husholdet

Husholdet, or the household, is a basic social and statistical unit referring to the people who occupy a dwelling and share daily life and resources. In everyday Norwegian usage, husholdet can refer to a single person living alone or a group of people—such as a family or roommates—who live under the same roof. In official statistics, a hushold is defined as one or more persons who occupy a dwelling and pool their income, or who share meals and daily living arrangements. People staying in institutional settings, such as care homes or dormitories, are not counted as part of a private household.

Households vary in size and composition. One-person households are common, particularly in urban areas and among older adults, while other households include couples with or without children, or multi-generational groups. Household size and composition influence living costs, housing demand, and consumption patterns.

Economic and policy relevance: The household is the primary unit for measuring disposable income, consumption, saving, and living standards. Governments collect data on husholdet to design taxation, welfare, and housing policies, and to monitor energy use and housing conditions.

Data collection and examples: In Norway, Statistics Norway (Statistisk sentralbyrå) and other agencies publish statistics on husholdet as part of surveys on income, housing, and living conditions. The term is also used in demographic research and comparative studies across Nordic countries.