What is the Total Number of Homes Worldwide?

The question asked by Väinö Tirroniemi, a 4-year-old curious mind, is a challenging one

The difficulty lies in the fact that the concept of ‘home’ is subjective and varies greatly worldwide. Moreover, no official records are maintained on the global count of homes.

In the context of Finland, the term ‘home’ can be associated with actual apartments where individuals reside permanently. As per the data available at the end of 2022, the country boasted around 2.8 million such homes.

Apart from these, there are also residential units for individuals living in dormitories, institutions like nursing homes and hospitals. Moreover, some people may choose to live, either temporarily or permanently, in unconventional abodes like tents, cars, cabins, or hotels.

According to official statistics, the European Union had approximately 198 million households in 2022, implying a minimum of that many homes within the EU.

If we combine the census data from different countries, the estimated count of households around the world stood at around 2.1 billion in 2020.

However, the actual number of homes is likely to be higher, depending on what we consider as a ‘home’. Ultimately, the definition of ‘home’ is a personal choice and varies from person to person.

The above explanation was elaborated by Mika Ronkainen, the Chief Actuary at Statistics Finland.