Analytics, Estonia, Real Estate, Society

According to the 2011 census, 69.5% of private households in Estonia live in apartments. This share was 71.3% during the previous census. The share of households living in small residential buildings (one-family dwellings, semi-detached houses) has increased slightly (from 28.7% to 30.5%). A very large share of lone-parent and one-person households live in apartments (76.2% and 76.1%, respectively). Compared to other types of household, multi-family households (e.g. when grandparents live together with the younger generations) and married couples have a bigger share of those who live in small residential buildings (45.6% and 39.9%, respectively).

79.1% of households live in dwellings that they own. The share of dwelling owners has increased by about one percentage point compared to the 2000 census. The share of owners is the highest among multi-family households and married couples (93.5% and 90.2%, respectively). 

Although the majority of households in Estonia still live in relatively old buildings, the PHC 2011 data indicate that there is a tendency to move into newer buildings. The number of households living in older dwellings (built before 1971) is decreasing, while the number of households living in newer dwellings (built in 1971 or later) is increasing. 9.5% of households live in dwellings built in 2001 or later.

The availability of basic amenities and comfort characteristics in dwellings has improved significantly in 11 years. In 2000, 85.6% of households had piped water supply, 74.9% had a flush toilet, 70.9% had a bath or shower and 67.9% had central or electrical heating. According to the 2011 census, 94.6% of households have piped water supply, 88.3% have a flush toilet, 87.1% have a bath or shower and 71.5% have central or electrical heating in their dwelling.

As a rule, a dwelling is inhabited by one household. Dwellings with one household account for 93.3% of conventional dwellings with usual residents. These dwellings have, on average, 31.4 square metres of area per inhabitant and 1.28 rooms per inhabitant. In the 2000 census, the corresponding indicators were 24.4 square metres and 1.08 rooms per inhabitant.

Households’ living conditions by household structure, 2011 (%)

Private household is a household living in a dwelling. Private households do not include persons who at the census moment lived permanently in an institutional household (e.g. in a social welfare or penal institution) or were homeless.

This concludes the publication of the results of PHC 2011. The published data can be accessed via www.REL2011.ee.

The 11th population census in Estonia was conducted from 31 December 2011 until 31 March 2012. Previous censuses were carried out in 1881, 1897, 1922, 1934, 1941, 1959, 1970, 1979, 1989 and 2000. The next population census will be conducted in Estonia in 2020/2021.