13 Mar 2008
Growth in number of Northern Ireland households to continue
The number of households in Northern Ireland is projected to grow by 48,500 or 7% over the five year period 2006 to 2011, from 672,600 households in 2006 to 721,100 households in 2011. Over this period, the average household size will fall from 2.55 to 2.47 persons per household.
The projected growth in the number of households is relatively small in Greater Belfast, with an additional 9,700 households (4%) between 2006 and 2011, compared to the West & South of Northern Ireland, where the number of households is projected to rise by 16,600 (12%) over the same period.
These are some of the key findings from statistics released today by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) on the projected future number of households in Northern Ireland.
In the longer term over the period 2006 to 2021, it is projected there will be around 125,700 (19%) additional households in Northern Ireland. This increase is a result of the following factors:
population growth will create 65,000 households; changing age structure will add a further 34,000 households; and continuing trends towards smaller households will add 26,000 households.
population growth will create 65,000 households; changing age structure will add a further 34,000 households; and continuing trends towards smaller households will add 26,000 households.
Commenting on the statistics a NISRA spokesperson said: “The number of households is projected to increase as a result of both population increase and there will be a continued move towards smaller households.”
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. Download a more detailed version of this news release (pdf 276 kb) and a detailed table (Excel -74kb)
The Northern Ireland household projections are produced by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. Further statistical information can be obtained from NISRA Customer Services:
Telephone: 028 9034 8160
Fax: 028 9034 8161
Email: dmb.nisra@dfpni.gov.uk
Fax: 028 9034 8161
Email: dmb.nisra@dfpni.gov.uk
2. The large regional areas in this press release correspond to the NUTS III areas with the amalgamation of Belfast and Outer Belfast to form Greater Belfast. The areas are defined as:
Greater Belfast:
Belfast, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Lisburn, Newtownabbey and North Down Local Government Districts (LGDs).East of Northern Ireland:
Antrim, Ards, Ballymena, Banbridge, Craigavon, Down and Larne LGDs.North of Northern Ireland:
Ballymoney, Coleraine, Londonderry, Limavady, Moyle and Strabane LGDs.West & South of Northern Ireland:
Armagh, Cookstown, Dungannon, Fermanagh, Magherafelt, Newry & Mourne and Omagh LGDs.3. The 2006-based household projections are a revision of the 2002-based projections. Household projections are the result of applying long-term demographic assumptions only. They are solely based on historical trends in fertility, mortality, migration and household formation; they do not take into account planned policy changes and other social and economic factors which may influence population distribution. LGD level figures are thus less robust than those produced for Northern Ireland or large regional areas. Similarly, the further into the future that projections are taken, the greater the degree of uncertainty associated with the projections.
4. Household projections will feed into updates of the housing growth indicators to be published by the Department for Regional Development by Summer 2008.
5. All media inquiries be should directed to DFP Press Office: Telephone: 028 9052 7374, Fax: 028 9052 7149. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Office via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
