2027.
Who we are, and how we relate to the Census
Informed Decisions is an independent company with experts who are specialists in using the data from the Census. We are not the Australian Bureau of Statistics. We don't run the Census and we can't help you complete or lodge your Census form.
If you have a question about the Census collection on August 11th 2026, or need help completing the Census response, please visit the Census Information page from the ABS.