Statistics Wales demography newsletter: March 2026

On 28 January 2026, the Welsh Government published the latest household estimates: mid-2024. This included estimates for mid-2024, as well as a revised estimates for mid-2022 and mid-2023.

Household estimates provide the estimated number of households using household membership rates from the latest available censuses and applying them to current population estimates. The latest household estimates are based on the Office for National Statistics’s (ONS) population estimates for mid-2024 (ONS), which were published on 30 July 2025. 

Main points

• Between mid-2023 and mid-2024, the estimated number of households increased by around 10,200 (0.7%) to 1.39 million, largely due to an increase in one-person and two-person households with no children.
• Since mid-2014, the estimated number of households has increased by 5.4%.
• The estimated number of households increased for all local authorities between mid-2023 and mid-2024.
• The estimated number of people living in private households, that is, the population not living in communal establishments, increased by around 18,900 (0.6%) to 3.13 million between mid-2023 and mid-2024.
• In mid-2024, the estimated average household size for Wales was 2.25 persons per household, compared with 2.52 persons in mid-1991.

The related data have been released on the new StatsWales site. This includes the household estimates by local authority and household type (StatsWales) as well as one-person household estimates by local authority, year, age and sex (StatsWales). 

Following the publication of the Welsh Government’s 2022-based local authority population projections and 2022-based local authority household projections on 20 November 2025, additional related data have now been made available on the new StatsWales website. This includes 2022-based projected private household population by local authority, year and variant (StatsWales), as well as 2022-based projected one-person household population by local authority, age, sex, year and variant (StatsWales). In addition, the 2022-based population projection components of change by local authority and year (StatsWales) have been published. 

On 4 March, the ONS published its latest update on population and migration statistics (ONS). This outlines their work on improvements to how they estimate population and migration, providing an update on the ONS’s plans and progress.

Update on population estimates

Following a review of the estimates, ONS will continue to publish official annual population estimates using established methods, while improving them incrementally as they test and validate those methods. Admin-Based Population Estimates (ABPEs) will not be produced for publication. Revisions will be made to the mid-2022, mid-2023 and mid-2024 population estimates to incorporate improvements to long-term international migration estimates.

On 4 March, the ONS published Admin-based population estimates: local authority case studies, England and Wales, mid-2024 (ONS). This research shows results of comparisons between the admin-based population estimates and the official mid-year population estimates for a small number of local authorities, including Ceredigion. 

On 8 December 2025, the ONS published admin-based household estimates for local authorities in England and Wales: 2021. This research provides new 2021 estimates of the number of households derived from administrative data sources and compares them with Census 2021 and other official statistics. 

On 27 February, the ONS published Reason for international migration, international students update: February 2026 (ONS). The article looked at immigration status of international students in the UK over time using estimates provided in the long-term international migration bulletin.

On 4 March, the ONS announced plans for a Census Test in 2027, with Cardiff and Monmouthshire selected as test areas in Wales. The ONS also published its Census 2031 strategy (ONS), providing a clear picture of the purpose and scope of the census. 

For information on Welsh language statistics, please see the Statistics Wales quarterly update.

Telephone: 0300 025 0373

Email: stats.popcensus@gov.wales

Media: 0300 025 8099