Average Household Size in Mali: 6.1 Persons (World Bank)

Per World Bank 2021 data, Mali’s mean household size is 6.12 people. The figure has declined gradually from ~7.0 in the 1990s due to:

• Fertility decline (TFR ~5.8 → ~5.3)
• Urbanization (nuclear families replace extended compounds)
• Male labor migration (split households)
• Improved child survival (fewer births needed for desired family size)

Urban vs. Rural

• Bamako: ~5.2
• Rural Kayes/Kidal: ~7.5+

Policy Context

Large households strain per-capita food, education, and health spending. Government’s Politique Nationale de la Population promotes birth spacing and girls’ secondary education to accelerate the transition.