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Children and their families in 2019

Six in ten children with a foreign background live in a rented dwelling

Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2020-06-11 9.30

Owner-occupied housing is the most common form of housing among children in Sweden. However, among children with a foreign background, with single parents and in families with low income levels, it is most common to live in rented dwellings. The proportion of children who live in a rented dwelling varies between 2 percent in Vallentuna and 49 percent in Landskrona.

It is most common for children to live in owner-occupied housing; 57 percent of all children below 18 years living at home live like this. Children who live in rented dwellings account for 28 percent and children who live in tenant-owned flats account for 14 percent. Younger children to a greater extent live in rented dwellings or tenant-owned flats, while older children more often live in owner-occupied housing.

Among children who live with two parents, around six in ten live in owner-occupied housing compared with three in ten children who live with a single parent. Among children who live with a single parent, living in rented dwellings is most prevalent, and half of the children in this group live like this.

The types of housing differ between children with a Swedish background and children with a foreign background. Among children with a Swedish background, 69 percent live in owner-occupied housing, compared with 24 percent among children with a foreign background. Among children with a foreign background, almost six in ten live in rented dwellings.

Differences in economic circumstances to some extent explain housing differences between children with single parents and cohabiting parents, and children with a foreign background and children with a Swedish background. The family’s income level is generally lower for children with single parents and children with a foreign background, and it is more common for children in families with a lower income level to live in rented dwellings, while children with families with a higher income level most often live in owner-occupied housing.

Type of housing among children 0–17 years living at home, by Swedish/foreign background, 2019. Percent

Type of housing among children 0–17 years living at home, by Swedish/foreign background, 2019. Percent

Living in owner-occupied housing is most common in Gagnef and Öckerö

The dwelling stock varies by municipality, which means there are major differences in children’s housing in different parts of the country. The share of children who live in owner-occupied housing varies between 5 percent in Solna in Stockholm County and 92 percent in Gagnef in Dalarna County, and the share of children who live in rented dwellings varies between 2 percent in Vallentuna in Stockholm County and 49 percent in Landskrona in Skåne County. Solna is the municipality with the highest share of children living in tenant-owned flats, 68 percent, followed by Sundbyberg and Stockholm, at 43 percent, all in Stockholm County. At the same time, there are around 30 municipalities with no children living in tenant-owned flats.

Municipalities with lowest/highest share of children living in owner-occupied housing. Children 0–17 years living at home, 2019. Percent
Lowest share of children in owner-occupied housing Highest share of children in owner-occupied housing
MunicipalityShareMunicipalityShare
Solna 5 Gagnef 92
Sundbyberg 17 Öckerö 92
Stockholm 20 Vellinge 91

Municipalities with the lowest/highest share of children living in rented dwellings. Children 0–17 years living at home, 2019. Percent
Lowest share of children in rented dwellings Highest share of children in rented dwellings
MunicipalityShareMunicipalityShare
Vallentuna 2 Landskrona 49
Täby 3 Södertälje 48
Lomma 5 Eskilstuna 47

28 square metres housing space per person

Another way to describe housing is by average housing space per person. Children live in housing with on average 28 square metres housing space per person. Among children who live in owner-occupied housing, the average housing space per person is 32 square metres, compared with 21 square metres for children living in rented dwellings and 24 square metres for children living in tenant-owned flats. The average housing space per person is smaller for younger children, for children with a foreign background and for children who live in families with a lower income level. Children who live with a single parent have a somewhat larger housing space per person than children who live together with two parents. This is related to the fact that children with single parents live in smaller families on average, which means the housing space per person is based on fewer people.

Botkyrka, Stockholm, Sundbyberg and Solna in Stockholm County are the municipalities in which children have the smallest average housing space per person, 23 square metres. These municipalities all have a dwelling stock with a relatively small share of owner-occupied housing (in which the housing space per person is larger on average). Children living in Danderyd (36 square metres) in Stockholm County, Vellinge (35 square metres) and Lomma (33 square metres) in Skåne County have the largest housing space per person.

New statistics on children and their families

The 2019 statistics for Children and their families have now been published in the Statistical Database. The statistics include information on families with children, the child’s type of family and siblings, adopted children, separations, children with Swedish and foreign background, as well as housing.

Definitions and explanations

The data refers to children 0–17 years living at home. The statistics refer to 2019, with the exception of data on economy, which refers to 2018.

Data concerning housing is not available for just over 2 percent of children, and is not included in these statistics.

Feel free to use the facts from this statistical news but remember to state Source: Statistics Sweden.

Statistical agency and producer

Statistics Sweden, Section for Coordination and Interdisciplinary Operations

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Anna Nyman

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