Who Lives Alone in Korea?

Seung Wan Kim, University of Maryland
Albert Esteve, Centro de Estudios Demográficos

South Korea’s fertility rate remains the lowest globally, with a rise in single-person households reflecting hesitance toward marriage and childrearing. This study examines the changing living arrangements in Korea and their potential influence on marital transitions, with a focus on single-person households. Previous research highlights the role of parental wealth and socioeconomic status (SES) in marriage and parenthood decisions. However, other studies suggest that life course circumstances, such as sociocultural upbringing, also affect these trends. This paper proposes that understanding living arrangements—whether transitioning directly from the parental home, living alone before marriage, or continuing to live alone—provides insights into Korea's demographic shifts. Utilizing two datasets—1% micro-sample data from the Korean census (1970-2020) and the Korean Labor and Income Panel Study (1998-2022)—we analyze trends in living arrangements. Preliminary results from logistic regression indicate that younger cohorts are more likely to live alone, with higher probabilities for females and employed individuals. Future analyses will incorporate economic factors and family background to further explore their impact on living alone and its timing.

Keywords: Census data, Families, Unions and Households, Longitudinal studies , Economic Demography

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