Belgian Household Size: Small and Shrinking

Belgium's average household size is 2.1 persons — below the EU average (~2.3) and declining.

Drivers

• Aging population: 19% 65+; many single-person elderly households
• Low fertility: TFR ~1.55 (below replacement 2.1)
• Delayed marriage/partnering: Average first marriage age 33M/31F
• High divorce: ~40% of marriages end
• Urbanization: 98% urban; Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent — small apartments
• Student/professional mobility: Single-person households in cities

Regional Variation

• Flanders: Slightly larger (2.2) — more families, suburban
• Wallonia: Smaller (2.0) — older population, post-industrial
• Brussels: Smallest (1.8) — young, mobile, international, expensive housing

Household Types (2021 Census)

• Single person: 34%
• Couple, no children: 28%
• Couple with children: 24%
• Single parent: 8%
• Other (multi-family, non-family): 6%

Policy Implications

• Housing: Need for smaller, accessible, affordable units
• Pensions: Pay-as-you-go strained by dependency ratio
• Care: Formal long-term care demand rising
• Climate: Per-capita emissions higher in small households