Released on June 30, the General Household Survey 2025 offers a snapshot of how Singapore’s population has shifted over the past five years.
People in Singapore are earning more, having fewer children and, for some, staying single. These are among the shifts revealed in the latest General Household Survey, which tracks key changes in the population over time.
The 135-page report offers a snapshot of trends across areas including marriage, income, education and housing. Here are six key insights.
1. Singapore households are earning more, especially at the top end
The median household market income among resident households rose to $12,446 in 2025, from $9,099 in 2020.
The share of resident households earning at least $30,000 a month nearly doubled over the same period, climbing from 7.4 per cent to 13.4 per cent. Market income refers to earnings from employment, which include one-twelfth of annual bonuses and employer CPF contributions, and non-employment sources, such as rent and investments.
Experts said the growth in higher-income families was driven by a few factors, including the increasing prevalence of dual-income couples, strong nominal wage growth and higher investment returns amid better performance in capital markets.
The proportion of resident households living in condominiums and other apartments rose from 16 per cent in 2020 to 17.9 per cent in 2025.
But public housing continued to be home for over 75 per cent of resident households, with the four-room HDB flat remaining the most common house type, followed by five-room and executive flats.
3. Singlehood is on the rise among residents below 40 years old
Singlehood became more common among young adults, particularly women in their late 20s and men in their early 30s.
Among female residents aged 25 to 29, about three in four were single in 2025, up from about 70 per cent in 2020.
For male residents, the sharpest increase in singlehood was among those aged 30 to 34, from 41.9 per cent in 2020 to 47.6 per cent in 2025.
Experts said the trend reflects changing attitudes and expectations of relationships, marriage and childbearing among the younger generation.
4. Dual-career couples have become increasingly common
The proportion of dual-career couples, where both husband and wife are employed, grew from 52.5 per cent in 2020 to 56.6 per cent in 2025.
The share of married couples in which only the husband was employed fell. The rise in dual-career couples was seen across all age groups, but was more pronounced among those aged 35 to 49 and 50 to 64.
It is now more common for husbands and wives to have the same highest educational qualifications, with the share of such couples rising from 46.6 per cent in 2020 to 52 per cent in 2025.
5. People are having fewer children
Women residents across all age groups now have fewer children. The average number of children per woman dropped to 1.83 in 2025, compared with 2.04 in 2020.
Married-couple households with children were still the most common living arrangement. But their share slipped from 50.4 per cent in 2020 to 47.6 per cent in 2025.
Over the same period, the proportion of households made up of married couples without children rose from 16.8 per cent to 19.1 per cent.
6. Among 25- to 34-year-olds, slightly more women have higher qualifications than men
The education gap between men and women in Singapore has narrowed markedly among younger residents.
Among those aged 25 to 34, 92.5 per cent of women had post-secondary or higher qualifications in 2025, compared with 91 per cent of men.
Women in this age group have outpaced men in educational attainment since 2019.
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