The number of households in Northern Ireland is set to rise as a result of both population increase and a continued move towards smaller households, according to data from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) published today.

The number of households 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.

-- Advertisement --

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.

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 can be attributed to a population growth, which will create an additional 65,000 households and continuing trends towards smaller households, adding approximately 26,000 households.

Furthermore, a changing demographic - with people living for longer - will add a further 34,000 households.

(VB)