Number of households will grow by 50 thousand annually until 2025
Until 2025, the number of households in the Netherlands will grow by 630 thousand to 8.2 million, as the household survey conducted by Statistics Netherlands shows. The annual increase by 50 thousand is just below the level over the past twelve years. The number of households will continue to grow after 2025 to 8.6 million in 2060. In future, there will be more singles due to ageing of the population.
More one-person households
Over the next twelve years, the number of singles will increase from 2.8 to 3.3 million. The number of couples will increase to 4.3 million, i.e. 150 thousand more than at the beginning of this year. The number of single parents is anticipated to grow marginally to 540 thousand in 2025.
In the long run, only the number of one-person households will grow and is anticipated to reach 3.8 million in 2060. This means that 44 percent of households in the Netherlands will be one-person households versus 37 percent today. The number of couples and one-parent households will be about the same in 2060 as in 2025.
Types of households
Ageing of the population main cause for increase in one-person households
Until 2025, three quarters of the increase in one-person households will be over-65s. In the following years, over-65s will account entirely for the increase in one-person households. More older people implies more widows and widowers, but the age at which people are widowed is gradually rising as people’s life expectancy improves. The number of over-65s living in institutions is declining and as a result the number of single elderly people will grow.
Changing behaviour in relations also plays a part
In the past decade, it has become more common for young people to live alone for some time before they start living with a partner and more relationships end in divorce, resulting in more young and middle-aged singles. The increase is expected to continue and will also become manifest among older people.
Households of elderly people (over 65) by type
More couples without children living at home
Currently, there are 2.0 million couples with children at home and 2.2 million couples without children at home. Until 2025, the number of couples with children living at home will diminish by 80 thousand. This is also due to ageing of the population. On the other hand, the number of couples without children living at home will grow by 230 thousand until 2025 and subsequently decline marginally.
Number of couples with or without children at home
Coen van Duin