According to recent data, single-person households now make up over 90% of cities and towns, a drastic increase from the 1990s. The Planning Bureau predicts that this trend will continue, with more than four out of ten households consisting of people living alone by 2070. The largest group of individuals in single-person households are those aged 65 and over, comprising 38%. Married couples with children living together are becoming less common. However, this trend is not uniform across all regions. Brussels-Capital has seen a decrease in isolated individuals, while Wallonia has experienced a significant increase, with 37% of households consisting of one-person. It is projected that Wallonia will surpass Brussels in isolated households by 2070. In Flanders, a quarter of households were single-person in 1992, with this number rising to three out of four.
In more than 90% of cities and towns, single people are now the most common type of household. This is ten times more than at the beginning of the 1990s. The Planning Bureau predicts that by 2070, the group of people living alone will represent more than four out of ten households in our country. With a share of 38%, the largest group of people living alone are those aged 65 and over. It is above all the share of married couples with children living under the same roof that is shrinking. But this evolution of households is far from taking place at the same pace everywhere. In the Brussels-Capital Region, compared to the 1990s, the proportion of isolated people has decreased there, even if, in absolute figures, they are more numerous. In Wallonia, the share of one-person households has increased even more markedly: from less than 30% at the beginning of the 1990s, it rose to 37% last year. The proportion of isolated people in Wallonia will even exceed that of the Brussels Region by 2070. In Flanders, a quarter of households were still made up of just one person in 1992; on three.
As we look towards the future, it’s clear that households are evolving and changing in ways that were once unimaginable. The rise of single-person households is a trend that cannot be ignored, and it’s fascinating to see how it’s playing out in different regions. While it’s important to acknowledge the challenges that come with this shift, such as social isolation and loneliness, it’s also important to celebrate the independence and autonomy that single living can bring. Whatever the future holds, it’s clear that the makeup of households will continue to shift and change in ways that are unpredictable, but also exciting.
