Flemish couples, with and without children, are increasingly choosing to live together unmarried compared to 30 years ago. In addition, people lived alone at a younger age and at middle age more often in 2020 and less often alone at a later age than in 1990.
This is evident from a report by Statistics Flanders on living forms on Friday.
The share of married people decreased between 1990 and 2020 from 2 in 3 adults to 1 in 2 adults. In 1990, 4 percent of the partners still lived together without being married, in 2020 this will have risen to 24 percent. Particularly among people in their thirties and forties, a shift occurred from married cohabitation and parenthood to unmarried cohabitation and parenthood. For example, among people in their thirties, the percentage of unmarried cohabitation with a partner increased from 4 to 30 percent. The percentage of unmarried cohabitation with partner and child (ren) increased at that age from 2 percent to 21 percent.
Together or alone
The percentage living with a partner decreased over time to the age of 70 for men and to the age of 60 for women. This decrease was most pronounced between 1990 and 2010. From the age of 70 an increase became apparent. In 1990, for example, 26 percent of people in their eighties lived with a partner, in 2020 this was 46 percent.
Leaving the family home has been delayed for the past 30 years. The percentage living with the parent (s) in their twenties increased from 50 percent in 1990 to 57 percent in 2020. Especially between 1990 and 2000, the percentage living with the parents in their twenties increased. From age 30 onwards, the differences are very small over time.
The evolution of the percentage of single parents varies according to age. There was an increase from 6 to 12 percent of single mothers among women in their 40s and 50s.
This is evident from a report by Statistics Flanders on living forms on Friday. The share of married people decreased between 1990 and 2020 from 2 in 3 adults to 1 in 2 adults. In 1990, 4 percent of the partners still lived together without being married, in 2020 this will have risen to 24 percent. Particularly among people in their thirties and forties, a shift occurred from married cohabitation and parenthood to unmarried cohabitation and parenthood. For example, among people in their thirties, the percentage of unmarried cohabitation with a partner increased from 4 to 30 percent. The percentage of unmarried cohabitation with partner and child (ren) increased at that age from 2 percent to 21 percent. The percentage living with a partner decreased over time to the age of 70 for men and to the age of 60 for women. This decrease was most pronounced between 1990 and 2010. From the age of 70 an increase became apparent. In 1990, for example, 26 percent of people in their eighties lived with a partner, in 2020 this was 46 percent. Leaving the family home has been delayed for the past 30 years. The percentage living with the parent (s) in their twenties increased from 50 percent in 1990 to 57 percent in 2020. Especially between 1990 and 2000, the percentage living with the parents in their twenties increased. From age 30 onwards, the differences are very small over time, and the evolution of the percentage of single parents varies with age. There was an increase from 6 to 12 percent of single mothers among women in their 40s and 50s.
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