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Households' housing 2017:

Most children live in one- or two-dwelling buildings

Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2018-04-19 9.30

More than half of Sweden’s population, 53 percent, live in one- or two-dwelling buildings. Most of these people live in a one- or two-dwelling building owned by the household.

years live in one- or two-dwelling buildings. During the first five years of life, many children move from multi-dwelling buildings to one- or two-dwelling buildings. In 2017, 58 percent of children aged 0–9 and 65 percent of 10–19 year-olds lived in a one- or two-dwelling building.

Among those aged 20 to 39, it is most common to live in a multi-dwelling building, in a rented dwelling or an owner-occupied apartment. At that age, many people move away from their parents into their own housing. Among 40 to 79 year-olds it is most common to live in a one- or two-dwelling building.

Type of housing by age, 2017. Percent

Among people aged 20–29, and over 80 years, the share of those in other housing is relatively high, due to the inclusion of student dwellings and special-needs housing in other housing.

In Sweden, there are 2.2 persons per household on average. The highest number of persons per household, 2.7, live in one- or two-dwelling buildings. The number of persons living in multi-dwelling buildings is 1.9 on average. The fact that there are more people per household in one- or two-dwelling buildings is largely because one- or two-dwelling buildings are, on average, larger than other dwellings.

There is a difference in the average number of people living in rented dwellings and owner-occupied apartments. In multi-dwelling buildings, there are 2.0 persons per household on average in rented dwellings and 1.8 persons per household in owner-occupied apartments. In one- or two-dwelling buildings, households in owner-occupied apartments are instead slightly larger, with 2.4 persons per household, compared with 2.3 persons in rented dwellings.

In apartments in multi-dwelling buildings, it is possible to compare the number of persons per household in different dwelling types. In small apartments with one or two rooms with a kitchen, kitchenette or cooking recess, the number of persons per household is approximately the same. As shown in the table, the number of persons per household is higher in rented dwellings than in owner-occupied apartments in apartments with three rooms with kitchen and larger.

Number of persons/household by number of rooms with kitchen in multi-dwelling buildings. 2017
Dwelling typeOwner-occupied
apartment
Rented
dwelling
1 room with kitchenette/
cooking recess
1.2 1.3
1 room with kitchen 1.3 1.3
2 rooms with kitchen 1.5 1.5
3 rooms with kitchen 2.0 2.4
4 rooms with kitchen 2.5 3.3
5 rooms with kitchen 2.8 3.7
6 or more rooms
with kitchen
2.9 3.6
All 1.8 2.0

Definitions and explanations

The statistics are based on the Total Population Register and information dwellings in Statistics Sweden’s register on dwelling stock.

A household includes all persons registered at the same dwelling.

The link to a dwelling is missing for about 17 000 people, which means that households cannot be created. These people are not included in the statistics on households. In the statistics, their housing is listed as "no data".

One-to-two dwelling buildings refer to detached one- or two-dwelling buildings as well as semi-detached houses, terraced houses and link attached houses.

Multi-dwelling buildings refer to residential buildings with three or more apartments including housing with balcony access.

One- or two-dwelling buildings with ownership rights refer to dwellings owned by natural persons or estates of deceased persons.

Multi-dwelling buildings with owner-occupied apartments refer to apartments owned by tenant-owned associations or housing associations. Owner-occupied apartments also include persons who rent their apartment from the tenant-owners’ association or from the owner of the apartment.

Multi-dwelling buildings and other buildings that are rented dwellings refer to dwellings that are not condominiums and are owned by owners other than tenant-owner associations.

Next publishing will be

The next press release in this series is scheduled for publishing in the spring 2019.

Feel free to use the facts from this statistical news but remember to state Source: Statistics Sweden.

Statistical agency and producer

Population and Economic Welfare statistics unit

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befolkning@scb.se

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Lovisa Sköld

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Karin Rosén Karlsson

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