Number of households in Germany 2010-2023, by size

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 2023, 17.01 million German households had one occupant, while only 4.94 million households had three people living in them.

Aging population

These trends may be rooted in various reasons, such as population developments, aging, 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

 It is not just in Germany that households are decreasing in size. A similar trend has been seen in the United States. Household size is often very dependent on the financial status of individuals. Those with more money will often opt to live alone, whilst those on a lower income may have no choice but to have roommates or to continue living with their family.