June 26, 2023, 3:02 am | Read time: 4 minutes
In the 1950s, the classic family model also dominated living arrangements: father, mother, child(ren). The high number of single households today shows that this has changed.
The transformation of society is also evident in living arrangements: Since the 1950s, the proportion of single households in Germany has more than doubled. Last year, nearly 41 percent of the 40.9 million households in Germany consisted of just one person, according to the Federal Statistical Office. In 1950, single-person households made up only about one-fifth of all households. In terms of the population, this means that while only about 6 percent of people lived alone in 1950, it was already about 20 percent last year.
Many Singles Live in Single Households Today
As a breakdown created since 1976 shows, there have also been changes over the years among the group of people living alone: In 1976, more than half of those living alone were widowed and one-third were single. Only eleven percent were divorced, and five percent were married but separated. Last year, however, single individuals living alone made up the largest share of single households at 51 percent. A quarter of people in single-person households were widowed, and 19 percent were divorced.
The number of households where people live together without being married or related—such as unmarried couples without children or shared apartments—has also increased. In 1976, this applied to just under two percent of multi-person households, but by 2022, it was already twelve percent.
In contrast, the extended family is disappearing. In 1950, households with at least five people accounted for 16 percent of all households. Last year, the share of households with five or more people was just under 4 percent. This trend toward smaller households is also reflected in the average number of household members: In 1950, an average of three people belonged to a household, but 72 years later, it was only two.
Also interesting: Older people have significantly more living space available
Older people have significantly more living space available.
Tenants Can Reclaim Certain Costs from Landlords for the First Time
More Households with Childless Couples
The multi-generational family is also becoming increasingly rare: In 1976, at least three generations lived under one roof in three percent of all multi-person households, but last year their share was less than one percent. In addition to single households, households with childless couples have increased: Their share rose from just under one-third of all multi-person households in 1976 to 39 percent in 2022. This includes both married couples whose children have already left the household and those who are childless.
Household Income Has Risen Significantly
Over the decades, not only has the composition of households changed, but also their purchasing power and spending behavior, according to the statisticians’ findings. In 1962/63, the average monthly net income of a household was 901 DM (461 euros). Ten years later, it had more than doubled to an average of 2078 DM (1062 euros). In 2021, private households in Germany had an average monthly net income of 3813 euros—more than eight times as much as nearly 60 years earlier. These are nominal values, not adjusted for inflation, according to the Federal Office.
The growing prosperity is also evident in household inventories, whether cars, washing machines, or televisions: In 1962, only about one in four households had at least one car, but today it is about three out of four households. Telephones were present in only about 14 percent of all households in 1962. According to statistics, there are no longer any households without telephones today—and 88 percent of households had at least one smartphone in 2022.
Households now spend significantly less money on food as a proportion of their total spending than they did in the past: While in 1962/63, more than one-third of private consumption expenditures went to food, beverages, and tobacco, it is now only 15 percent. In contrast, households now spend significantly more money on housing: The share of consumption expenditures has more than doubled, from just under 16 percent in 1962/63 to nearly 37 percent in 2021.
with material from dpa