As Of 2024, About Half Of South Koreans Lived Alone.

Beginning in 2024, over half of South Koreans live alone.

Government data from December 2023 showed 42% of homes are single-person, a record high. According to the Ministry of Interior and Safety, single-person households climbed by 211,344 in one year from 9.72 million to 9.93 million.

As more single and older persons live alone, 21.8% of senior adults do, according to the Ministry. Due to address-based government data, two-person households are considered two independent single-person households. This includes “weekend couples” who live apart for business or other reasons.

The average number of individuals in a Korean home dropped from 2.17 in 2022 to 2.15 in 2023.