Genus – Journal of Population Sciences, 80(2), pp 1-22 (2024)
Albert Esteve, Maria Pohl, Federica Becca, Huifen Fang, Juan Galeano, Joan García-Román, David Reher, Rita Trias-Prats and Anna Turu
Households are core units of social organization and reproduction, yet, compared
to other areas of demographic research, we have limited understanding of their
basic characteristics across countries. Using data from 793 time points and 156
countries in the new CORESIDENCE database, this article provides a comprehen‑
sive analysis of global household size and composition trends. The fndings reveal
that despite signifcant international variations in household size, ranging from 1.8
in Denmark to 8.4 in Senegal, there is a widespread decline in household size. On
average, households have decreased by approximately 0.5 persons per decade.
Children contribute to over three-quarters of the observed variability and decline
in household size in recent decades. In contrast, the number of other relatives
in households has remained relatively stable or has only moderately decreased. While households are becoming more similar in size, their composition is not converging globally to the same extent. These dynamics have macro and micro-level implications for families, societies, and the economy. Further investigation is required to understand the underlying factors driving these transformations and their consequences.