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Single‑Person Households Now Most Common in Major German Cities, Mikrozensus Shows

The demographic shift is concentrating demand for small apartments in urban centers, risking sharper shortages, rising rents, and greater need for elder and social services.

Overview

  • Tuesday’s first results from the Mikrozensus 2025 show single‑person households are the largest household type in several regions, with about 50% of households in Berlin and roughly 41% across Bavaria.
  • State statistics offices reported around 2.7 million single households in Bavaria and city shares of roughly 47–52% in Munich, Augsburg and Nuremberg, while Hesse’s large cities recorded 51.1% single‑person households.
  • The data reveal clear age and gender patterns: many younger adults, especially men, live alone, while among those 75 and older about three‑quarters of single households are women, a result linked to higher female life expectancy.
  • Housing groups have estimated a gap of roughly 200,000 dwellings in Bavaria, a sector figure that signals strong demand for one‑person units and sharper pressure on rents and housing planning.
  • The long‑term trend stretches back decades—Bavarian households nearly doubled since 1965 while the share of single households rose from 23% to 41%—creating needs for smaller housing, targeted urban planning and services for isolated or elderly residents.