One adult households
8.1 In Scotland in 2006, 19 per cent of the population aged 16 or over lived alone, and this is projected to rise to 27 per cent by 2031 - a trend reflected in all SDP areas.
8.2 The figures in Tables 8a to 8d show that people in the older age groups are more likely to live alone. In 2006, in most age groups up to the mid-50s, men were more likely to live alone than women. From the age of 55 onwards, however, women are more likely to live alone, and the percentages increase with age. Projections for 2031 show a similar pattern, with more people living alone in all age groups.
8.3 The percentage of people aged 85 or over who are projected to be living alone in 2031 ranges from 61 per cent in SESplan SDP area to 65 per cent in Aberdeen City & Shire SDP area. In all SDP areas, women in this age group are much more likely to live alone than men.
8.4 The gap between the average life expectancy of men and women in Scotland is decreasing. This means that the number of older men is projected to increase more rapidly than the number of older women. This contributes to the projected increase in the number of men living alone and can be seen in Tables 7a to 7d.
Households containing two or more adults without children
8.5 The figures in Tables 7a to 7d show that, in all SDP areas, there are large projected increases in the number of households containing two or more adults without children in the older age groups. This is likely to be influenced by the increase in average life expectancy and the narrowing of the gap between the life expectancy of men and women.
Households containing one adult with children
8.6 There are projected increases in the number of households of this type in all SDP areas and for nearly all age groups (particularly people aged 45 and over).
Households containing two or more adults with children
8.7 There are projected reductions in the number of household containing two or more adults with children for most age groups, with the biggest reductions occurring in the younger age groups. This may reflect an increase in the average age at which women have their first child. One exception to the reduction in households containing two or more adults with children is the 45-54 age group in SESplan SDP area, which is projected to increase by 18 per cent.