The number of one-person households in Germany has been increasing in the last decade, while the opposite was true for three-person homes. In 2020, 16,476 German households had one occupant.
Ageing population
These trends may be rooted in various reasons, such as population developments, ageing, urbanization, individual lifestyles, flexible living arrangements. When looking at the growing number of one-person households, depending on the age group, this increase may be due to being single, for example, as well as an older person living alone. The largest share of the German population was aged 40 to 59 years, followed by those aged 65 and older. In terms of housing situations, most were renting and more than half of the population lived in an apartment.
Decreasing household member numbers
Another spin on single household statistics in Germany is recording the average number of household members. Since the 1990s this number has been decreasing and thus far the evidence points towards this trend continuing.
Number of households in Germany from 2000 to 2020, by size
(in 1,000)
* The source adds that figures are only partly comparable due to the following changes in methodology:
2005: Change from fixed reference week to flexible reference week survey.
2011: Projection for years starting from 2011 according to population estimations based on Zensus 2011. Projections for years prior to 2011 according to population estimations based on population census of 1987.
2016: Change in usage of reserve sample according to population estimations based on Zensus 2011. Reserve sample for years prior to 2016 according to population estimations based on census of 1987.
2020: first-time results.
Figures refer to population in private households at main or secondary residence.
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Statistisches Bundesamt. (September 7, 2021). Number of households in Germany from 2000 to 2020, by size (in 1,000) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 05, 2021, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/464187/households-by-size-germany/
Statistisches Bundesamt. "Number of households in Germany from 2000 to 2020, by size (in 1,000)." Chart. September 7, 2021. Statista. Accessed December 05, 2021. https://www.statista.com/statistics/464187/households-by-size-germany/
Statistisches Bundesamt. (2021). Number of households in Germany from 2000 to 2020, by size (in 1,000). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 05, 2021. https://www.statista.com/statistics/464187/households-by-size-germany/
Statistisches Bundesamt. "Number of Households in Germany from 2000 to 2020, by Size (in 1,000)." Statista, Statista Inc., 7 Sep 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/464187/households-by-size-germany/
Statistisches Bundesamt, Number of households in Germany from 2000 to 2020, by size (in 1,000) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/464187/households-by-size-germany/ (last visited December 05, 2021)
